Customer Reviews

Gymnastics (Sport Psychology Library)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Whether you're a competitive gymnast on the club level or a collegiate gymnast, or even just a beginner, you will benifit from this marvelous book. It was written by two former gymnasts, Peter Vidmar and Karen Cogan, who also happens to be a sport psychologist. It will help you improve on your performance by learning how to play the mental game of gymnastics and gives you many strategies to practice and to use to make yourself an even better gymnast that you were before.

This book gives you an instruction of the mental side of gymnastics, and then goes on to give tips about relaxation and energization strategies, positive thinking, mental imagery, developing focus and concentration, and goal setting to get where you want to be. The book then goes on to give individual chapters to each apparatus, highlighting the type of skills needed, mental skills that will help you on that apparatus, and other useful tips. But that's not all- you'll also get information on overcoming mental blocks and fear, dealing with fans, pressure, and fame, keeping the fun in gymnastics, body image and eating disorders, parents and coaches, and much more. This book is a much-needed look at how you can use mental skills to become the best gymnast that you can possibly be.

A terrific book for any gymnast that has fears, anxiety, or any thing like that. Peter Vidmar and Karen Cogan have done a beautiful job writing this book. I have visited Karen Cogan 4 times for my own fears in Gymnastics and she recommended this book. It was great! It really helped me in my gymnastics, and now, I finally have a series on beam! I highly recommend this book to all gymnasts and coaches!

This book is an absolute must for any parent or gymnast who wishes to gain insite on the other side of the sport the mental gymnastics required as this sport evolves. There are many quick and easy quizes and practical tests that the gymnasts can use every day in thier paractices and at competitions.

This book is short and easy to locate the needed information. However, I was using the material for a younger child (under 12) and some of the suggested activities were too difficult to implement for a younger child. Because of the organization of the book it made it easy to locate exactly what information was needed. Many simple steps and explanations on various methods in overcoming mental blocks. These methods could be used not only for sports issues, but for issues individuals deal with on a daily basis. Apropriate for older children or adults and well worth the inexpensive cost.

It was very helpful to me because it gave me tips on how to improve with mental skills. It gives tips on how to prepare yourself before a competition and be mentally strong.
Very good book -- I would recommend it to other gymnast.

This is a great book for gymnasts and parents of gymnasts, whether they have just started in the sport or have been competing for a long time. I got it especially for the chapter on dealing with the coaches. I am a seasoned parent with two teenage daughters competing as level 9s. Gymnastics is a great sport filled with many advantages but it is also a very demanding sport and as a parent I struggle with the long practice hours, risk involved (one of my daughters is having surgery this week for a gymnatics related injury) and the tactics of the coaches. This book helped me prepare a letter I wrote to the coach. It also has chapters that are helpful to the athletes regarding the psychology of the sport. I definitely recommend it!