Articles
Using the power of the mind
Every player has heard these words before: THINK – CONCENTRATE – FOCUS! But, above all, be sure to relax.
"Relax, relax you say. How in the world am I suppose to do that with all these thoughts going through my head?"
I’ll tell you the secret--focus on the task at hand and think how you want the outcome to be. It’s a simple enough statement, but how would you make it work in a clutch situation? The first pressure-filled situation that comes to mind is a free throw. Let's break down the secret - relating to free throws in the definitions below.
The definitions for "focus" and "concentrate" are nearly identical; a concentrated effort or attention on a particular thing. When shooting the free throw, the goal is to make the basket. Players will sometimes focus on the basket as a whole, so the mind figures anything within that field of vision has hit the target. Left, right, long or short it is within the parameters you gave your mind to focus on. Instead, narrow your focus to the smallest spot on the rim that is straight away from you. Focus on the spot where the hoop comes together at the back or, if you are more comfortable shooting over the rim, a spot straight away on the front of the hoop. Watching basketball on TV you can see some players performing this act the moment they get to the free throw line before they touch the ball. Some players will try and hold this focus for five to ten seconds. The mind can only keep that narrow concentrated focus for a short period of time before the eyes begin to bring in more to the picture. The best scenario is to find that spot a second or two before the shot is performed.
By having a laser focus on a particular spot, your mind cannot wander to those other areas and the results will speak for themselves.
The definition for the word think is considerably different. One definition for the word is; to use the mind to consider ideas and make judgments. Another definition is to believe something or have something as an opinion. How many have heard these words- “you are thinking too much, just shoot the ball”? This could very well be a true statement. A player could be living and acting from a memory of past failures instead of the desired results.
Our mind is a powerful tool, but it sure can get in the way if we are thinking the wrong thoughts. The secret is to replay the past successes rather than the past failures. Use your imagination to get the desired results before they ever happen. Clear your mind and have the belief that there is no doubt that you are going to make that basket.
An example of this put into practice is about a POW that was held captive for several years. He was held in confined quarters that didn’t allow him to move around for days at a time. To escape this misery, in his mind he would play a round or two of golf everyday. He would imagine the swing, the sound and strike of the ball and the distance it would travel. He could feel it from his head through the length of his arms to the tips of his toes. In his mind, he could tell when he wasn’t focused enough and his swing wasn’t right and he would slice or hook the ball sending it into the rough. He would imagine the swing he would have to make to get it out of the rough or around a tree. Some days he would have a good round of golf – his focus was good - bad rounds of golf told him he didn’t escape from the misery to that inner place of total focus.
The story goes that after he was rescued, he returned to the states and regained his strength. The first chance he got, he returned to his local golf course and after years of not touching a club he shot a sub par round of golf.
A positive attitude with focused concentration can take a good player to "uncanny" in their ability to make the plays and the shots.
See it in your mind and then play it on the court.