Lilli Mensinger
Wilson Boys' Baseball vs OJR
The Oxford Dictionary describes a mental block as “an inability to recall some specific thing or perform a mental action.” In many instances, a person can remember what they need to do; however, they cannot bring themselves to physically perform. This can be one of the most frustrating experiences as an athlete. It is seen worldwide in professional and amateur sports. Many times, it is common in a sport like gymnastics, but any athlete can be affected by the difficulties of a mental block.
Mental blocks are more prevalent in individual sports than team sports but can occur in both. Often, it is in high stress situations when mental blocks can be the most challenging to overcome. When you think of a football kicker, they have the opportunity to win or lose the game for their team. If they make the kick, everyone is proud of them; however, if they miss, it can affect the rest of the season and their ability to perform later on. It is always difficult if a team player is experiencing a mental block. The feeling of letting your team down is one of the worst side effects of this psychological barrier.
Many people remember Simone Biles withdrawing from many events in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Although initially confusing as to why she did this, more research has come out regarding a mental block known as the “twisties.” This is a serious mental block that many gymnasts experience. It can cause them to lose their sense of where they are in the middle of a trick and not land properly. This can lead to major injuries and an overall loss of self-confidence within the sport. Biles overcame this mental block by temporarily decreasing the difficulty of her tricks. This allowed her to perform safely until she was ready to compete to her full potential.
Losing confidence is a major contributor to a mental block. When an athlete cannot accomplish something they once thought was easy, it can feel like they are falling into a regression. This negative mindset will only lead them to perform worse, which can lead to a terrible spiral and possibly be season-ending. Low self esteem and frustration are two components that can affect performance by worsening a mental block.
It is important for athletes to create personalized coping mechanisms to overcome this obstacle when competing. A strategy that can be helpful is setting a realistic training goal when practicing during this time. An unrealistic goal can leave someone feeling even worse about themself if they do not achieve it. By setting small, manageable goals, athletes can feel accomplished as they slowly rebuild their confidence.
Another way to move past a mental block is by practicing positive self-talk. Once you shift your mindset, everything begins to feel a whole lot easier. By remaining negative, you will only limit yourself.
Finally, take a break. If possible, keep practices and training lighter during this time. Communicate with coaches and teammates so they understand the situation.
The psychological aspects of sports play a much bigger role than we know. There is so much research out there, but also so much we, as a society, have yet to learn. If athletes can recognize how they are feeling and adjust accordingly, they will have better success in the long run.
Oftentimes, mental blocks can come about because of a buildup of stress. Some of this anxiety could be outside the sport, but with so much accumulated in your mind, it is easy to feel like you are plateauing. Take a step back, take a deep breath and recollect. Relaxing your mind is the best strategy to defeat a mental block. When an athlete tackles this unfortunate setback, they have overcome arguably one of the most psychologically difficult obstacles in sports and will be looking forward to their future accomplishments as they continue their amateur or professional career.