Neuro-linguistic programming and sport.

NLP is the study of success. It's a new field developed in the 1970s in the United States of America, based on a set of very precise ways to identify how someone who is successful is achieving results. Like the related field of Psychology, NLP has applications in so many places that you have almost certainly heard of it under other names already. For example, in personal development, NLP is the science behind most of what TV Infomercial superstar Tony Robbins teaches. In education, the application of NLP is known as Accelerated Learning. NLP can also be used to study how excellent sportspeople win competitions, how high achieving managers create winning teams, how healthy people heal from illnesses quickly, or how people with photographic memory achieve total recall. To get the full story of how NLP can make a difference in your life, you could also download our 2006 resource guide (32 pages, 1.3Mb). This is a pdf file catalogue which requires Adobe Acrobat to view.

The above text is taken from Dr. Richard Bolstads web site Transformations "What is NLP"

I am a qualified NLP Practitioner having trained under Dr Richard Bolstad of 'Transformations' in 2005. With this knowledge, I can help you reach your full potential in so many different aspects of your life. It helped me win the 2004 Ymac Classic River race.

.......and so much more

How could NLP help in sport you ask?

Many years ago I raced in my first Sella Descent in Spain. Let me paint you the picture of the start of this race. There are 2000 racing kayaks K2, K1, DRR, C1, C2 & C3 all lined up in Le Mans style, for 1.5 km by the rivers edge, which is only 15 metres wide at best. The competitors are 20 metres away at the top of the river bank. There are 100,000 people in the town to watch the race and party. The music is pumping and there is even a train that takes a 1000 people to follow the race. To say the atmosphere was electric is an understatement. Nervous I was almost sh*****g myself! That reminds me....

So before the start of a race or before getting on to paddle a river or what ever you do we all get nervous to some extent. Sometimes we don't even notice it other times it can distract us from the mental preparation before a big race or getting on a river etc. So if you suffer from nerves in these situations then think of this. Its just our bodies own way of energizing itself, getting muscles, lungs, tendons ready for what is about to take place. So next time, just take the time, to thank your unconsciouses mind for doing such a great job of getting your body ready for what you are about to do, so you can continue with your race preparation etc. You can do it a couple of times if you want to its in the rules, I have checked. Try it and let me know how it goes. Another usefull reframe is during competition athletes think that other athletes are running, cycling, kayaking away from them. Well if you think that then thats whats going to happen. So how surprised would you be if they were just around the next corner. Thats right! Just think of that. Anyway back to the story.......

Needless to say I did not know how to control my nerves and did not have a good race in fact thinking back it was probably one of my worst. So big lesson learnt I was back the next year to right my wrong. I was as nervous as the previous year (believe me you cant not be nervous) but this time I was just soaking up the atmosphere loving every second of it, amazing. and channeling all that energy towards the start. The music stopped playing (the sound of the race start) and I was gone like a mad March hare, down the bank and into the kayak. The river was now filled with K2`s and other K1`s ahead of me. I flew just threw them absolutely buzzing feeling no pain. Then after about 2 km things settle down and my senses came back to life, I felt my lungs, legs arms and back all screaming at me as if they were on fire. I saw a couple of big lads in a K2 and move across to sit on their huge wash for the next hour. I would have never caught them and had such a fantastic race if it was not for that start. What a race and what an experience and such a difference from the previous year.

We are all winners. Your potential is unlimited!