Chocking in Sports
Several athletes experience periods during which they refuse to initiate a movement. Often, coaches and athletes find themselves helpless when faced with these blocks. While some manage to find solutions, others never succeed in re-engaging and, as a last resort, decide to end their sports careers prematurely. Chocking in sports:
How does the refusal to perform a movement manifest?
Refusal to initiate movement is a behavior commonly observed in various sports, such as diving, gymnastics, trampoline, figure skating, athletics (pole vault), and archery. It affects athletes regardless of their level of expertise, gender, or age. These behaviors are referred to as refusal, loss of figure, and motor inhibition.
In diving, it is not uncommon to observe certain divers intentionally starting their momentum but abruptly interrupting it and not taking the plunge.
In form-production sports (gymnastics, trampoline, figure skating), athletes sometimes lose the ability to perform certain figures or jump. They may also transform a figure initially planned in a program into a technically simpler one. These athletes experience figure loss syndrome.
Refusal to jump in the pole vault is characterized by a sprint where the jumper dashes, brakes, and then does not jump or run across the mat. The athlete is unable to explain this refusal or identify what is blocking them. They struggle to describe their feelings, lose confidence in themselves, and feel anxious. They become frustrated with themselves, their ability to concentrate weakens, and they excessively analyze their performance. Their thoughts are primarily focused on the outcome of the jump and the potential consequences (what will happen if...?).
Why do athletes refuse to initiate a movement and experience blocks? The causes of these refusals are not easy to determine and depend closely on the athlete's personal, emotional, and professional history. These causes can be both individual and plural and may be related to over-analysis of movement, a fusion of motor patterns, perceptual and decisional overload, difficult life episodes, and repeated falls or injuries.
Over-analysis of the movement:
Over-analysis of movement indicates the involvement of conscious processes. It is suggested, for example, that trampolinists transitioned from unconscious control to conscious control. This change in the mode of action control could contribute to the loss of figures. Before the first symptoms of this syndrome appeared, athletes performed their movements automatically, without conscious awareness. The attentional demand was reduced or even absent, and the execution of figures was fluid, easy, and seemingly effortless. When the symptoms of this syndrome emerged, athletes consciously analyzed and broke down the figures, which could disrupt the automaticity of the movements and consequently impair their performance.
A legitimate question to ask is what triggered the transition from unconscious control to conscious control in these trampolinists.
Difficult life episodes (stress, emotions, fatigue):
The onset of figure loss could be related to periods when the athlete experiences stress, emotional problems, or fatigue. These factors can impact information processing and hinder the athlete's ability to concentrate.
Repeated falls or injuries:
In sports involving form production (gymnastics, diving, tumbling, figure skating), athletes experience falls, and injuries, and witness these events with their training partners during practice. Each of these events is encoded and stored in the individual's memory. At some point, the athlete's ability to cope with all these memories is jeopardized by a triggering event. This event could be an excessive number of falls, severe injuries, or the pressure generated by an upcoming competition. The triggering event can evoke fear and lead to a persistent or permanent blockage. The athlete becomes unable to perform a figure or movement. Although their body knows exactly how to execute the skill, they are physically unable to do so. There is a blockage as if they are paralyzed. The athlete expresses that something is hindering the execution of the figure or movement.
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Next read: https://mentalaccelerator.com/resource/purpose-vision/keeping-motivation-without-objectives