Could Aristotle Have Been a Great Athlete?

This genius believed that the mind’s only function was to be a cooling mechanism for the circulatory system.  Bet you know someone like that.  Well, according to humorist Will Rogers, everyone is ignorant, just on different subjects, and Mr. Aristotle was at least deficient in one area.  However, had he been right, at least that would have eliminated the problem of TOO MUCH THINKING, which is usually an athlete’s Achilles heel.  I am constantly amazed and dismayed at those in any sport who teach  mechanics excessively and little or nothing on the mental aspect.  The number one theory seems to be If there is a problem, it’s got to be mechanics, right?

If  that were  true, then each and every athlete that I work with, even by telephone, would not be making immediate improvement.  I know mechanics, but by telephone I do not have the luxury of analyzing and advising in this area.   I am not minimizing the necessity of teaching sound mechanics, which requires thinking, but once the skill(s) are learned, right brain play, which eliminates thinking, is absolutely essential.  Proper breathing and focusing solves the problems of  worry, doubts and fears and allows for peak performance.

If You Can Do One, You Can Do the Other

This season, I worked with a Double Aoutfielder who was hitting just over .200.  He was depressed and wondered if he would ever be able to hit for average, but his defense had always been good.  He bought into HEAD GAMES and the same day he had three hits, including a two run home run.  He called me a few days later after that breakout performance and was elated to tell me that during a two week stretch that he hit over .350.

I have numerous success stories from players who became convinced that it was only logical that the same ability used to  perform one skill could be utilized for another.  This player uses the book and the c.d., but the HEAD GAME that he felt helped him more than anything else was abdominal breathing.  This technique is extremely powerful in effecting maximum performance. Proper breathing and centering on the skill at hand can deliver remarkable results in the field or at the plate.

Better Bat Contact

THE EYES CAN DELIVER!!  This season, a Double A player called for help.  After one telephone consulting session with him,  he increased his batting average from .180 to about .250 in a short time, but had reached a plateau.  According to him, he was missing too many pitches that he felt he should be hitting.  My analysis was that his eyes were not always under control while swinging.   The next game this player went 2-4, with a double, a triple, an r.b.i. and a run scored against a pitcher with a 1.59 e.r.a.  The team had only five total hits.

What did I tell him?  The eyes must be relaxed and focused only on the ball.  If the eyes are not in control, then the body does not know exactly where the bat is supposed to be swung.   The body can do a great job with proper guidance from the eyes.  HEAD GAMES techniques are simple to use and the success stories are astounding.  Choose to maximize your performance!

Positive Communication Will Enhance Performance

The University of  California, L. A., in an extensive study,  came to the following conclusions regarding believability of communication:

1. Tone of voice & facial expressions account for 38%.

2. Body language, 55%.

3. The words, only 7%.  (Facial expressions are also body language, so the 55% should be even higher.)

It is only when all three are synchronized, or in harmony, will a person believe the words.   This study is another confirmation that regardless of the verbal message, if the body language conflicts, the person will believe the non verbal.  So, managers, coaches and parents, please be careful in the way you communicate with their athletes so as not to adversely affect performance.  Keep your total language positive, for maximum benefit on and off the field.

Getting in the Right Mindset at the Plate

The HEAD GAMES methodology is exceedingly simple and fun to use.  This simplicity is an  absolute requirement if an athlete aspires to attain the “seventh heaven” of Baseball Excellence.  If there are those who desire or have tried complex theories, which are doomed to failure, I hope that they would follow the advice and testimonial of an athlete and businessman that I worked with, who has a PhD in chemistry.   This great guy was a  skeptic as to the power of the right brain in  performance, until he tried it, and the results were astounding, both as a pitcher and as an engineer.  Make this your best season ever.  Playing relaxed and focused guarantees right brain play and success.

ADJUSTMENT FROM THE PEN TO THE MOUND–Among others at major league spring training camp this year, I worked with a pitcher who had been having location problems.  I watched him at a distance while warming up; not a single pitch was above the knees–phenomenal location, with quality pitches.  He pitched his scheduled four innings, while making mostly excellent pitches, but he gave up two earned runs by getting several pitches up in the zone.  Other observers came to the conclusion that the problem was mechanical.  During dinner that evening I gave him the solution.  Going from an almost flat mound in the bullpen to a higher elevation requires an adjustment mentally and physically.  Unless the mind dictates to the body the necessity for a new release point, the body will usually take the path of least resistance and the ball will be up.   It’s just easier not to bend the back a little more to insure a lower release point.  We see this often by pitchers late in games after they tire.  Release point determines location, but only a consistent follow through will insure accurate and consistent location.  The body will do the bidding of the mind if given proper instruction.  The aforementioned pitcher’s  called me after after his next start and was elated.  He threw five innings, giving up no runs with only four hits.  He made the adjustment and kept the ball down consistently.  Mind over matter.  HEAD GAMES will also work for you!

How to Be Consistent in the Game

When a player is “hot,” it is imperative that he not pressure himself to maintain that pace.  If so, he starts trying too hard, thereby switching the mind to the left hemisphere, where trouble is certain.  Solution?  Leave your mind on automatic, and keep positive HEAD GAMES within your control.

Only a positive mind can keep one on the road to success.  Relative to sports, or anything else, the mind must be focused on the present, in order to maximize goals.  When focused on the task at hand, goals are secondary.  Goals, in order to not be detrimental to success, must be kept on the edge of the attention, and not allowed to interfere with the present.  When relaxed and  properly focused, the mind of the athlete shifts to the creative side.  This focus on the present, the action of the moment, is the solution to thinking too much.  Positive testimonials continue to pour in from across the globe with HEAD GAMESsuccess stories.

Using Proper Breathing Techniques

A focus on breath connects and harmonizes the mind and body, while relaxing both.   This centering puts the mind in the zone or right hemisphere of the mind, which allows for greater performance efficiency.  When ready for play, then the centering or focusing is on the ball or on the target which keeps you in the zone.  One of the Head Games is RELAXATION  through abdominal breathing.  Begin by exhaling  to a slow count of four while forcing all air out of the lungs by sucking in the belly.

Then, breath in slowly to the count of three, allowing your belly to balloon out.  This completely fills the lungs and moves up to ten times more oxygen than the way most normally breath.  Use this powerful Head Game and it will serve you well on and off the field.

Having a Simple Approach at the Plate

I get numerous requests from those who want me to analyze mental performance methodologies with which they are experimenting with or plan to try.  In all cases, thus far, they require thinking during performance, which is diametrically opposed to the HEAD GAMES approach.

I am not familiar with everything that’s out there, but I do know that you need look no further than HEAD GAMES relative to successful MENTAL methods.  The techniques are unprecedented and unparallel and  are proven over and over by a multitude of testimonials.  Simplicity must be a prerequisite if success is to be expected.

Learn Hown to Embrace Mental Toughness

A few years ago, I worked with an out of state nine year old racquet ball and basketball player referred by Skip Bertman.   Although this young athlete has been ranked as high as number one in the U.S.A. in racquet ball for his age category,  the fun was no longer there as the pressure had mounted.  He is  now not only excited about his athletic future but life generally.

His parents were also enthused as they  embraced the HEAD GAMES philosophy.  The dad is an attorney and the mom has multiple responsibilities inside and outside the home; they immediately made plans to use what they  learned to make life simpler, more enjoyable, less stressful and more productive. The techniques when developed over thirty years ago were intended  to be holistic and not limited to  sports.  We live in a busy, stressful and complicated era.

The good news is that accolades from across the world attest to the fact that  HEAD GAMES is an effective panacea in not only coping with the demands and complexities of modern society but can also lead to happiness and success.  HEAD GAMES principles include but are not limited to teachings involving POSITIVE THINKING, RELAXATION AND FOCUSING.   Why not add your name to the growing and glowing list of testimonials?  Make a comment on this post and let us know!

Learn How to Keep It Simple at the Plate

If you are interested in buying the head games book, click here to purchase it on the SwingAway website:

At a major baseball convention,  a sports psychologist in attendance unknowingly paid HEAD GAMES a great compliment.  His critical comment to the company selling the book was, “yeah, I’ve read it, but  It’s written on an eighth grade level.”   Au contraire!  I’m thinking that if an eight year old can read it, understand it and attain baseball excellence, then it must be written on maybe a third grade level?  In order to scale the pinnacle of performance potentiality, simplicity is an absolute necessity.  If  you’ve just got to have a complicated methodology that doesn’t work,  then HEAD GAMES is not your answer.  E-mail me and I’ll give you the name of the other guy’s book which sold a total of one at the convention compared to many written on “the eight grade level.”  If you want something simple to use that works and works immediately from youth leagues through the major leagues, then make HEAD GAMES yours and maximum potential for success can be realized.  I talked with a major league pitcher this week that I worked with toward the end of last season.  His subsequent success was close to perfect after struggling all season.  Now, he can’t wait for the season to begin.  Barring injury, this WILL be his best season ever, and he’s had some really good ones.  His comment on the book:  “I have never liked to read, but I love THIS book.  I don’t want to put it down.  The techniques are so easy to use.”  To insure success, one must mentally embrace a simple approach that allows consistent play “in the zone.”

The HEAD GAMES methodology is exceedingly simple and fun to use.  This simplicity is an absolute requirement if an athlete aspires to attain the “seventh heaven” of Baseball Excellence.  If there are those who desire or have tried complex theories, which are doomed to failure, I recommend that they  get on board with hundreds of athletes who have discovered the awesome power of HEAD GAMES.  Accolades, testimonials & endorsements continue to pour in from across the world.  The success of HEAD GAMES has been and continues to be unprecedented and unparalleled. Ladies & Gentlemen, start your powerful “mental engines” by choosing the holistic philosophy of HEAD GAMES, and begin to enjoy life and success on and off the field.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR -Walter Herbison - He consulted with Mississippi State Baseball from 1988-1992, the Atlanta Braves in 1990, LSU in 1991 and 2000, the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs organizations and many other amateur and professional teams. Nationally, he has consulted with many players individually — from youth leagues to Major Leagues.

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