Category: Stress Management

The psychology behind goal setting & behavior change

The beginning of a new year is a common and motivating time to want to set new goals. One way people achieve their goals is through systematic goal setting. Sometimes, however, we may have trouble achieving the goals that we set. Here are some reasons why reaching our goals may be easier said than done, explanations for how goal setting works, and what you can do about it.

January 2, 2024 | Arianna Martignetti, Ed.D

The beginning of a new year is a common and motivating time to want to set new goals. One way people achieve their goals is through systematic goal setting. Sometimes, however, we may have trouble achieving the goals that we set. Outlined below are some reasons why reaching our goals may be easier said than done, explanations for how goal setting works, and what you can do about it.

Changing a behavior is difficult and complex, especially if it is a behavior that we have been exhibiting for a very long time, or learning a brand new one! The transtheoretical model of change (TTM), originally theorized and researched amongst smokers, breaks down stages to better understand the process of changing a behavior.(1) Five of them are briefly outlined below:

Precontemplation: In this stage, people do not intend make a change within the next six months, and may not consider or be aware that their behavior is problematic or unhealthy.

Contemplation: People intend to begin changing their behavior within the next six months, and start to consider the pros and cons of changing such a behavior.

Preparation: People are ready to take a step towards changing their behavior within 30 days and believe that a change can influence a healthier life.

Action: People have changed their behavior within the past 6 months. They intend to keep working on it by altering their problematic behavior and/or adopting new/healthier behaviors.

Maintenance: People have maintained their changed or new behaviors for more than six months, and intend to continue doing so.

It is important to note that there are limitations to the TTM, two of which include socioeconomic status and social contexts. Depending on which stage someone is in, there are interventions known as processes of change that can be implemented to help with changing/maintaining behaviors by altering our thinking and feelings.(1) Two examples are consciousness raising and reinforcements. Consciousness raising refers to information (either directly or indirectly) that raises our awareness of a problematic behavior and/or a healthy behavior. Social media and commercials do this a lot! An advertisement might share statistics of an unhealthy behavior or share images and anecdotes to promote healthy a behavior. Reinforcements are used to reward the desired behavior with hopes in reducing the unwanted behavior. For example, if you hit your exercise goal for the week, you might reinforce your behavior by purchasing a new workout shirt.

Consider the goal(s) that you are thinking about for the new year and which stage you think you are in. As for systematic goal setting, researchers suggest that setting goals can direct your focus, thus affecting your effort, influence and prolong your persistence, and help you develop new or improved strategies.(2) Factors that affect our goal setting process include the level of goal difficulty, how specific you are, and the use of both short-term and long-term goals.(3) Goals that are moderately-difficult-to-difficult are recommended compared to goals that are either too easily achieved or unrealistic and unattainable. Furthermore, if a goal that you set is too vague, it can be difficult to evaluate whether you are making progress.

When considering the relationship between goal setting and your performance, evaluation is a crucial factor. It is common to experience anxiety related to evaluating your progress; however, evaluation is necessary as it will allow you to adjust, re-consider, or set new goals for yourself. As for short-term goals, setting ones that are relevant to your long-term goal can help maintain persistence, and influence your motivation and confidence; this is especially true when you achieve those short-term goals! Some other forces that contribute to the relationship include the knowledge or resources that you have access to, your ability, and your commitment level. When assessing your level of commitment, reflect on the source of your goal. Are you setting it for yourself, or is it being influenced by somebody/something else? This can affect our motivation, and whether we feel more in control of our goal versus it being controlled by someone/something else.

Consider the above information in reference to directing your focus, acknowledging how it affects your effort and persistence, and the influence of new strategies along the way. It is important to note that goal setting is not necessarily a one-size-fits-all approach. For more information on systematic goal setting, feel free to check out our previous post on how to set a New Year's Resolution.

References

1. Prochaska, J. O., & Norcross, J. C. (2001). Stages of change. Psychotherapy, 38(1), 443-448.

2. Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2019). The development of goal setting theory: A half century retrospective. Motivation Science, 5(2), 93-105.

3. Jeong, Y. K., Healy, L. C., & McEwan, D. (2021). The application of goal setting theory to goal setting interventions in sport: A systematic review. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 16(1).

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Arianna Martignetti

Arianna Martignetti, Ed.D., is a mental performance consultant who works with individual athletes, weekend warriors and teams at all levels, including competitive youth, high school, and collegiate levels, as well as recreational athletes.

Meet Arianna

Marathon Mondays: Mental strategies to help you the finish line

Hosts Britt Gunsser, physical therapist and RRCA Running Coach, and Brendan Copley, personal trainer, are joined by mental performance consultant Arianna Martignetti as they dive into the realm of sports psychology, aiming to unravel the mental aspects of training and racing. They explore the often-quoted sentiment that running is primarily a mental endeavor, and seek insights into how athletes can enhance their mental strategies to complement their physical preparation..

July 3, 2023 | Britt Gunsser, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS | Brendan Copley, CSCS, ATC | Arianna Martignetti, Ed.D

Hosts Britt Gunsser, physical therapist and RRCA Running Coach, and Brendan Copley, personal trainer, are joined by mental performance consultant Arianna Martignetti as they dive into the realm of sports psychology, aiming to unravel the mental aspects of training and racing. They explore the often-quoted sentiment that running is primarily a mental endeavor, and seek insights into how athletes can enhance their mental strategies to complement their physical preparation.

The group explores methods to cope with challenging moments in training, handle negative self-talk, and prevent the cascade effect of bad days or weeks in a training cycle. The conversation extends to race-specific strategies, including pace management, setting realistic expectations, and dealing with race-day jitters. Arianna sheds light on the physiological aspects of these mental strategies and discusses how they impact performance. She also touches on scenarios involving unfamiliar races or returning to training after injury or time off.

Arianna provides insights into daily mental strategies for promoting peak performance using techniques such as visualization and offers
guidance on overcoming common mental traps that can hinder an athlete's progress. She finished with a discussion on how to work through negative self-talk and how to implement daily mental strategies to promote peak performance, among other topics.

Listen here, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Arianna Martignetti

Arianna Martignetti, Ed.D., is a mental performance consultant who works with individual athletes, weekend warriors and teams at all levels, including competitive youth, high school, and collegiate levels, as well as recreational athletes.

Meet Arianna

Britt Gunsser

Britt Gunsser, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, is a board certified orthopedic clinical specialist, certified Schroth therapist and dry needling specialist. She has completed extensive work on running rehabilitation and is an RRCA Running Coach.

Meet Britt

Brendan Copley

Brendan Copley, CSCS, ATC, is a personal trainer who specializes in working with endurance athletes and post-rehab clients. Brendan is a marathoner and former cross-country runner and has worked as an athletic trainer for Quinnipiac University’s cross-country and track teams.

Meet Brendan

The missing link to successful rehab and return to sport

While much is understood about the importance of physical therapy when rehabilitating from an injury and returning to sport, there is less focus on the role of mental performance. Overall, psychological readiness has been undervalued and underassessed when determining if an athlete is ready to return to sport at their previous competitive level.

August 1, 2023 | Ashley Moriarty, PT, DPT, OCS

While much is understood about the importance of physical therapy when rehabilitating from an injury and returning to sport, there is less focus on the role of mental performance. Overall, psychological readiness has been undervalued and underassessed when determining if an athlete is ready to return to sport at their previous competitive level.

While research continues to emerge regarding the importance of incorporating mental performance to all injuries, there is a strong body of evidence related specifically to anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). It has been suggested that the single most important factor influencing return to pre-injury sport participation is psychological readiness, and current data suggests that only 50% of people who have undergone ACLR return to their previous level of activity. Of those that do return, up to 30% sustain a second injury within two years.

In order to return to sport after ACLR, there are a battery of physical tests that are usually administered to assess strength, power, and range of motion, among other things. However, it is speculated that the primary reason that half of injured athletes fail to return to sport is because of psychological barriers, not physical barriers, yet this area of recovery is overlooked. Despite a strong link between fear of reinjury and failure to return to sport, many rehab programs fail to include a formal assessment of psychological readiness, namely the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-11). The TSK-11 assesses pain related fear of movement and fear of reinjury, using a grading scale of 11-44, with higher scores being associated with more fear, and a score of greater than 17 falling into a “high fear” category. In one study by Paterno et al, those who reported high fear were four times more likely to report lower levels of activity, indicating they may not return to their sport. Additionally, those who did return to cutting and pivoting sports with high fear were at an increased risk of reinjury within the first 2 years. successful rehab and returning to full participation in sport.

Psychological readiness should be an integral part of an athlete’s rehab process. Objectively, assessing fear of movement and fear of reinjury should happen in a similar vein as assessment of strength and range of motion. It should be addressed early and continuously in the rehab process, as the athlete progresses toward running, cutting, pivoting, and return to contact. Mental performance consultants should be involved in every athlete’s return to sport journey to address fear of reinjury, improve confidence in their movement abilities, and help implement strategies to cope with possible setbacks. Concerns about return to sport should be addressed well before the time comes to make a decision so we can eliminate or minimize fear before return to the field or court.

Despite the growing body of literature that emphasizes the importance of mental performance training for injured athletes, there are large gaps in its implementation. This is the missing link between traditional rehab and return to sport at pre-injury levels, which is the ultimate goal for these athletes.

Citations:

Paterno MV, Flynn K, Thomas S, Schmitt LC. Self-Reported Fear Predicts Functional Performance and Second ACL Injury After ACL Reconstruction and Return to Sport: A Pilot Study. Sports Health. 2018 May/Jun;10(3):228-233. doi: 10.1177/1941738117745806. Epub 2017 Dec 22. PMID: 29272209; PMCID: PMC5958451.

Baez SE, Hoch MC, Hoch JM. Psychological factors are associated with return to pre-injury levels of sport and physical activity after ACL reconstruction. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2020 Feb;28(2):495-501. doi: 10.1007/s00167-019-05696-9. Epub 2019 Sep 5. PMID: 31486916.

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Ashley Moriarty

Ashley Moriarty, PT, DPT, OCS, is a board certified orthopedic clinical specialist who is certified in dry needling and pre- and post-natal fitness.

Meet Ashley

Mental performance: the key to unlocking your golfing potential

Golf is a sport that demands both physical and mental prowess. While the significance of physical fitness in golf is well-established, the importance of mental performance cannot be overlooked.

August 1, 2023 | Patrick Vierengel, CPT, TPI-F1

The relationship between mental performance and the game of golf is a topic of great importance and interest in the field of sports science. As an avid golfer and a professional in the field, I believe this discussion holds tremendous value for both players and researchers alike.

Golf is a sport that demands both physical and mental prowess. While the significance of physical fitness in golf is well-established, the importance of mental performance cannot be overlooked. The ability to think strategically, maintain focus, manage emotions, and handle pressure are all crucial elements that can greatly impact a golfer's performance on the course.

Countless studies have highlighted the link between mental performance and golfing success: researchers have found that golfers who possess strong mental skills, such as concentration, visualization, and self-confidence, exhibit superior performance compared to those who neglect their mental game. Furthermore, mental performance has been shown to directly influence a golfer's ability to make effective decisions, execute shots with precision, and recover from setbacks.

Understanding the intricate relationship between mental performance and golf is essential for improving training programs, enhancing coaching strategies, and maximizing player performance. By comprehending the mental challenges faced by golfers and implementing appropriate interventions, we can potentially unlock untapped potential and elevate the overall standard of the game.

One of the most important aspects of mental performance in golf is the ability to stay present, focused, and in the moment. Golf is a game that requires players to make precise shots, and any distraction or loss of focus can lead to disastrous results. Professional golfers have mastered the art of staying present, shutting out the noise and pressure around them, and fully committing to each shot. They understand that one bad shot should not define their round, and as a result have the ability to bounce back quickly from any setbacks.

Visualization

Visualization is another key component of mental performance in golf. Professional golfers spend time visualizing each shot before they even step up to the ball. They see the trajectory, the landing spot, and the roll of the ball in their mind's eye. By visualizing the shot, they are able to execute it with more confidence and precision. This technique not only helps with performance on the course, but also aids in managing nerves and anxiety during high-pressure situations.

Mental toughness

Mental toughness is a trait that distinguishes the great golfers from the good ones. Professional golfers have learned to cope with the pressures of the game and bounce back from adversity. They understand that golf is a game of highs and lows, and a bad shot or round does not define their career. Developing mental toughness takes time and practice, but it is essential for success in golf. Golfers with strong mental toughness are able to maintain a positive attitude, stay composed under pressure, and make smart decisions — even when the game is not going their way.

Goal setting

Lastly, goal setting is a crucial aspect of mental performance in golf. Professional golfers set both long-term and short-term goals to keep them motivated and focused. Long-term goals help them stay on track and provide a sense of direction, while short-term goals give them something to strive for in the immediate future. By setting specific and achievable goals, golfers can stay motivated and track their progress over time.

In conclusion, mental performance plays a vital role in the game of golf. Professional golfers understand that success on the course is not solely determined by physical skill but also by mental resilience and performance. Staying present, visualizing shots, developing mental toughness, and setting goals are all strategies that professional golfers employ to unlock their full potential. So, the next time you hit the golf course, remember that the key to success lies not only in the swing, but also in your mental game.

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Patrick Vierengel

Patrick Vierengel, CPT, TPI-F1, is a certified personal trainer and golf trainer who trains clients out of Greenwich and New Canaan. Patrick specializes in working with golfers, using his golf knowledge as a golf trainer and Titleist Professional Institute Level 1 Certified Golf Fitness Professional. He is currently studying to achieve the TPI Level 2 Fitness certification.

Meet Patrick

Avoiding parental burnout

Parenting is a rewarding, stressful, fulfilling, and challenging endeavor. Parental stress is normal and common, but there may come a time when a parent’s stress becomes severe or long-lasting, which can affect their ability to cope; this can manifest into parental burnout. Here's what you can do about it.

August 1, 2023 | Arianna Martignetti, Ed.D.

Parenting is a rewarding, stressful, fulfilling, and challenging endeavor. Parental stress is normal and common, but there may come a time when a parent’s stress becomes severe or long-lasting, which can affect their ability to cope(1); this can manifest into parental burnout.

Parental burnout consists of an exhaustion that can feel overwhelming, an ineffectiveness or lack of fulfillment in your role as a parent and feeling a sense of emotional distance from your child or children(2). It may also feel like you are not the parent that you want to be or used to be. Despite formal clinical interviews needing to occur to determine parental burnout, some risk factors include, but are not limited to, perfectionism, a lack of stress management skills, or a lack of co-parent support and/or emotional support(1).

With the summer winding down and the school year approaching, I encourage you to reflect on what might have caused you to feel burned out, or what is contributing to your stress. With those in mind, the following may be helpful in mediating parental stress:

• Take a brief vacation(3) – It might not be possible to take an actual vacation whenever you want to, right? Taken from dialectic behavior therapy, the brief vacation approach is an attempt to slow down and re-energize yourself. Taking a brief vacation means finding a 15-minute (or more, if time permits) activity that will bring you some peace, grounding, or enjoyment. Some examples include taking a mindful shower, going to get yourself a cup of coffee or tea, reading an article, going for a walk, listening to a few songs alone, or practicing meditation. Consider implementing a brief vacation when you know your kids are safely engaged in their own activities. Shifting your mindset to perceiving a brief activity as a momentary vacation can help induce relaxation to address your needs at a particular time. The flexibility and spontaneity of doing so may also be a sense of relief or reward for parents that tend to be more rigid.
• Evaluate your expectations – Reflect on whether you had expectations for this past summer, and whether those expectations were met. Why were they met, or what got in the way? What are your expectations for the upcoming school year? Additionally, where are your expectations coming from: the kids? Your spouse? Yourself? Recognizing what your expectations are and where they are coming from can help address whether they are realistic, manageable, or adjustable; this can help mediate stress, offer a clearer perspective, and possibly result in communication with those that are inducing expectations.
• Effective communication – After becoming aware of your stressors, you may realize that some stress can be alleviated through conversations with others. For example, perhaps you had high expectations for your kids to enjoy their summer. Have you considered what your kids’ expectations were? What about for the upcoming school year? By communicating in a way that works for your family unit, you can understand each other’s expectations and whether they are realistic or need to be adjusted. Sometimes those that cause us stress are unaware of the effect they are having on us. Finding ways to effectively communicate with those closest to you can help others become more accountable and assist in setting boundaries for yourself (which may lead to a few more brief vacations).
• Keep it simple – Remind yourself that things do not have to be perfect, and some things can be simple without compromising quality. If perfectionism tends to be your norm and simplifying feels difficult, then consider assessing your priorities and simplifying your lower ones. Chances are, you have had to adjust, pivot, or adapt numerous times in your journey as a parent already; you can do it again. Committing to keep things simple can mean carrying less “stuff” (literally and figuratively), spending less time getting out of the house (potentially resulting in more time to do things you can enjoy), and minimizing worry or stress.

References

1 Mikolajczak, M. & Roskam, I. (2020). Parental burnout: Moving the focus from children to parents. Child & Adolescent Development, 7-13.
2 Mikolajczak, M., Gross, J. J., & Roskam, I. (2019). Parental burnout: What is it, and why does it matter? Clinical Psychological Science, 7(6),
3 Cerula, S. (2023, February 9). Taking a Brief Vacation. The Behavioral Wellness Group.

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Arianna Martignetti

Arianna Martignetti, Ed.D., is a mental performance consultant who works with individual athletes, weekend warriors and teams at all levels. She works with her clients to fine-tune their mental skills or increase their self-awareness to create the change that they want and achieve their goals — and more.

Meet Arianna

Mindfulness for the student athlete

Student-athletes are subjected to a fast-paced, competitive lifestyle. Balancing academic and athletic demands are a natural source of stress for young athletes; developing mindfulness skills can moderate mental clutter and help maximize academic and athletic achievement.

August 1, 2023 | Ben Leibowitz

We all experience our own stressors, anxieties, fears, confidence issues, and other mental struggles. Carrying a sense of mindfulness through our day-to-day lives, practicing thorough attention to the present moment, and sustaining a conscious awareness of our thoughts, sensations, and environment, can be beneficial in our abilities to work through the “noise” that we tend to experience in our minds.

Mindfulness is a process of entering into a state of mind, without judgment, which can be difficult to accomplish. Developing a strong sense of presence and attentiveness to the nature of our minds, bodies, and surroundings takes practice and commitment. For student-athletes in particular, practice and devotion are pertinent in the accomplishment of their goals; it is essential that the drive towards success extends beyond efforts left on the field, court, ice, or pool. It is equally important to tend to the mind and apply objectives and intentions towards mindfulness.

Student-athletes are subjected to a fast-paced, competitive lifestyle. Balancing academic and athletic demands are a natural source of stress for young athletes; developing mindfulness skills can moderate mental clutter and help maximize academic and athletic achievement.(1) As a former student-athlete, through practice I’ve learned that mindfulness is key in affecting stress, anxiety, confidence, motivation, and other mental challenges that can impact academic and athletic execution. Below are two strategies that student-athletes can utilize to work towards a greater sense of mindfulness and reduce the impacts of mental struggles on performance.

Attentiveness to the Breath

Breathing meditation is a way to begin engaging with mindfulness. Even if practiced for a short period of your day, learning to focus on your breath has been shown to quiet the mind, reduce stress, and increase relaxation.(2) Outlined are steps for a breathing meditation:

• First, find a comfortable position with your spine erect.
• Shift your attention to your breath and bodily sensations. Relax your jaw, shoulders, abdomen, and other areas of tension. Feel your body relax while sitting comfortably in your position.
• Inhale, feeling the air fill your body. On the exhale, feel the release of all tension. Allow your breath to function on its own, without controlling or timing it, following the natural, cyclical flow of the breath.
• Allow all thoughts that enter your mind to pass over, gently returning attention to your breath.

This breathing technique is key to accomplishing a sense of mindfulness and relieving mental clutter. These exercises have been extensively researched and prevalent across cultures, traditions, and philosophies. Mastering these techniques is a skill and is difficult. Just like a sport, or training a muscle, it takes practice and attention.

Beginning The Day: Imagining Success

Another effective way to relieve symptoms of mental obstacles is through imagery. Engaging in visualization has been shown to improve relaxation and an ability to cope with stress and anxiety, and increase emotional wellness, self-confidence, and athletic performance. We can engage in imagery in a multitude of ways, including the visualization of colors, loved ones, tension in the body, and environments. For student-athletes, visualization can serve as a beneficial tool. In pursuit of academic and athletic consistency, visualizing our goals can be an especially productive mode.

To visualize our goals, follow these steps in a comfortable and relaxed environment:

• Begin with the breathing technique above.
• Hold a specific goal in your mind (e.g., winning a competition, acquiring a skill, or engaging in a behavior).
• Create a scene in your mind, as vivid and detailed as possible, in which you succeed at this goal. Imagine the environment where it occurs and the feelings that accompany the accomplishment Although difficult, try to minimize overthinking or forcing the creation of the image.
• With the intention set, allow whatever arises and let the quieted mind take over without expectation.
• If doubts arise, meet them with a believable affirmation: “I can do this,” “I am okay,” “I am confident,” “I am in control.”
• Continue remaining attentive to the breath as you visualize.
• Allow yourself the time and space to fully engage in this imagery. Performing this before you begin your day can be effective in setting yourself up for success.(3)

Overall, mindfulness is an essential apparatus for learning to live in the present moment. Although transforming one’s relationship with their thoughts is a complex, in doing so, we can become better equipped to understand and cope with our thoughts, stress, anxiety, and more. Being mindful is a key element in self-acceptance, presence, enjoyment of life, and mental clarity. For student-athletes: practice mindfulness like you practice your sport. Experience the difference!

Learn more about mental performance consulting

References

1 Anderson, S. A., Haraldsdottir, K., & Watson, D. (2021). Mindfulness in athletes. American College of Sports Medicine, 20(12), 655-660.
2 https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/breath-meditation-a-great-way-to-relieve-stress
3 https://www.healthline.com/health/visualization-meditation

Building sustainable habits for young girls: navigating stress

Two ways that female adolescents can manage stressors include education about menstruation and being aware of social media usage.

Apr 28, 2023 | Arianna Martignetti, Ed.D.

The ages of 12 to 18 years old are a critical time for psychological and social development as adolescents develop their identity and sense of self; this can contribute to feeling insecure or confused. For females in particular, associated stressors include body image, social acceptance, and the power of social media. Two ways that female adolescents can manage stressors during this time include education about menstruation and being aware of social media usage.

Females tend to experience their first menstrual cycle (i.e., menarche) during adolescence; your body, hormones, mood, and self-perception change. Learning about the menstruation process, your own cycle, and what is normal versus abnormal can decrease anxiety, increase preparation, and build confidence by having more control over your body. Phone apps are also useful for logging symptoms and patterns to better understand and track your cycle.

As for social media, ask yourself: how often and why do you go on it? Are there specific times that you find yourself using it? How do you feel before versus after using it? To mitigate the harmful effects of social media on your mental health, you can be more purposeful with its use, set a timer to limit your time using it, and unfollow accounts that contribute to a negative headspace.

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Arianna Martignetti

Arianna Martignetti, Ed.D., is a mental performance consultant who works with individual athletes, weekend warriors and teams at all levels. She works with her clients to fine-tune their mental skills or increase their self-awareness to create the change that they want and achieve their goals — and more.

Meet Arianna

Building sustainable habits for young girls: the power of breathwork

As a competitive rower for Brown University, the pressure to perform can be overwhelming; 90% of the job is mental strength. It is important to find ways to cope with that stress, and for me, that involves breathwork.

Apr 28, 2023 | Isabel W., NCAA Rower at Brown University

Photo Credit: Amorphotovideo; @brownwcrew

As a competitive rower for Brown University, the pressure to perform can be overwhelming;  90% of the job is mental strength. It is important to find ways to cope with that stress, and for me, that involves breathwork.

I started rowing in my freshman year of high school during the winter, which meant I was only training on land. Training on ergs (rowing machines) requires incredible lung capacity and control over your breathing, which is difficult considering I am severely asthmatic. Since then, I have been experimenting with different medications to optimize my breathing.

Last year, I added breathwork to the mix, and it has significantly improved not just my breathing, but my mental health, anxiety levels, and even my performance: my numbers started to improve significantly.

While I tried a variety of breathing techniques, I found the Wim Hof method to be the most helpful. This active breathing method doesn’t just increase mental clarity, it’s also a great way to exercise my lungs — which is incredibly important as a rower.

I use Wim Hof’s 11-minute video as a guide:

• Take 30 rapid breaths
• On the 30^th breath, slowly exhale, 60-90 seconds
• Take a recovery breath, and hold for 15 seconds

It is important to note that the Wim Hof method is not for everyone, and it takes a lot of trial and error to find the breathwork method that works best for you. Breathwork is also not the equivalent of waving a magic wand and seeing improvement, but it has played a key role in my successes. On top of strength training and a healthy diet, breathwork opened my eyes to many other recovery techniques, especially cold showers. They help open up my lungs and lower cortisol levels, which helps regulate stress levels in not just an athletic setting, but a school or personal setting.

Overall, I have found breathwork extremely valuable and continue to use it to clear my mind, prepare for competitions, and improve myself as both a rower and a teammate.

Avoiding failure vs approaching achievement

Preview our second membership, a 12-week interactive membership, which will focus on mental performance. It will provide you with evidence-based education and tools to work towards increasing your self-awareness, achieving your optimal mindset, and enhancing your athletic performance.

Mar 2, 2023 | Arianna Martignetti, Ed.D.

Would you say that you are passionate about your sport? Sport performance researchers determined that passionate individuals have an activity that they like (or love), invest their time and energy into it, and then that activity becomes a part of who they are (Vallerand et al., 2008). When this occurs, an athlete can experience a harmonious passion or an obsessive passion. For some, their sport or activity can become a main feature of their identity.

Harmonious passion occurs when an athlete interprets their sport or activity as important or valuable, without contingencies, and freely participates in it. For example, a gymnast enjoys engaging in practice and embraces the challenges without feeling like she needs to do it because of her coaches, parents, or teammates. Athletes with harmonious passion also feel like their sport aligns with other important parts of their life, without their sport feeling it is overbearing. Harmonious passion tends to be associated with more positive experiences and well-being, which can also contribute to better focus and flow within their sport.

In contrast, an athlete may experience more of an obsessive passion in which the athlete feels controlled and participates for particular reasons. For example, the gymnast might think that her self-worth is determined by her participation or affects whether she will be socially accepted. When athletes experience more of an obsessive passion, it might be difficult for them to separate from the thoughts they have about their sport, may not enjoy it as much, or their sports conflicts with other areas of their life. This can affect an athlete’s focus and may contribute to more negative experiences within their sport. Athletes with an obsessive passion may also persist more rigidly; for example, an injured athlete may continue to push themselves, and put themselves at further risk of injury, by participating in their sport when they should be recovering.

Avoiding Failure Versus Approaching Achievement

It is important to note that, in general, passion (whether it is harmonious or obsessive) can be a motivating factor for athletes to deliberately participate in practice, which can contribute to optimal or successful performances; however, is the athlete experiencing higher levels of life satisfaction and enjoyment (such as seen in harmonious passion)? Or having more of a negative/not ideal experience because of it (such as in obsessive passion)? Additionally, athletes with more of an obsessive passion may be more inclined to set goals to avoid failure. For example, a soccer player might set a performance-avoidant goal and tell himself “I don’t want to miss this shot.”

Avoidance can be related to an increase in the fear of failing, heighten our anxiety, and lower our motivation. On the other hand, athletes with more of a harmonious passion tend to be related to more secure levels of self-esteem and set goals that reflect striving toward achievement; these can be in the form of mastery goals, which focus on oneself and personal improvement, gaining knowledge, or developing a skill. A mastery goal might sound like “I want to increase my sprint time by five seconds.” When athletes are mastery and approach oriented, they focus on achieving competence or success and feel as if their goals are more within their control. Our effort, persistence, ability to manage obstacles, and whether we experience pride in our accomplishments can be affected by if we are avoidant or approach oriented.

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The Mental Performance Membership is a 12-week interactive membership program that will provide you with evidence-based education and tools to work towards: an increase in your self-awareness, a performance mindset that works to your advantage, and an enhancement to your athletic performance. The membership begins with a 60-minute one-on-one evaluation with a mental performance consultant, followed by a weekly education email series as well as monthly 60-minute consultations. Three-month minimum required.

How to set a New Year’s Resolution

The way we create goals can make an impact on whether or not we achieve them. Here's how to set a goal you can actually achieve.

Jan 2, 2023 | Arianna Martignetti, Ed.D.

calendar and notebook with smart goals
Should you be setting a New Year’s resolution? Or do you want to set a New Year’s resolution? The way we talk to ourselves can influence the way we feel about our resolutions in the new year, and our behaviors or performances as we work towards them. The beginning of a new year can make us feel excited and motivated to set new goals for ourselves, change a behavior, or try something new. During this time, it is common to set a few goals at once, yet setting too many goals can sometimes become a barrier to reaching them.(1) You may find that focusing on one or two goals begins to affect your behaviors, and naturally affects other areas of your life. These can either become productive changes or negative ones, and not everyone keeps the resolutions they make at the beginning of the year. Below are some ways that our mental performance can help us reach our goals, and how we can hold ourselves accountable throughout the new year.

1. Track your baseline. We will not know whether we are improving, being consistent, remaining stagnant, or decreasing our performance unless we know what our baseline is. After identifying a behavior or goal, track your current level of performance. It may take several days or weeks to track your baseline, which you might perceive as taking time away from your goal, but it is a part of the process as you track where you are starting, so that you know where you are heading.

2. Be objective. Maybe you want to get stronger, be healthier, or perform better. How much stronger do you want to get? Or, where in your body do you want to get stronger? What does it mean to be healthier? What will performing better look like? Many of us may want to get stronger, be healthier, or improve our performance, yet it will look different for everyone. Being more objective and specific can allow us to measure our progress and track our goals.(2)

3. Measure your goals. How do you know if you are getting stronger? How will you know if you are healthier or feeling better? How do you know if your performance improved? Measuring our goals and adding timeframes allows us to evaluate our performance and make adjustments. This also allows us an opportunity to set short-term goals for ourselves along the way. Setting short-term goals can help sustain or increase our motivation and effort as we continue working on our long-term goal(s).(1)

4. Reality check time! Is your goal attainable, or is it too unrealistic? Recognizing the difference between a goal that is an ideal challenge versus one that is too far out of reach can make the difference in our adherence and motivation. In line with this, be willing to adjust. Adjusting our goals does not mean that we are unable to achieve them. This also goes for goals that are too easy to achieve. Setting goals that are too easy may not contribute to us feeling as competent had we achieved a more difficult goal.(3) Our confidence, anxiety, and expectations can contribute to the performances we have and behaviors we engage in as we work toward our goals.

5. Write your goal(s) down. This is a simple, yet imperative, step. In addition to helping us remain on track and evaluate our progress, writing our goals down can serve as a reminder, direct our attention, and influence our focus.(1) In addition, if you are more of a visual learner, then creating a chart can be useful in tracking your goals. One of my favorite visuals is the use of a staircase, with each step including a short-term goal, and enough room to write down whether or not it was achieved.

Setting goals that are for ourselves, rather than for others or for external factors, can contribute to feeling more self-motivated and more in control.(3) Whether you are trying something new, changing a behavior, or maintaining a current one, it can be helpful to recognize why you are doing it; what we tell ourselves can influence our performances and behaviors.

As a mental performance consultant, I work with athletes and individuals on the mental side of their performances to help them reach their goals. For example, some of this can include self-confidence, performance anxiety, arousal regulation, visualization, or self-talk. Working together can involve fine-tuning or identifying the mental skills that you already utilize, or learning and implementing new techniques.

Learn more about mental performance consulting.
References

(1) Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2019). Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology (7th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

(2) Wilson, K., & Brookfield, D. (2009). Effect of goal setting on motivation and adherence in a six-week exercise program. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 6(1), 89-100. doi:10.1080/1612197x.2009.9671894

(3) Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. New York, NY: Guilford Publications.

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Arianna Martignetti

Arianna Martignetti, Ed.D., is a mental performance consultant who works with individual athletes, weekend warriors and teams at all levels. She works with her clients to fine-tune their mental skills or increase their self-awareness to create the change that they want and achieve their goals — and more.

Meet Arianna

The impact stress has on diabetes

Stress is a risk factor in developing type II diabetes. Here are some strategies to help minimize its impact that you can incorporate into your daily routine to better manage the stress you have in your own life.

Nov 15, 2022 | Will Murtagh, PT, DPT, CSCS

When you think about how someone should prevent or even help to treat their prediabetes or type II diabetes, you most likely would think of improving the quality of their diet as well as increasing their frequency of exercise, and you would be correct in that thinking. But what many people don’t realize is that stress management plays a large role in both preventing and treating type II diabetes. Recent research shows that depression, chronic stress, and early life adversity are risk factors in developing type II diabetes. Here is the role stress has on the disease, as well as strategies to help minimize its impact that you can incorporate into your daily routine to better manage the stress you have in your own life.

Before we begin, it is important to define what stress is and what the different kinds of stress are so that we can be precise in what we are both speaking about and if what we are attempting to manage or reduce each type. Stress is defined as a physical or mental response to an external cause. The external cause is defined as the “stressor,” which can be anything that causes you to feel like you lack control or is a threat to your overall wellbeing. For example, in recent years, the Covid-19 virus could be viewed as a stressor due to the degree of illness those who were at risk faced if they caught it. Having a big school or work project with an upcoming deadline can also be a stressor, especially if you feel you lack the time to complete it.

There are also different kinds of stress such as distress, which is “bad” stress, and eustress which is seen as “good” stress. Distress is seen as a negative situation, such as feeling overwhelmed, that cause decreases in your mental health and daily function3. On the other hand, eustress is stress that is motivating, positive, and enhances your daily function. A major difference between the two are the thoughts and beliefs of an individual pertaining to their ability to overcome the stressor. With regards to stress management for the prevention of type II diabetes, distress is the stress we would aim to minimize.

When distress becomes chronic, there are biologic responses that occur inside the body due to the body’s natural “fight or flight” response that can have negative impacts on your long term health. Sustained stress leads to a dysregulation of glucose metabolism and hormone function, as well as an increase in chronic low grade inflammation1. With this dysregulation and increase in cortisol into the blood stream, the likelihood of developing type II diabetes rises significantly.

Similarly, chronic stress can impact an individual’s daily behaviors that can also put them at risk for developing type II diabetes. For example, high chronic stress has been shown to decrease the quality of food choices, the frequency of physical activity, and the adherence to medications, all of which can play their own role in mitigating the risk of developing the disease as well as treating it.

Strategies that can help to minimize the risk of developing type II diabetes include techniques to help us cope with and decrease the magnitude of distress in our daily lives. Many of these not only help to decrease stress, but also have other physiological effects that can help you to live a better and healthier life. Such techniques include getting outside and playing with friends or family members, going for walks in nature, starting a meditation or yoga practice, reading a book or short story, or going to the gym to exercise. Methods that can help decrease the magnitude of stress in our lived include breaking down big projects into smaller more manageable tasks, asking for help if you feel you need it, and reframing yourself talk to shift negative thoughts into positive ones.

Stress is a part of our daily lives. Stress can be motivating for us to get things done and accomplish our goals, but it can also lead us to feel anxiety and decrease our quality of life. As you have seen, poorly managed stress can also put our health in jeopardy and put us at risk for diseases like Type II Diabetes. This is why it is important to develop ways to help manage the stress in your own life and seek out help from qualified professionals if you think that you need help.

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Will Murtagh

Will Murtagh, DPT, CSCS, CISSN, CF-L1, is a physical therapist and strength and conditioning specialist based in Hamden. He specializes in sports and orthopedic physical therapy, with a subspecialty in sports nutrition.ality in cardiac training and rehabilitation, as well as reading EKGs.

Mental strategies to help you transition into your competitive season

If you are heading into your sport this fall, consider your mental performance, which might hurt or help you transition into your competitive season.

Aug 16, 2022 | Arianna Martignetti, Ed.D.

he off-season is an ideal time for training, rest, and recovery. It is also a beneficial time to work on one’s mental skills or learn new mental strategies to become fully prepared for an upcoming season.(1) If you are heading into your sport this fall, consider the following, which might help with your transition into your competitive season.

Where is your attention?

Our attention allows us to bring our awareness to information around us. This affects our interpretations and decision making.(1) During a race, game, or competition, our attention gets bombarded with information constantly, and needs to shift quickly. We can succeed when we focus on the right cues, at the right time, and limit distractions (whether they are internal or external). This might mean maintaining your leg power during a drive while experiencing fatigue. Or it could mean moving your body and positioning your racket to return a serve while hearing your coach yelling on the side of the court.

While these are specific examples, on a broader scale, ask yourself: where is your attention as you enter your season? Some athletes focus on winning; others focus on adapting to a new team or coach, and some might focus on a new skill or position. Some athletes might even be experiencing impactful changes outside of their sport. Regardless of where your focus is, your attention can affect your mental preparation and/or performance. With practice, training your attention can help you become more selective of relevant cues for demands in your sport, help shift or re-focus your attention when necessary, and block out distractions.(2)

How do you prepare?

There are several benefits to having a pre-performance routine or developing preset behaviors. One benefit is that it can help athletes get into their ideal activation state to perform their best.(3) Athletes experience various activation levels; some perform their best with lower activation levels, others when it is very high, and some when it is in the middle. Not all athletes are aware of their ideal activation state, especially if teams prepare as a group (and unintentionally create the same levels in each athlete). There are different ways to identify your ideal activation state. After doing so, some ways that athletes activate their ideal states can include the use of breathing exercises, music, imagery, or mindfulness within their performance routines. Similar to pre-performance routines, routines during a practice or performance can help athletes refocus their attention, manage an error, or handle a setback. Post-performance routines can be used to adjust, reflect on, or improve one’s performance and motivation.(4)

Where is your motivation coming from?

It might be easier to answer this question if you already know what motivates you. If you are unsure of what motivates you, now can be a beneficial time to consider it. Then, ask yourself, where is my motivation coming from? For example, is your motivation coming from within yourself (i.e., autonomously) such as enjoying your sport or wanting to improve? Or is it coming from something outside of yourself, such as your parents wanting you to play, teammates expecting you to perform, or having the chance to play for a travel or college team? Or, right now, maybe you are not experiencing much motivation at all (i.e., amotivation). Researchers have found more autonomous forms of motivation to be associated with lower levels of burnout in athletes.3 Depending on your source(s) of motivation, different types of motivation can affect an athlete’s self-determination.6

How much time do you devote to your physical training?

With the above question in mind, I challenge you to reflect on how many parts of your sport involve your energy, focus, communication, confidence, and attitude (to name a few). How much of your overall training do you devote to them? Although training your mental skills takes practice and does not necessarily provide a “quick fix,” working on your mental game for five to 10 minutes per day can benefit your performance.(1)

Learn more about mental performance consulting.

References

(1) Burton, D., & Raedeke, T.D. (2008). Sport psychology for coaches. Champaign, IL.: Human Kinetics. ISBN-10: 0736039864.

(2) Orlick, T. (2016). In Pursuit of excellence: How to win in sport and life through mental training (5th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

(3) Williams, J. M., Nideffer, R. M., Wilson, V. E., & Sagal, M-S. (2015). Concentration and strategies for controlling it In Applied sport psychology: Personal growth to peak performance (p. 304-325). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield. McGraw-Hill. ISBN-13:978-0078022708.

(4) Ravizza, K., & Fifer, A. (2015). Increasing awareness for sport performance In Applied sport psychology: Personal growth to peak performance (p. 176-187). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield. McGraw-Hill. ISBN-13:978-0078022708.

(5) Goodger, K., Wolfenden, L., & Lavallee, D. (2007). Symptoms and consequences associated with three dimensions of burnout in junior tennis players. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 38(1), 342-364. doi:10.1123/tsp.11.3.257.

(6) Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. New York, NY: Guilford Publications.

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Arianna Martignetti

Arianna Martignetti, Ed.D., is a mental performance consultant who works with individual athletes, weekend warriors and teams at all levels. She works with her clients to fine-tune their mental skills or increase their self-awareness to create the change that they want and achieve their goals — and more.

Meet Arianna

What is Long COVID?

As time passes, we learning more about the effects of Long COVID, a syndrome that affects a portion of people who contract COVID-19. Here's what we know so far.

Nov 1, 2021 | Kiera Klaum, DPT

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An injury that impacted more than just her shoulder: a client’s journey

When Lauren C. started to suffer from a frozen shoulder, it changed everything. Since the start of the pandemic, Lauren has been working with Jon Mendola in Darien to regain not just mobility in her shoulder, but to regain as much of her previous life and hobbies as she can.

Oct 1, 2021 | Jonathon Mendola, DPT

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Want to stop procrastinating your bedtime? Here’s how

Ever delay going to sleep? It's not uncommon to find that the only "me time" you can get is at night, but it may do more harm than you think.

Sept 15, 2021 | Performance Optimal Health

Celeste Perez could have been asleep. But at 2 a.m., she was puttering around in her bedroom-turned-beauty salon: First, she rolled a microneedling device around her face to improve her skin tone, and then she shaped her eyebrows with a laminating treatment. At 3 a.m., Perez, 34, embarked on a Wikipedia treasure hunt, spinning down a rabbit hole of things that she urgently had to know more about: the definition of multipotentiality, Mariah Carey’s discography and Cleopatra’s beauty remedies.

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How to organize a messy inbox

Having a full inbox can be stressful and overwhelming — and prevent you from being productive. Here's how to manage it.

Sept 11, 2021 | Performance Optimal Health

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How mental skills coaches helped Olympic athletes

As the sports world is paying more attention to the mental aspect of being an athlete, mental skills coaches and sports psychologists have been on the rise.

Aug 15, 2021 | Performance Optimal Health

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Meditation apps and the path to mindfulness, better sleep & less stress

Meditation does not always come easily. Listen to Ashley Moriarty, DPT, discuss how meditation apps can make your mindfulness journey easier, as well as her own experiences using the apps.

Aug 1, 2021 | Ashley Moriarty, DPT, OCS

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Why good sleep is key for the USA Olympic team

Sleep affects performance, & when the athlete is traveling the globe, it is hard to come by. See how the USA team overcomes those challenges.

Jul 28, 2021 | Performance Optimal Health

Olympic athletes are famously meticulous. Their workouts are carefully structured, their diets carefully balanced – every move designed to maximize athletic potential, with nothing left to chance.

And sleeping is no different.

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Know when a mental break is necessary

Naomi Osaka's frank discussion about her mental health raised awareness of the need for mental health breaks, no matter your profession.

June 15, 2021 | Performance Optimal Health

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The myth of the pre-performance “hype-up”

While some people think getting "hyped" before a performance is beneficial, it may actually have adverse effects and hinder performance.

Jun 1, 2021 | Riley Fitzgerald, Ed.M.

For athletes, exercisers and performers of other varieties, the development of routines plays a critical role in optimal pre-performance preparation. Developed and executed properly, routines provide performers with a consistent approach for eliciting and leveraging the physical and mental states that set the stage for optimal performance.

We often think of pre-performance preparation as a light switch of sorts: either the switch is flipped and you’re ready to go, or it remains “off” and you aren’t. Further, we’re frequently taught that “ready to go” is synonymous with being hyped-up and ready to run through a wall (figuratively speaking, of course).

Hype can be detrimental

Though well intended, this conceptualization of pre-performance preparation is misguided and often does more harm than good. The truth is that optimal preparation is highly variable and individual in nature, requiring a more nuanced approach. While it’s true that some individuals perform well when hyper-activated physiologically and mentally, the reality for many is that this over-arousal elicits a detrimental stress response and negatively impacts performance as a result.

Physiological arousal is vital to performing well, as it allows us to harness resources from the body that are necessary for any type of vigorous activity. But at a certain point, activation of the body can turn into a stress response that becomes hindering rather than energizing. Hyperventilation, fast heart rate and heightened muscle tension are a few examples of the physiological consequences of over-arousal which, subsequently, are correlated with outcomes such as fatigue (1) and increased likelihood of injury (2).

Let’s also consider the psychological side of pre-performance activation and preparation. How we feel physically can influence our mood, where our attention is placed, as well as our thoughts and self-talk (3)†. While the emotions and cognitions that prime optimal performance vary from person-to-person (4), a general feeling of excitement is often described as a beneficial psychological state that is elicited by getting “hyped up.” Yet, when over-activated physically, feelings of excitement can quickly turn into cognitive stress, worry and doubt, among other less desirable mood states.

Got “Zoom fatigue”? Here’s what you can do about it

With everyone online these days, many office workers are experiencing "Zoom fatigue." Here are four ways you can reduce it.

May 15, 2021 | Performance Optimal Health

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The impact of stress on women

Women often report feeling stressed more than men, which affects their health. To learn more about how stress impacts women, explore the Office of Women's Health resources.

May 1, 2021 | Performance Optimal Health

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Managing stress through yoga

Though stress can wreak havoc on your life, practicing yoga and improving your breath work can help manage it.

Apr 14, 2021 | Jerre Skeats

By Jerre Skeats

Stress is a fact of life. It’s never going to go away, not fully. We are inclined as humans to look for and create problems and stress. The bad news is that stress can be a killer. “Stress causes deterioration in everything from your gums to your heart and can make you more susceptible to illnesses ranging from the common cold to cancer,” according to the Association for Psychological Science's magazine Observer.

But the good news is that stress can be managed and regulated. Building a toolbox to manage stress in your life is one of the healthiest things you can do. Regular exercise, eating well and having strong social connections, for example, are great tools. But the biggest tool you can have to manage stress lies in yoga.

Why? Our nervous system has evolved through the fight or flight scenario. The nervous system is hard wired to respond to everything around you in some fashion. The trick is to manage that response so that the nervous system doesn’t shoot you full of cortisol, raise your blood pressure and heartbeat. This is the fight scenario, which triggers the sympathetic system. (The sympathetic system regulates the body’s response to stressful situations, while the parasympathetic system is responsible for the body’s actions while at rest, such as digestion or relaxation.) It’s not easy, but over time, yoga teaches you how to recognize those stress triggers and how to respond differently.

Yoga calms the nervous system, which means it activates your parasympathetic nervous system. The key to controlling the nervous system is controlling your breathing. The respiratory system is the only system in the body that we can control both consciously and subconsciously.

When we control the breath, we control the body. For example, empty your breath now: inhale through the noise and fill up, sigh it out the mouth. Do that three times and notice how you changed. That breath work immediately told your vagus nerve (a super important communication channel in your body) to chill.

When we practice yoga, we control the breath for the entire session and link body movements to the breath. Sometimes these movements are gentle and restorative, while other times they are more vigorous. Yoga is breath first, movement second. Without the breath, there is no yoga.

For over 2000 years, humans have practiced yoga. For sure, yoga is important for injury prevention and enhanced athletic performance, but that really didn’t matter so much until the modern world. Yoga has lasted this long for the mental space and health it teaches the student.

Through controlled breathing, you quiet the nervous system and the brain. This quieter mind allows you to recognize more clearly those triggers in your life that create stress. Then, yoga teaches you to accept the stress as fact and let it exist, without triggering a fight response. It sort of helps you “park” stress in a place where you can deal with it the way you choose to deal with it, rather than letting the stress manage you.

It’s not easy; it takes effort. But managing stress is the most important thing you can do for your health. Do yoga. Breathe well.

Achieving longevity like Tom Brady

From nutrition to sleep habits to career pressure, Tom Brady has been able to perform at such an elite level for over 21 years due to his lifestyle. Listen to our podcast to find out how to use his approach this upcoming season.

Mar 15, 2021 | Performance Optimal Health

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