Years ago, during the Olympics, we wondered, and were in awe, of the Russians winning the majority of the gold medals. Upon investigation, it was learned that the Russians were not only training athletes' bodies, as was the USA, but were also training and enhancing their minds with the use of hypnosis, sports psychology, guided imagery, and visualization. Once the USA started using similar techniques they began winning a lot more medals.

Hypnosis with an experienced and qualified hypnotist or hypnotherapist can improve your game, or sport, (whatever that might be) and can make you a better and more competitive athlete. Since only a few athletes are utilizing hypnosis for sports improvement, this is a great way to have a significant advantage over your competition or just for self improvement. When others have just a "playing coach", you will also have Dr. Mulhausen and hypnosis as your "mind coach".

Sports hypnosis can be used to refine athletic performance providing strong focus and increasing muscular endurance. sports hypnosis can:

• defeat negative self-talk
• visualize success
• visualize action in the mind before execution
• mental training
  

Benefits of sports hypnosis:

• reinforce established goals
• better handle nervousness
• bring relaxation
• stress management
• concentration
• eliminate sports phobia
• eliminate distractions
• control pain
• increase performance motivation
• improve body awareness

Famous athletes who have successfully used sports hypnosis to enhance and maximize performance include; Tiger Woods (golf), Jackie Nicklaus (golf), Wayne Gretzky (hockey), Steve Hooker (pole vaulting), Mary Lou Retton (gymnastics), Jimmy Connors (tennis), Kevin McBride (boxing), etc.

Goal Setting

To achieve your goals in any sport you need to plan for success. The hard part is getting started and executing plans that bring you closer toward your goal.

When you fail to reach your sports improvement goals, frustration, anxiety, and self-doubt begin to creep in. Failure in reaching your goals may even give you thoughts of giving up your sport altogether (e.g. golf, marathon, etc.).

Sports hypnosis can help with goal setting, motivation, procrastination, concentration, anxiety, focus, self-confidence, etc. As Emerson, the great port, once said: "They conquer who believe they can" and Henry Ford said; "If you believe you can you will, and if you believe you can't you're right either way."

Sports hypnosis is so effective and powerful because it deals with the mind body connection.
For optimal performance in any sport, the mind and the body need to be in sync, fluid, and in harmony. The great athlete does not have to think about what he or she is doing, but just do it naturally.

Stress Management

Sports hypnosis is like a secret weapon. The majority of athlete have coaches and even special coaches for each facet of their sport or game. Vey few have a "mental coach" and this is where sports hypnosis makes a difference. Dr. Mulhausen tells his golfers, who utilize sports hypnosis that "hypnosis is like having a 15th club in your bag" (only 14 clubs are allowed).

Stress occurs when the demands tax or exceed resources, such as skills or support that the athlete has at his or her disposal. Stressors can be acute, chronic, or intermittent, and they can also be expected or unexpected.

Sports hypnosis is a very effective way to target symptoms of stress such as somatic (e.g. heart rate, respiration, muscular tension, etc.), behavioral (e.g. direct actions taken or not taken because of stress), and cognitive affective (e.g. worries, beliefs, apprehensions, and negative expectations).

Sports hypnosis involves getting the athlete to a heightened state of awareness, with relaxation of the body, where perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or actions can be changed through suggestion.

Smoking Cessation for Athletes

Smoking decreases stamina and performance, as muscles that get inadequate oxygen become fatigued more quickly.

Athletes who smoke tend to suffer from shortness of breath more often than nonsmokers, as their muscles and heart demand more oxygen that their lungs are able to supply.

Smoking keeps athletes from performing their best. Thus, all athletes need to quit smoking in order to maximize their athletic potential and performance. Many effects of smoking can be reversed when an athlete quits smoking.

The athlete's ability to tolerate exercise is decreased by smoking. Not only is the length of time an athlete can to exert himself decreased, but his maximal effort is significantly lower.

Smoking constricts the blood vessels and decreases the amount of oxygen delivered to the muscles, leading to premature exhaustion.

Smoking causes a decrease in lung capacity that will eventually cause an athlete to feel winded, or out of breath with less effort.

Smoking cessation is one of the best things an athlete can do to increase sports performance, endurance, and stamina.

Weight Loss

Athletes who lose weight, to a normal, healthy weight, increase and maximize their athletic performance especially in competition. Dramatic weight loss, in a short period of time, is not a healthy way to reach your goal of an optimum weight.
Clinical hypnosis is an effective, safe way to lose your desired weight without any side effects of weight loss pills and medications.

With gradual weight loss, it is safer, healthier, and more effective and you are more likely to keep the weight off.

Weight loss is directly correlated to improved sports performance: more stamina and endurance, increased energy, faster running time, less fatigue, less injuries, etc.
Dr. Mulhausen is a golfer, and bowler, and played varsity soccer as an undergraduate at Case Western Reserve University. He has helped amateur and professional athletes improve their performance for over 35 years.

Remember when you play better, you enjoy playing more and get more satisfaction from your enhanced performance. Why wait? Call (440) 899-1680 now to become a better athlete.

Sports Hypnosis