Mental Strategies To Move Past An Injury
How is your confidence affected after a baseball injury or layoff?
Do you find that you need a few good games following an injury to regain your confidence?
Think of a time where you were injured and returned to play in the middle of the baseball season…
You probably didn’t know what to expect from your performance…
The unknown aspect of performance can generate a great deal of anxiety for some baseball players.
If you were playing well before your injury, you may feel frustrated that your high-level of play was interrupted.
If you were playing poorly before your injury, you may be expecting the same type of play when you return to action.
Either way, your confidence may take a huge hit during your injury-recovery phase.
Sport confidence can be affected by your accomplishments and play on the field.
When you are playing well (hitting streak, high fielding percentage, low ERA), your confidence tends to increase.
With a higher confidence level, you are more relaxed while playing and you take more risks on the field which leads to better performance…
And, so, the cycle continues… It is when the cycle is broken (injury, decreased playing time) that our confidence may be in danger.
Gio Gonzalez is a 28 year-old pitcher for the Washington Nationals…
Gonzalez was off to a great and confident start to the 2014 season with a 3-1 record and 38 strikeouts in 28 innings.
Gonzalez started experiencing some shoulder soreness, lost three straight games in May, and then ended up on the 30-day Disabled List with shoulder inflammation.
In his first start after coming off the DL against the Houston Astros, Gonzalez struggled through a rough 35-pitch fourth inning where he gave up three hits, a walk and four runs.
So, how did Gonzalez respond in the fifth inning? Gonzalez maintained his composure and re-focused on the current inning and recorded a 16-pitch inning and held the Astros to one hit and no runs.
Gonzalez stated his fifth inning helped him regain his confidence:
GONZALEZ: “That fifth inning made me feel confident again. [It] gave me that boost of confidence that I needed.”
From that inning on, Gonzalez has not allowed a run in 22 innings.
Nationals manager Matt Williams understands that the game of baseball requires continual mental and physical work in order to perform consistently well and maintain your confidence.
WILLIAMS: “It’s a continual process. You miss that amount of time. It’s a process [for] sure. So he’s got to work hard between this start and the next one…”
Try these tips to play confidently following an injury:
- Tip #1: Understand that all of performance is a process with highs and lows. The best way to play consistently is to prepare consistently. Use your injury to improve other aspects of your performance (conditioning, strength, mental skills).
- Tip #2: Realize an injury doesn’t necessarily mean you have lost your ability. Create a mental highlight reel of yourself and replay your highlights regularly. These highlights will help you maintain your confidence and keep you primed for your return to the field.
Want to improve your mental game for baseball the fastest way possible? Learn more about our mental coaching for baseball or softball.
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- Avoid This Mistake After Injury
- Derek Jeter and Fear of Re-injury
- The Mindset of Being a Team Player
*Subscribe to The Sports Psychology Podcast on iTunes
*Subscribe to The Sports Psychology Podcast on Spotify
Get the Mental Edge – With Mental Toughness Coaching
Mental toughness coaching helps serious athletes like you uncover the beliefs and attitudes that keep you from performing to your potential. You’ll learn mental game strategies to perform confidently in competition and how to overcome performance barriers.
You can improve your mental game with Mental Game Coaches, Dr. Patrick Cohn and Jaclyn Ellis, M.S. You can opt for one-on-one sessions with Dr. Cohn in Orlando, Florida, or you can stay where you are and get coaching from anywhere in the world via telephone, Skype, Zoom, or FaceTime.
One-on-one mental coaching is the fastest and most effective method to improve your mental game, boost your performance, and make lasting changes. We have a variety of mental coaching programs to choose from.
Please call us at 888-742-7225 with your questions.