Sports Slump Busting: 10 Steps to Mental Toughness and Peak [Paperback]

Alan S. Goldberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1998

The 10-step programme in this book has practical value, helping athletes overcome pressure situations, staleness, mental blocks, lack of confidence, and the many other barriers to optimal performance. Numerous anecdotes, self-evaluation, and clear prescriptions allow for easy application. The information applies to a big market, from teen athletes all the way up to masters sports competitors. It should also be of interest to coaches.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alan S. Goldberg, EdD, is the director of Competitive Advantage, a sports consulting firm in Amherst, Massachusetts. A practicing sport psychology consultant since 1983, he has worked with hundreds of coaches and slumping athletes and teams across a wide variety of sports, competition levels, and ages. He also has gained a unique perspective on developing mental toughness as a professional tennis instructor for more than 22 years and as a former number one singles player and conference champion as a student at the University of Massachusetts.

Dr. Goldberg is a nationally known expert in the field of applied sport psychology and maintains an extensive speaking schedule. He has written articles for numerous national publications and has published five workbooks and 10 audiocassette programs on mental training techniques. In addition to working with amateur and professional athletes and coaches, Dr. Goldberg is a regular speaker at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Dr. Goldberg lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with his wife, Renee, and two daughters, Sara and Julee. He enjoys karate, sports with his children, and the beach.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Human Kinetics Publishers (January 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0880116536
• ISBN-13: 978-0880116534
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,103,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book saved my life. (as an weekend golfer), January 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Sports Slump Busting: 10 Steps to Mental Toughness and Peak (Paperback)

I'm a die-hard golfer and this book saved my life. I stumbled across it a couple of months ago while in a major league slump with my game. I thought I was really screwed up, but this book helped me understand how my slump started and that I wasn't nuts. That was half the battle. The other half was in all the specific - and easy - ways to correct the problem. I can't play too much at this time of year, but I've played enough to see these techniques work. Greg Norman should have called this guy. The icing on the cake is that so much of the stuff in this book has not only gotten me out of my slump, but has really helped me play much better than I was before. My last 3 rounds have been the best I've ever done in my life.

Anybody who has hidden fantasies of being the oldest player ever to qualify for the PGA Tour (like I do) should check this out.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, September 18, 2008

By 

Bird (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sports Slump Busting (Paperback)

I disagree with our Czech friend's review of the book. I found it well written and very easy to follow. It is one of my favorites and I actually prefer it over Goldberg's other, "Playing Out Of Your Mind". If you are an athlete specifically looking to improve the mental side of the game and aren't a big reader, then POOYM is the digest version of what you'll find in "Sports Slump Busting" (although I still think SSB is the better written version), but if you want a complete understanding of the whys and the wherefores, SSB is the book to purchase.

I consider this book a good read for an athlete trying to understand their performance issues, for a coach that wants to help their players perform better and for parents who might want a better understanding of their athlete's problems. All three can contribute both positively and negatively to athletic performance and the book will explain how to avoid the negative in favor of the positive.

5.0 out of 5 stars Saved my athletic career, September 21, 2009

By 

M. Murphy "swimming4ever" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sports Slump Busting (Paperback)

I read this book when I was down and out in high school. I was ranked in the top three in my two individual events for our State Swimming Championships. I ended up sixth in both. At the end of the meet, I vowed I never would swim again and was to focus my Senior year just on academics alone. My father gave me this book and it turned my swimming career around. My Senior year I was able to put the past behind me, swim faster then expected, and even making a Junior National Cut to travel to Alaska to compete. That year I also accepted a full scholarship (instead of being a walk-on like I had thought). I went on to compete in Division II and swim better each year, never ending the season with out a life time best. I recommend this book to those who are willing to take a deep look around and within themselves. If you are looking for a quick fix, look elsewhere for a band-aid. This book is meant to be read slowly, so best to be read during an off-season... or committing a chapter per week to actually have an effect on an athlete.