Chris Mance II - Mental Skills Coach

In sports, seeing is believing. What’s more, belief leads to effort and this combination is what increases self-efficacy. Correspondingly, the first step to learning from failure is using video review sessions to get athletes to believe. Specifically, athletes must use video review to believe two things:

1. There are things under their control that they can change to prevent future failures.
2. They can turn what they see on video from a mental model into a skill they can master.

Renowned psychologist Albert Bandura in his preeminent book on self-efficacy elaborates on these two steps with more technical detail in what he calls the cognitive and transformational phases of skill development. The cognitive phase is where the athlete develops a mental model of what they must learn. The transformational phase is where the athlete converts the mental model into skilled action using the feedback of a coach to eliminate errors.

To summarize, for an athlete to learn from failure they must first increase self-efficacy by starting with mental skills. Then convert those mental skills into physical skills.

Video review sessions are the catalyst for developing the mental memory one needs for mental skills. Physical training sessions are the catalyst for the muscle memory one needs for physical skills. Learning from failure requires connecting these two together repeatedly until the athlete learns the lessons they need to learn.

Example 1:

Consider the case of a high school wrestler who consistently loses matches due to a weak defensive stance. During video review sessions, this wrestler, alongside their coach, identifies that the moment their stance breaks is when opponents get takedowns. The cognitive realization hits – the stance needs strengthening. This is where specific drills, focused on enhancing stance stability and leg strength, come into play in physical training sessions. Over time, with deliberate practice and continuous feedback, what was once a weakness transforms into a formidable defense mechanism. The athlete’s self-efficacy skyrockets, knowing they have the power to rectify flaws and turn them into strengths.

Example 2:

A wrestler notices through video analysis that they often lose grip during a match, leading to missed opportunities for control. Targeted grip-strengthening exercises and repeated practice of grip techniques become their focus. Over time, this specific attention to detail transforms a weak grip into a vice-like strength, turning previous losses into victories.

Example 3:

Video review reveals that a wrestler’s reaction time to opponent’s moves is slow, giving the opponent an upper hand. The wrestler then incorporates reaction time drills and scenario-based sparring into their training regimen. This deliberate practice enhances their anticipation and response times, making them a more formidable competitor.

Example 4:

An athlete struggles with maintaining endurance throughout the match, as identified in video sessions. This leads to a tailored conditioning program focused on improving cardiovascular health and muscle endurance. The improved physical conditioning allows the wrestler to maintain intensity throughout the match, often outlasting their opponent.

Example 5:

Through video analysis, a wrestler realizes they are predictable in their attack patterns, making it easy for opponents to counter. To address this, the wrestler works on diversifying their attack strategies and combinations in training. This variation in techniques makes them unpredictable and more difficult to defend against.

Example 6:

A common mistake spotted in video reviews is poor footwork, leading to ineffective positioning and movement. The wrestler dedicates time to footwork drills, focusing on agility and positioning. Improved footwork enables better maneuverability and strategic positioning, giving them the upper hand in matches.

Example 7 – A Final Comprehensive Example:

Concluding our series of examples, we encounter a wrestler facing a critical challenge: the absence of a reliable go-to move. This deficiency becomes glaringly evident through video analysis, where the wrestler and their coach notice a pattern of hesitation and missed opportunities during critical moments of the match. Embarking on a journey to rectify this, they follow a detailed plan to not only select but also perfect a signature move.

1. Selection Phase: The wrestler begins by exploring various moves that align with their strengths and wrestling style. This exploration is both theoretical, looking at successful wrestlers’ signature moves, and practical, trying out different techniques in practice sessions.
2. Cognitive Awareness: Once the wrestler identifies a potential go-to move, the next phase is understanding the move inside out. This involves studying videos of top wrestlers executing the move, breaking down each component of the technique, and recognizing the common scenarios in which the move is most effective.
3. Drilling the Technique: With a clear mental model of the move, the wrestler dedicates significant time to drilling the technique in practice. This includes slow-motion and multi-step drills to ensure the wrestler executes each part of the move correctly, gradually increasing the speed and decreasing the steps as proficiency improves.
4. Scenario-Based Training: To simulate match conditions, the wrestler engages in scenario-based training sessions. These sessions involve starting in positions or scenarios where the wrestler can apply the go-to move, refining the wrestler’s ability to recognize and capitalize on real-match opportunities to use their chosen technique.
5. Feedback and Refinement: Continuous video review sessions become part of a routine to analyze the wrestler’s execution of the go-to move in both practice and live matches. Feedback from the coach and self-assessment allow for ongoing refinement of the move, ensuring it becomes more effective and reliable under pressure.
6. Integration into Match Strategy: The final step involves integrating the move into the wrestler’s overall match strategy. This means not only knowing when to use the move but also setting up opponents through a series of actions that make the go-to move more effective.

Bringing It All Together

With the acquisition and refinement of a go-to move, our wrestler transforms from being a competitor who reacts to situations to one who dictates the flow of the match. This shift not only boosts self-confidence but also places the wrestler in a position of strategic advantage, where they can control the outcome with more certainty. Embrace the journey of developing your signature move as a testament to your dedication, creativity, and resilience. Let each step of the process, from selection to execution, be a building block in your path to becoming a distinguished and formidable wrestler. This is the essence of leveraging mistakes and weaknesses as catalysts for growth and mastery, encapsulating the profound journey from learner to champion.

This is a Roadmap from Good to Great

Embrace video review not as a showcase of failures but as a roadmap to excellence. Each playback is a lesson, every error a guidepost to move from good to great. The journey from cognitive understanding to transformational execution is where champions are forged. Wrestlers, remember: the path to greatness is paved with the bricks of self-reflection and relentless pursuit of perfection. Let the video be your mirror, reflecting not just who you are, but who you can become. Through this meticulous process of analysis and adaptation, wrestlers evolve from merely reacting to opponents’ moves to predicting and countering them with confidence. This evolution, from learner to master, underscores the transformative power of embracing and learning from one’s mistakes.