GETTING INTO THE ZONE
HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=U876DZ1DBAW
WHAT IS “THE ZONE?”
The Holy Grail
A symbol of man’s quest for the UTLIMATE GOAL
Being “in the zone” is
the “Holy Grail” of Sports Psychology
WHAT IS “THE ZONE?”

Athletes feel:
 invincible
 the
game slows down
 the crowd noise goes silent
 an incredible focus on their mission
For the Love of the Game (23:00 – 25:00)
“Clear the mechanism” –Billy Chapel/Detroit Tigers
WHAT IS THE ZONE?

Sport Psychologists
 Ideal
Performance State (IPS)
OR
 Peak
Performance State (PPS)
 Being
in that mental state where your very best
performance is possible
WHAT IS “THE ZONE?”

Positive Psychology
 Flow
 Mihaly
Csíkszentmihályi
 Like
the feeling of being moved down a river by the
current, a positive groove
 Your
body, your mind, your opponents, and everything
else flow together and are connected
FLOW: 9 COMPONENTS
CONFIDENCE that your skills can meet the
challenge in front of you.
 TUNNEL VISION that shuts out everything else.
 CLEAR GOALS come into focus.
 UNAMBIGUOUS FEEDBACK that allows you to
adjust your tactics. For example, fans and
coaches will let you know how you're doing.

FLOW: 9 COMPONENTS
CONCENTRATION on the task at hand.
 SENSE OF CONTROL when you feel that your
actions can affect the outcome of the game.
 LOSS OF SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS
 LOSE TRACK OF TIME because of total focus on
the moment.
 INTERNALLY DRIVEN TO SUCCEED without
outside rewards. You do something because
you love to do it.

WHAT IS “THE ZONE?”

Zen Zone (Zen Buddhism)

A state in which your mind becomes connected through
meditation with everything around you

You become one with the essence of the universe

Captures the feeling of “the zone.”
IN A NUTSHELL …
Being
“In the Zone” is when you
seem to play perfectly and
without effort, everything just
clicks and you perform at your
peak potential
BEING IN THE ZONE
Donyell Marshall (former Jazzman),
12 3 pointers in 1 game
(tied Kobe Bryant, Raptors/76’s 2005)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRkXajkibRI
WHAT THE ZONE IS LIKE
Your body feels free and unhampered
 You are surprised at your speed, strength and
agility
 You feel no fear
 You are not thinking about the performance,
you body is just doing it without thought; you’re
on autopilot
 Your attention is narrowly focused in the here
and now

MORE OF WHAT THE ZONE IS LIKE…
Your movements feel effortless, without forcing
it
 Time may seem to slow down or speed up
 It feels like the whole universe is here and now
 You feel connected with the essence of your
sport (Zen)
 Everything just feels RIGHT

HOW CAN I ENTER THE ZONE?

***If you try to force it, it won’t happen!! Yikes.

BUT, you can do some things that will create
the state of mind which is most conducive to
the zone … IT WILL COME TO YOU…
WHAT MOST ATHLETES DO/ARE DOING WHEN
THEY ENTER A STATE OF FLOW:
High self-confidence
 You believe your skill is good enough for the
competition
 Your focus is in the here and now
 Distractions are controlled
 You are relaxed
 You are thinking positively
 You are there for the experience
 You have used effective visualization
 You have used effective goal-setting techniques

WHAT SHOULD I AVOID?
Focusing on winning, losing, or the score
 Trying to show off
 Trying to scare or intimidate your opponent
 Just “playing defense” or just reacting to your
opponent without taking initiative
 Trying so hard to force yourself into the zone
that you distract yourself
