You can use NLP to analyse successful performance in order to be able to further improve the skills-attitude blend or to pass it on to others in your team.

True: If you are preoccupied with something at home or at work your game is affected.

True: If, as you serve in your tennis game, something like a noise or unexpected movement catches your attention your serve is affected.

True: If a member of the opposing team irritates you this can seriously affect your concentration.

True: Using NLP in sport, enables us to manage our mind-body so that we are in the best mental and physical state.

True: A keen golfer or runner might, can use NLP the methods to have fewer off-days, or recover quickly from setbacks.

True: Apply NLP Strategies and techniques to model the success programmes of champions!

Case Study NLP and Martial Arts:

As an example of how NLP and Hypnotherapy can help in sport I have put together a case study with a Martial Artist who after having his first 4 fights was struggling with confidence due to the fact his record reads 4 fights, 3 losses 1 draw, and having to go back in to the ring for his next fight was a big worry not only to Martin but also to his instructor and coach, 'H'.

At my first meeting with Martin I could see a vary confident young person, straight to the point and well balanced in every other area of his life, but when the conversation turned to the upcoming fight I noticed a change in Martin's posture, his focus became internal and he almost looked uncomfortable sitting in front of me, what a change from only a few seconds ago from a vary confident young man.

All in the mind.
I could tell that Martin had a mental block or a repeated memory or play-back in his mind of either his last fight or a combination of all 4 fights being rolled in to one.

NLP comes in to play.
Like all sports people, fighters and martial artiest included, confidence has to be high, look at any sports professional involved in any form of fighting like boxing, kick boxing, or cage fighting and you will always notice 'a look in their eye' or 'how they stand' or 'hold themselves', a stance or look that just Oozes confidence.

Inner strength
This inner strength or inner belief can be the difference in a contest when 2 fighters are evenly matched. Just in the same way having a good 'corner man' on your side giving you his tips and experience and a good strategy during the contest can turn the fight in your favour.

If you ask any martial artiest instructor / trainer about preparation for a competition or tournament they will tell you instantly if a fighter has been following his training plan and diet, keeping up his road work stamina  training, but only dedicated and experienced trainers will pick up on 'confidence' of a fighter as he or she progresses towards fight night.

Sifu Shaun Rawcliffe ~ MWCK Chief Instructor of the Midlands Wing Chun Kuen http://www.wingchun.co.uk/ put it this way about confidence:
"For a Wing Chun practitioner, if a potential attacker is more than arms length away, you should feel confident that you are out of range from most conventional attacks. As soon as the attacker steps in to range, your personal space and as long as you have the confidence, a Wing Chun practitioner should come in to their own as the close range striking and control becomes second nature, again this is determined by confidence, state of mind and belief in your own ability, but most of all confidence."

After working with Martin, a up and coming Kick boxer, this is what he had to say:

Before I met Alan Bagley, I was a student at the Birmingham Martial Arts Centre learning kickboxing. After three years learning the art I decided I would like to compete in full contact competition. I had four full contact fights and on every fight night I got very nervous and found it hard to focus on what I needed to do. Then when I would get into the ring I would not compete to my full potential.

After long discussions with my instructor H Willock , we discovered that it was  a psychological  block that was holding me back. After discovering the route of my problems I was introduced to Alan Bagley who is specialized in this area of therapy.

We met up for a session and spoke about the problem I was experiencing before competing. In my first session with Alan he got me to think about all my positives when I am training and not the negatives that was going through my mind when I was competing.
 

After the first meeting Alan left me with a few things to practice, I had several meetings with Alan a couple of days later when I was training I felt a lot more positive and focused with what I was doing and my abilities. I believe that the therapy I had received from Alan made a real difference to my training and total kickboxing performance.

Martin Smith

If you think you as either a sports person, a coach or are you someone just involved in sport and feel you could benefit from some sport related coaching, please get in touch on 0121 428 1449 or email sport@nlpsupport.co.uk or use the contact form here >> giving as much detail as possible.