When Olympic athletes train. They train more then just their body. They also train their mind
Here is a video and an article about the topic of how extraordinary athletes train using hypnosis and visualization.
EMBRACING IDEALS OF POWER;
DRIVEN BY CONCEPTS OF STRENGTH
How to move your self - and your training -
into the realm of the Extraordinary!
© Copyright 2004 Peter C. Siegel, R.H. – All Rights Reserved
What enables a man to climb, and reach the summit of Mt. Everest…even though his soul will be tested to its core—and losing his life will be a constant possibility?
What enables a man to continue on with a personal achievement quest, until he’s come to conclusively experience his crowning glory – even though year after year he meets with failure and/or second place or second best?
What enables one who comes from an adverse, indeed traumatic childhood, to strive ever more-so beyond his humble beginnings, all the way to where he reaches the highest level possible in his chosen adult field?
Indeed, what enables a man to look heredity and environment square in the face and exclaim “You shall not define me—I shall overcome you, and achieve unparalleled levels of personal accomplishment…levels which everyone else in the world – except me – believes can not be reached; I resolve that I will reach them!”
As you read through the preceding, I’m sure you may have seen or felt a part of your makeup within each scenario related. As a serious bodybuilder, looking within yourself for the “extra” resources needed to meet the daily challenge of the iron has to be part of you (if you’re ever to truly cultivate your physical potential into materialized fact).
And to answer the question each initial scenario poses, I’ll tell you that while luck, fate, chance or “the breaks” going your way may all be involved, I’ve found that one’s mentality – the foundational true beliefs, outlooks, and ideas you embrace – is the factor most responsible for a person staying with a process where superior achievement is desired…and coming to ultimately actualize it!
“How can you say this?” you may ask. Good question. My answer stems from 24 years of personally working with pros in bodybuilding and sports (many, multi-millionaires who must constantly perform at their consummate best). When I helped a client who knew he had potential structure a mind-set impervious to “failure” - and wholly lasered upon total faith in success, conviction to advance, surpassing previous efforts, and generating the force within themselves they knew was stronger, tougher, and more commanding than external demand - that’s when their desires stopped being “unrealized,” or even “desires.” That’s when what they wanted became a driving life force compelling them to pit their will against the challenge, every day, until they came to reign supreme!
Let me further illustrate the impact of foundational mentality upon ultimate destiny through relating some actual experiential frameworks.
In late 1984, Mike Christian approached me at Gold’s Gym, and said he’d like to speak with me professionally. He told me how much he wanted to win the Mr. America title, and how he felt his life would really never have the meaning he wanted it to, unless – and until - he did.
Seven consecutive years he’d be trying for it, but he’d come up empty handed. “Pete – I know if I can just tap this power within me I’ve never really connected with, I can drive my physique beyond where it’s ever been…and win!”
So passionate was his exhortation, I agreed to work with him. And, through a progressive redefining and programming of his unconscious outlook, sense of capability, and belief in himself, he went on to finally win the America that year…and the Mr. Universe, too!
In 1995, Damion Easley – listed as a highly touted prospect with great potential – was struggling with the California Angels, hovering around .200 for his batting average. Seeing him hit the ball solidly for extra bases many times, and his stellar fielding exploits, I knew that if he could get things right on the inside, he could, and would, then flourish.
I contacted him at the Angels to introduce myself and my work. And he called me back to discuss how my work might help him. “I’m tired of struggling, and playing below what I know I’m capable of,” he said, “I want to be a great one in this game – and I want that more than anything else in the world!” We began working late in the ’95 season, and as his self-concept, and belief in his ability continued to evolve over the years, his statistics and achievements all kept increasing dramatically, too.
Continuing a working relationship with me each season since 1995, he went on to make the 1998 American League All Star Team, and break all his personal best records for number of hits, home runs, RBI’s, fielding percentage – oh, and income; he just recently received a $35 million, multi-year contract extension with the Detroit Tigers.
Shawn Ray (2 time Mr. Olympia runner up) tells me, “Pete, even though I know I have to go up against guys 30 to 50 pounds heavier than me, I always think that they gotta beat me!
“I’ve got the complete package: size, shape, symmetry, cuts, and I know how to display it to wow everyone who sees me on stage.
“When I started out as a pro, I competed against many top name competitors; I’ve beaten them all except two, Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman. I have a total fearlessness both in the way I see myself, and in my approach to training. My confidence comes from having beaten 99.9% of everyone else; I truly believe - and know - that I am tried, tested, and true.
“When I train in the gym, I’m like Mike Tyson. I’m not afraid to lose…but I’ll put all of me into doing what I have to to prevail. And this applies to each rep of every set of every single workout that I perform.
“The weaknesses I see others elicit makes me continually stronger. I feed off of what I recognize they’re not doing, but need to. I do all of the things that I see them either cheating on or neglecting in their workouts. This makes me realize that I’ve done all the homework I need to do, and it makes me feel stronger and even more commanding.
“I work out with different guys for different body parts, and I look at this just like a boxer looks at his various different sparring partners; he’s got to continually subject himself to tougher and stronger guys if he’s ever going to improve himself. I subject myself to the extreme demand. This is what makes me tough—this is what makes me stronger, more commanding, and better than I’ve ever been before.
“When I walk into the gym I assume an attack mode. I refuse to lose; I’m a warrior--I know what I want to do, and I know exactly what I’m gonna do to achieve it…and I get the job done!”
As I studied the striking progression of these pros, and many others I had the opportunity to personally work with over the years, I began to see surprisingly similar mental elements embraced by them. These were the elements which drove them into truly what can only be labeled as their champion’s accomplishment and impact phase. So striking and so decisive were these elements, I began to actually see a real life working model of ideas directing life energy to ultimately produce what the idea espoused.
This was the clearest and most precise representation of “What you think…what you are” I’d ever experienced. And I’ve isolated 6 characteristic ideals which embody the essence of this Champion’s Mental Set -- the essence which I’ve come to realize drives one beyond every level they’ve known, and into realms of the heroic!
And so you can begin to cultivate this champion’s mentality, I’ve organized these characteristics into an easy-to-apply process. As you read through each of the Champion’s Mental Set ideals, you’ll note that each is filled with energy, passion, and power. And as you engage the following easy to perform exercise as outlined, you’ll then steadily empower your foundation of thought so the ideals that instinctively drive the champions, will come to relentlessly compel you!
IMPLEMENTING THE CHAMPION’S MENTAL SET PROCESS
First, read this process, and the instructions for use, in their entirety. Then engage the process exactly as outlined.
Upon awakening, and again before retiring at night:
1.) S-l-o-w-l-y read each of the following Champion’s Mentality forging ideals (#’s 1-6) in sequence with strong feeling, savoring the richness of sensation you inwardly experience as you read each one;
2.) After reading each ideal, then close your eyelids down and graphically:
See what it means/represents to you…
Feel what it means/represents to you…
Sense the level of power and performance impact you know you would – exactly as you would – if the ideal were your instinctive, exclusive nature right now!
3.) Spend about 2 to 3 minutes with this inward feeling/sensing/visioning after you read each individual ideal. Then move directly into the next one.
When you’ve finished with the sixth and last ideal, and are experiencing the sensory impact gleaned through engaging each idea, clench your right fist hard. And continuing to feel the confidence, power, and creation forcefulness reading each ideal has inwardly induced, then imaginatively project yourself into your next upcoming workout. But now, instead of doing things as you “normally” do…you’ll unconsciously program yourself to reflect these ideals as your natural workout affinity. And so, imaginatively experience yourself engaging and interacting with – and within – this workout the collective, living embodiment of ideals #’s 1-6. And as the singular embodiment of this Champion’s mental power and drive, let yourself graphically notice, as you engage every rep:
What you do…
How you do it…
The reactions of others toward you…
How you see and feel about you because of being and acting as
this perceptual forcefulness…
How you perceive what you’re truly capable of – and what you will do – because of being and acting exclusively as this perceptual forcefulness…
The results your efforts produce…
And the overall physical outcome your workout has produced…
After completing this Champion’s Mental Set (CMS) programming mode (as outlined),
s-l-o-w-l-y unclench your fist, let your eyelids open, inhale deeply…and stretch.
Then, savoring the richness of the visual and emotional impact derived from engaging this exercise, either begin or continue on with your day, or easily allow yourself to naturally glide into a deep and restful slumber (depending upon which time of day you perform this process).
I encourage you to perform this process twice daily as outlined for 8-10 consecutive days. Then, whenever you want to, or feel you need to. Adhering to this schedule will reinforce each of the upcoming Champion’s Mental Characteristics to a degree where new, life/power building ideals and behavioral propensities become integrated within your mental set!
During your day, and especially during your workout, if you ever sense yourself “slipping,” or waning in your exertion intensity and/or focus, clench your right fist hard (stimulating the flow of your CMS collective power context). And when you feel yourself flooded and enriched by this CMS emotional power, then resume your activity – fueled by all your CMS ideal sequence (the composite of #’s 1-6) suggests.
The entire Am/Pm process application should take 25-30 total minutes.
And so now, you’ll infuse your subconscious with the ideals of Peak Performance Impact and Personal Power. Let what you’ll now read infuse deep within you, as your personal fact of life!
THE CHAMPION’S MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS
The Commitment To Your Personal Power
And as you now begin evolving into strengthened feeling, and action impact realms, your unconscious is now steadily transforming its perceptions of you, your muscular development capacity, and its outlook about what your life can be…now! And as you’re now growing stronger, and more confident—more aware of, and more committed to increasing your levels of power and muscularity, you now naturally, eagerly embrace the following ideals as the framework which now directs your behavior -- your thoughts -- your images -- your workout approach -- and the flow of your very life!
Starting right now, and continuing on more-so with each new day…you become further enriched and strengthened through embracing the awareness that A CHAMPION IS:
1.) The man who by choice, and an unyielding commitment to His personal gain, naturally pushes himself harder every day…That’s right… Striving to out do what he did before, and surpass what he accomplished last time… continually driving himself toward those realms which fully test and challenge any notion of limitation he may perceive. And he pushes himself higher, and breaks through to victory for the Singular purpose of claiming More of the strength, power, and dominance potential he senses – in fact – Knows lies deep within him… And his conviction – his compulsion to prevail – is an uncompromising catalyst which relentlessly unchains More of this commanding force!
2.) The man who establishes standards of preparation, standards for competitive approach, and standards of performance execution which are dramatically Beyond those any external force could ever impose upon him… He does what no one else would, or could expect him to do. And he does it with the singular conviction to strengthen himself, to advance himself, to magnify his power… and to generate and reflect the physical embodiment that Is dominance... Indeed…that Is the very conquest of self and purpose!
He is the physical manifestation of His vision of what is truly possible… He is the uncommon man, the man who purposefully walks the path few others ever can
– or will – understand… The man who because of His faith, and what He sees and embraces as Truth naturally does what he must for himself to produce the striking results that He Absolutely Knows He Can!
He knows Who he is, What he is, and what he is all About... And he walks the earth as the striking embodiment of This awareness… Exclusively!
3.) The man to whom there is no easy way, just The way… the way of Increase, the way of Advance… the way of Power… the path ceaselessly compelling
– and Demanding – ever Greater dimensions of triumph be achieved… It is This way from which his life flows – All His Life. It is from This way that his thoughts emerge… It is from This way – and through this way Only – that His life takes on meaning…and Continues to move him purposefully beyond the “ordinary,” into the realms few others can understand – the Extra-Ordinary… But He realizes that this realm of EXTRA-Ordinary is, in fact, a natural, purposeful manifestation of the continual unfoldment of More, and More, and More of the Way, feverishly embraced as the singular guiding force and ideal characterizing the meaning and purpose of HIS personal existence -- the guiding compelling Force which influences – in fact – Commands the total spectrum of his physical and mental life! Indeed, the creation and manifestation of More is the ideal, and singular basis from which His soul commands His very passion…!
4.) The man who Sees the invisible, almost tasting the reward His vision projects as impending… He boldly thinks the “impossible,” recognizing, it is Not impossible, it is his imminent and very Destiny because he knows, he feels, and he accepts himself as an Indomitable Creation Of God…
He embraces an inner vision vastly superior to what his outer eyes see…this inner vision is his True sight mechanism which pierces the ignorance and disbelief embraced by the world around him – the mechanism that - with precision clarity - graphically depicts the mastery and commanding impact which he instinctively, rightfully embraces as Literal – and Real!
His inner vision masterfully brands upon his soul an unswerving perception of the way life can, should, and Will be for him. And his Inner eyes continually forge and create his outer world, to ever more-so reflect the implicit scope Of this compelling vision and faith…
5.) The man who fully commits to the Demand, and makes himself what he needs to be – regardless of any Thing, or any Idea, or any Person who may cross his path… From the Demand he draws his strength, from the Demand he establishes purpose, from the Demand he burns His path, and then travels This road exclusively -- with the flaming passion of compulsion to conclusively dominate… and conclusively triumph… and decisively, magnificently, ultimately Prevail…!
6.) His is the path of greatness… nothing less. He awakens each new day heart pounding, energy pulsing, standing committed not to merely live, or even to excel… He stands committed to reign supreme every day he’s alive… and to make each day produce for him the payoff He embraces as rightful, pre-ordained Destiny… to make each day become for him a commanding, life evolving manifestation of his True personal impact capacity—the advancing, evolving, and Supposed-To-Unfold levels of impact, power, and accomplishment he knows represents Truth – Yes—his truth…Now!
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Note from sports hypnotherapist Chris Cady:
Nationally prominent self help author, seminar leader, and personal change specialist, Peter C. Siegel was America's foremost sports and peak performance hypnotherapist. Unfortunately Peter has passed away but his work and his spirit live on.
You can review his acclaimed self help - personal success development - mega-confidence building programs at www.incrediblechange.com, or you can call 775-425-5847 to order programs or speak with his protege, sports hypnotherapist Chris Cady
The unique, results guaranteed assurance Siegel attaches to each of his programs…continues to stand the test of time!
