Focusing is the most important skill associated with learning and high level athletic performance (any kind of performance, actually).  If a cheerleader is fully focused, he or she will be able to channeling everything into the performance.  A fully focused mind is one that is completely engaged with what is happening in the moment. 

 Here is a way to understand how focus works (from the research of Robert Nideffer). We can think of attention as occurring on various dimensions. 

It can be directed internally or externally.  It can also be directed narrowly or broadly.  And finally, it can be directed on a time dimension – past, present, or future. 

Different situations require different kinds of focus; if you should be focused externally but instead you are preoccupied with what happened yesterday, your performance will suffer.  If you are anxious, your focus will likely be on yourself and your feelings and negative thoughts.  This, too leads to poor performance. 

What to do?  First step, like always, is awareness.  Simply pay attention to where and how you are paying attention!  Periodically ask yourself, what am I focusing on?  Is this helping me learn better?  Is this helping me perform better?  This can be a good start. 

More to come… 

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Anyone who has been to a cheerleading competition knows that sometimes it’s the little things that count.  Very small differences can make the BIG difference between coming in first and placing second. 

Focus is the granddaddy of the small differences. It is the most important mental skill that is associated with winning performances.  Developing this skill is essential – not only for cheerleading, but for any endeavor. That’s why I recommend training for focus at all practice sessions way before the actual competition. 

Here are some reasons why focus is so critical: 

• Focus allows you to connect totally with what you are experiencing
• Focus frees you to perform without being disturbed by distracting thoughts
• You will learn better and faster when you are focused
• Where your focus goes, everything else follows

 If a cheerleader is proficient in his or her skills (technically and physically) and makes a mistake in execution, it is likely due to a focus problem.  Either the cheerleader is focusing inward (with thoughts such as “I hope I can do this…”) which happens with anxiety or is distracted by external factors. 

Managing distraction is a skill that can be developed and that should be developed.  More on that soon! 

Speaking of competitions, have you seen my training program?  It’s called The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Training for Competitions.  It’s a 2-CD audio program with a 40 page workbook.  You can order the digital version for less.  Order either one and I’ll give you a free one-hour consultation!

Cheerleading is a complex sport requiring physical dexterity, athletic competence, and superb mental skills.  It isn’t unusual for a cheerleader to experience a mental block about a particular stunt or routine. 

This is Part III in my response to a cheerleader’s plea for help in eliminating a mental block. 

You are right in calling your problem a “mental block.”  Your biggest problem is the way you are thinking about your routine.  You’ve got it in your head that you cannot do something and your body is complying. 

I’ve said it before and I will repeat it many times on this blog site: Your body does what your mind thinks.  So, let’s change the way you think! 

First, write down the story you are creating about the situation.  In your case, it may be – “I’ll never be able to throw a full except when I do it alone.”  

Is this thought helpful or harmful to you?  Is it positive or negative? We can see it doesn’t help you and it’s negative. 

And now ask where your time focus is.  Well, it is in the future since you are predicting what will happen. Your job then is to first change that negative thought to a neutral or a positive one and then to move your time focus to the present – to the here and now. 

You can do this by challenging the veracity of your thoughts. Is it true that you will NEVER be able to throw a full except when you are alone?  How can you be so sure?  Are you always right in predicting the future?  Become like a detective, searching for the truth. 

To revise your thinking, you might say, “Well, it is true that I am having a hard time throwing a full NOW when I’m with others but that doesn’t mean that will always be true.” 

 What do you think needs to happen for you to be able to throw a full during the group routine?  We know you are capable of executing the move under some conditions. This mode of thinking shifts your perspective from that of a helpless victim to a problem solver. 

What might be contributing to this problem?  List all possible causes.  My guess is it’s a focus problem.  Your focus is on what others are doing or you are afraid you will bump into someone but whatever it is, your focus is not where it should be – if it were, you would be able to execute your move! 

So, where should your focus be?  Exactly where it is when you do it alone!

So what do you need to do to improve your focus?  First thing is to calm down.  As I’ve said before, anxiety leads to fuzzy focus.  And what’s a quick way to calm down? Exhale slowly several times.  Then say, “focus” to yourself.  The only thing you need to focus on is executing your move cleanly. 

So, by identifying how and what you are thinking, you can uncover any distortions in your thinking. You can challenge your thinking and become detective-like in figuring out what the problem is and then you can generate some solutions. 

For you (as it usually is) the issue is focus!  Please re-read these 3 posts and take a peek at past ones for other helpful hints. 

Good luck to you! 

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Cheerleaders are not immune to experiencing mental blocks which can interfere with cheerleading performance.  In my last post, I responded to a question I saw in the forum on Allaboutcheerleading.com  in which a cheerleader asked for help in overcoming her mental block about throwing a full during a practice routine. 

I encouraged this cheerleader to become more objective in her assessment and to embrace mistakes as opportunities for learning and not something to be avoided.   I then reminded her that she clearly is capable of throwing a full under some circumstances so she needs to determine what factors are interfering with her execution some of the time. 

Here is more of what I would say to this cheerleader: Good execution follows good thinking, clear thinking.  Emotional upset creates fuzzy thinking so it’s important to step back and assume an objective stance – as if you are evaluating someone else who is seeking your help. 

Take a few moments and clear your head.  Close your eyes and exhale slowly 3 times.  This will calm you down and when you are calmer your thinking will be more focused and clearer. 

Now, with your eyes closed, think about the times you really hit it with throwing your full.  With your mind’s eye, see yourself executing this move and nailing it. Allow yourself to see yourself doing this successfully over and over.  Now, recall how you felt when you threw your full successfully. Notice every detail – how you focused just prior to execution; how you held your head, your arms, your stance; how you moved; how you were breathing; where your focus was – everything! 

Next, still with your eyes closed, combine the whole thing – see yourself with your mind’s eye and experience yourself kinesthetically (your felt sense) executing the move over and over.  Good.  

Now assign a label or cue word or phrase for this successful execution. It can be anything.  For example, you could simply call it “success” or “good move.”  Once you have your label, visualize and feel the whole successful routine again only this time say your cue word to yourself. Repeat over and over.  Each time you do this, you will be creating brain and muscle memory so that the next time you actually throw a full, you will be able to reconnect with this positive experience and success will be more likely! 

More on this topic in my next post!

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While exploring the forum on the site – All About Cheerleading, I came across a question written by a cheerleader who has a “mental block” throwing her full. She wrote that she found her fulls easy to do when her team is warming up in the corners but then “blocks” when they do their whole routine. She has to do a pass through 3 other girls which is “scary” for her. 

This cheerleader said that this is “taking a lot of mental energy” as it is “all I think about”   and it’s frustrating for her. She gets mad at herself because she is a “perfectionist.”

Well, as a psychologist and peak performance coach, this caught my interest and I thought I would use her concern as the basis of a blog post – maybe a few!

Where to begin?  I think I’ll focus on the perfectionist problem today.

Perfectionism in itself is not necessarily a problem.  On a positive note, perfectionism can drive a cheerleader (or anyone) to work hard and persevere in the face of discouragement. So, perfectionism can be the fuel that motivates a cheerleader to succeed especially when it is accompanied by commitment, persistence, and attention to detail.  

 A healthy perfectionist can take pleasure in the effort taken to achieve success.

But sometimes, perfectionism isn’t so good for you!  This is true if you are unable to feel satisfaction because you can never believe what you do is good enough or if you are striving towards unrealistic goals. 

 There is an important distinction between striving towards excellence versus perfection. The former is realistic and possible; the latter is rarely possible and more likely to lead to frustration and heartache and in some instances – depression.

In cheerleading, the road to perfecting a stunt or routine is riddled with bumps and potholes. Mistakes are inevitable and, as I’ve mentioned in this forum many times, the best attitude to have towards mistakes is to view them as opportunities to learn and grow.

So here is how I would advise this cheerleader: You are missing out on an opportunity to learn something about yourself that can be valuable to you.  A true champion sees a mistake as information, as data that can be used to learn and to improve!

I would invite you to step back and practice saying this phrase over and over – “Isn’t it interesting that…” and fill in the blank.  So, for example, you could say, “Isn’t it interesting that I can successfully throw a full alone but not with my team mates during our routine.  I wonder why that is?”

If you do this, you will be creating some distance and objectivity to your situation which will help you see the situation more clearly and with less negative emotion.  You become a scientist, filled with curiosity about this problem.  Your goal becomes searching for a solution to the problem which is now more clearly defined which is – there is a difference in your ability to throw a full during a routine versus during a solo practice.

The next question becomes: what is the difference or what are the different variables between the 2 conditions? You are the same cheerleader in both situations, right? It isn’t that you are not physically capable of throwing a full since you are able to do so when practicing alone.

 So what is it about executing this move with your squad that interferes with your ability to nail it?

To help you figure it out, here are some possibilities: you are allowing yourself to get distracted by the movements of your team mates; you have “spooked yourself” into believing that you cannot do it in these circumstances; you are more focused on your negative internal conversation than on executing the move.  Do any of these ring true?

This is a beginning.  Tomorrow I will pick up here and continue.

By the way – are you on Facebook? If so, please be my friend and join my Facebook group – Confident Cheerleading!

Let’s say you’re a cheerleader and you just heard this feedback from your coach: “You’re getting better and better with your toe touch jump.  I’m happy to see the improvement.  It will be even better if you can keep your arms level in a T position and bring your feet closer to your hands.” 

Ok, now what did you hear?  Did you hear it all?  Would you rate it a favorable critique?

If yes, you’re on the right track and you have no need to read further.  If you saw it as a negative critique, please read on! 

As I mentioned in a previous post, cheerleaders and cheer coaches can benefit from knowing about cognitive distortions which can adversely affect the overall performances of cheerleaders. 

Overgeneralization is the most common cognitive distortion and Mental Filtering is one type of Overgeneralization.  Using the example from above, the cheerleader who saw this as a negative critique filtered out the positive and only focused on what was wrong with the toe touch jump.  Do you see how the filtering can work to the cheerleader’s disadvantage?  The cheerleader might spend the next several hours feeling bad because he or she is convinced that the coach disapproves of the toe touch jump! 

Lesson: If you filter out all the positive and focus only on the negative, your performance will suffer. 

Coaches!  Knowing that this scenario is possible, be on the lookout for your cheerleaders using Mental Filtering and engage them in a conversation that might sound like this” “It might be useful for me to hear what you think I just told you so we can be clear we’re on the same page.”  Then, if the cheerleader has seemed to focus on what was wrong with the stunt, you can gently help them see the whole picture.

The word “routine” here refers to the specific steps you take to prepare yourself for actually performing a cheerleading stunt or a move.  In other words, do you just jump into it or do you take a moment to focus, visualize and then act?  You won’t be surprised to learn that I am a big fan of incorporating a mental pre-performance routine into your cheerleading practice! 

You’ve heard me say over and over how important focus is in any kind of performance.  (It’s also a key in reducing accidents and injuries.) So, ask yourself, what do you do to enhance your focus at cheerleading practice?  And by the way, this isn’t just about practice; remember what you do at practice will show up at performance so you’re wise to take this seriously. 

The best athletes believe that good practice and performance (mental) routines get you where you need to be when you need to be there. In other words, in pressure filled moments, it’s good to have a mental routine to rely on to get you focused  and back on track. 

Here’s a simple pre-practice routine that you can try:  Before you jump into anything, pause, exhale slowly three times, and say “focus” to yourself. Then take a moment and visualize with your mind’s eye what you want your body to do.  Once the scene is clear to you, exhale slowly once more and proceed. 

If you do this often enough, you will have created a simple but powerful routine to get yourself focused and mentally prepared for performance.

Many athletes speak of being “in the zone” when they are performing well. Cheerleaders (and all athletes) are in the zone when their skill level and attention are matched to the demands of the task.  It’s that sweet spot which feels sooo right.  (By the way, being in the zone is not only relegated to sports; anyone in a performance situation can experience it.) 

One element of the zone – focus – is something you can begin working on right now.  As you might imagine, your focus should be in the here-and-now when you’re in the zone.  As a matter of fact, zoners experience unwavering attention while performing.  They aren’t thinking of the argument they had with someone yesterday and they aren’t worried about the big exam coming up.  Nope…they are fully present in the moment.

So, to begin training your brain to do what you want it to do, try this: Periodically throughout the day, ask yourself, “Am I here?”  And then take a few moments to really appreciate that moment in all its detail.  If you’re outside, notice the feel of the wind on your skin; smell the air; notice the angle of the sun as it casts its shadow; listen to the sounds of the world…you get the idea.  

You are training your brain and body to connect to the present moment. The more you do this, the better you will be able to do so in your cheerleading performances.

Have you ever noticed that you can perform a cheer stunt better after watching an expert do it?  Well, there’s a reason for that. When you observe another cheerleader perform a stunt or a full routine, your brain is processing what you are observing and is creating new connections or neural pathways.  So, in essence, you are actively changing your brain!  Cool, right? 

Now this is true for all mammals – even rats!  Yep…scientists note that laboratory rats who observe other rats perform a  task such as walk across an elevated bar, are able to learn how to do this much faster and more efficiently than lab rats that do not observe such behavior.  

So what does this mean for you?  Well, if you want to improve your performance, take time to observe the best cheerleaders you know.  But don’t just look, be interactive in your observation.  By this I mean as you observe, imagine how it would feel for you if you were doing the routine the way the expert is doing it.  Really focus on what you are observing and how you are experiencing it. Feel it in your body and feel it in your heart.  With your mind’s eye, see yourself performing like the person you are observing. By taking the interactive approach you will enhance the creation of new neural pathways.  In other words you will be creating performance maps in your motor cortex, the part of your brain that is responsible for movement. 

 There are many fascinating studies that demonstrate the validity of what I’m talking about here.  Here’s one for you.  Scientists at Harvard University wanted to assess the power of visualization so they studied 2 groups of students.  One group came in every day for 2 hours over 2 weeks time.  They were taught how to do a simple 5-finger exercise on a piano keyboard and each day after they practiced, the scientists measured the growth of their motor cortex (the part of the brain responsible for movement). 

The other group was also taught the 5-finger exercise but they were not given a keyboard and were told not to move a muscle but to just imagine they were moving their fingers.  In other words, to visualize themselves dong it without actually doing it!  They measured the growth in their motor cortices also.  Well, both groups showed a growth in their motor cortices! 

What this study demonstrates is that it is possible to change your brain, to build new motor pathways that will improve your performance by thinking about it! Of course the thinking has to be focused, deliberate, and repeated with an emphasis on feeling and seeing yourself performing brilliantly! 

I recommend devoting time studying videos using this interactive observation approach.

You can just focus for so long until your brain gets tired and when your brain gets tired, your performance will falter.  It’s similar to what happens when you’re working at your computer for too long – your computer freezes up and no matter what you do, nothing happens.  The only solution is to reboot your computer and then -magically – everything works again!

Well, the same concept works for your very personal computer – your brain.  Here’s what you can do so you can resume practice feeling refreshed: 

• Close your eyes and exhale slowly 2 – 3 times.
• Say to yourself, “I’m going to turn my mind off.” 
• With your mind’s eye, see a blank computer screen. 
• Unhinge your jaw. 
• Relax your tongue.
• Be still for 10 – 20 seconds. 
• Then open your eyes.
• Raise your chin above parallel.
• Start sending energy to your next objective or target. 
• Direct your full focus to the task at hand.
• Repeat as necessary 

This technique can come in handy when you become aware that things aren’t going well, when you find yourself going off track or – in the middle of a performance when everything is going south – fast!  In the latter case, you would need to alter the technique since it won’t do for you to close your eyes in front of an audience!  Try this instead: Exhale and say to yourself, “I’m going to turn my mind off,” and then, very briefly, envision a blank computer screen and then say to yourself, “Re-group and re-focus,” and resume your performance.