Mind Gym : An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
Drawing on his work with some of the top teams in professional sports, noted sport psychology consultant Gary Mack shares with you the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." These 40 accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes will help you gain the "head edge" over the competition.

Customer Reviews: Read 18 more reviews...

2 out of 5 stars

Not well written, rehashes other books. June 21, 2005
18 out of 21 found this review helpful

I have just about every book on the topic of sports performance.

I've read others that were more impactful and helpful.

Granted, this book is good if you're just looking for some inspiration that might eventually lead you to results. For immediate results to use on one's game, however, this book isn't it!

As another reviewer said, it's clumsily written. For my hard earned money, I'd like something that I can actually use on my game right away.

If you're a couch potato athlete that only watches a game, this book is probably good. My brother-in-law loves it. He's never played a sport in his life, but is a big fan. For competitive athletes who are more interested in RESULTS and can get their cliches from TV announcers, this book isn't for them.

I'd give it one star, but those who've met the guy seem to like him enough to log onto amazon and write a review. Nothing personal, but I can't give this anything like the rating the others did.

4 out of 5 stars

Well worth the time and the price. If more tactics, better December 7, 2005
18 out of 19 found this review helpful

Many readers said that it's clumsily written. I really cant agree so. It's a little repetitive especially in the second half of it. However, the author did quote a lot of real life examples including successful players' personal quotes to stress the importance of the mind on performance. The key message had been well delivered, for sure. However, it would be better if he could tell more on the "how" side, as in page 9, "One key to achieving success in sports is learning how to focus on the task and not let negative thoughts intrude. The mind can concentrate on only one thing at a time. So, rather than suppress what you dont want to happen, you must focus on what you do want to happen or on some neutral thought. In working with the placekicers, I use a distraction technique. I ask them to create a word that, when said to themselves, will block out all negative thought and help relieve tension."

Certainly a good read for aspiring athletes, for leisure and for life. Anyway, below please find some copy and paste of my favorite messages for your reference.

Competition is won or lost on the six inch playing field between the ears. Practice the seven C's (Competitive, Confident, Control, Committed, Composure, Courage, Consistency) of mental toughness. Learn to love the competition. Pg 28

It takes years of hard work to become an overnight success. Are you willing to make the committment and pay the price. Pg 69

Learn how to fail successfully. Hate to fail but never fear it. Learn to view failure as feedback. Pg 80

You cant outperform your self image. - Dennis Connor. Pg 81

Discipline means doing what you have to do when you need to do it, whether you want to or not. Pg 95

The more you hurry the later you get. When you find yourself rushing you are no longer in the present. Pace instead of race. Pg 144

The less tension and effort, the faster and more powerful you will be. - Bruce Lee / The way to run faster is with four fifths effort. Just take it nice and easy. - Bud Winters Pg 145

The will to win is important, but the will to prepare to win is vital. - Joe Paterno / Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. - Wayne Gretzky Pg 155

5 out of 5 stars

Excellence for all life's pursuits April 30, 2005
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

Mind Gym is one of my favorite books to pickup whenever I need a little inspiration and encouragement. While the many stories and quotes are derived from the world of professional athletics, the book is really about creating excellence in one's life with applicability to any pursuit and any profession. The main theme is that once one reaches a certain level of competency, the level he achieves in performance will be determined by how well he learns to utilize his mind. With this, the author takes us on a fascinating tour of the minds of some of the world's greatest coaches and athletes; their successes, their challenges, and the mental tools they employed to succeed. To borrow a line from the book, "it takes years of hard work to become an overnight success", Mind Gym is an excellent coach along the way.

5 out of 5 stars

Gary Mack October 24, 2002
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

Gary Mack is the author of the sports psychological book "Mind Gym." I rate this book with 5 stars becuase I feel that it is at the top of its catagory. For the athlete who desires to gain a mental edge over his/her opponent, there is no better book to shed light on that subject. I read this book while I was healing from a broken back and it turned me around about how I thought about my sport of gymnastics. Garys book opened many doors for me in the way I thought about competition, training, and everyday life. I recommend it to every athlete in every sport because the psychological side of sports is often overlooked. Gary does a great job creating motivation, and better yet--sport and life lessons.

5 out of 5 stars

Clumsily written, cliched, but with a great message July 11, 2003
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

I had initially planned to give it just a skim, but then could not put it down. It is full of cliches and hoary coaching bromides, and is obsessed with commercial spectator sports; but its overall, can-do message negates any faults.

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