Whether you have Olympic aspirations or you've simply found a fun way to stay fit, you want to get the most from your skating experience - and from yourself. Skaters can easily learn the techniques and develop the skills to bring out their best with the updated, second edition of The Inner Champion: A Mental Toughness Training Manual for Figure Skaters. This inspiring manual is still written in the language of figure skaters so it is easy to read, fun to use, and appeals to skaters of all ages and disciplines who are looking to realize their full potential.
The new 6x9 size book fits better into skate bags, and has been enhanced in many ways. The ten chapters offer even more proven techniques that can help you boost your mental toughness, and include over fifty fun, step-by-step exercises to enable the you to easily apply what you have learned (that is nearly double the number of exercises found in the first edition). Specific sections devoted to team skaters - those skating dance, pairs, synchronized, and/or theatre on ice - can be found throughout the manual as well.
A variety of entertaining vignettes is another exciting addition which helps to exemplify the importance of mental toughness. Inspiring insight into how to achieve greatness is provided by more than seventy supporting quotes from top skaters, their parents, and their coaches. The manual also includes a more complete index and glossary of important terminology as well as an extensive list of recommended resources.
In addition to the increased number of techniques and exercises, the second edition of The Inner Champion: A Mental Toughness Training Manual for Figure Skaters has been enhanced with added information for coaches and parents. Every chapter is concluded with a section written specifically for coaches and parents to help them improve the mental toughness and the total skating experience of their skaters and/or children.
The highly anticipated second edition of The Inner Champion has been enthusiastically endorsed by top names in figure skating, including Olympic medalists, international coaches, and U.S. Figure Skating officials. Once you recognize, just like the skating world quickly did, that The Inner Champion is an exceptional resource for winning the mental game, you will be able to use the information it contains to bring out your best time after time. In fact, Choeleen Loundagin's comprehensive approach and fun, step-by-step training methods will enhance your life both on and off the ice.
The ten chapters cover such key topics:
1. Mental Toughness Basics
Why is mental toughness important?
What are mental skills?
How do mental skills work?
The mind-body connection and how it works
Creating good habits
Mental skills and practice
Using mental skills off the ice
2. Turn Your Dreams into Reality
The importance of goal setting
Your mission statement
Set SMART and Positive goals
The Inner Champion Circle
Team missions and goals
Goals Outside the Rink
3. Think Like an Inner Champion
Confidence and the power of your thoughts
Control your internal dialogue
Change your perception
Silence negative thinking
Imagine your stinking thinking away
Change your irrational and distorted thoughts
Speed up the learning process
Change bad habits
Self-talk for a better life
4. To Relax or Energize? That Is the Question
Not everyone is the same
Optimal energy levels
Control the fight and flight response
When and how to relax
When and how to energize
Use the skills anytime, anywhere
5. Use the Power of Your Imagination
Why imagery works
Types of imagery
How to practice imagery
Practice, precision, and preparation
Imagery beyond skating
6. Stay Focused
How to improve concentration
What to focus on
What makes focusing difficult and easy
How to deal with distractions
Recover from mistakes
Increase your focusing endurance
Use the best type of focus
7. Take Action to Enhance Healing
8. Control Pain with Mental Toughness
9. Perform Like an Inner Champion
Preparation for Events
Event Plan of Action
Evaluation of Event
10. Make a Commitment to Be an Inner Champion
Make a full-time commitment
Continue mental toughness training
Learn life lessons
Overcome challenges the Inner Champion way
About the Author:
The quest for athletic excellence has been Choeleen Loundagin's passion throughout her life. As a respected Athletic Performance Enhancement Consultant, she has helped athletes throughout the world bring more enjoyment to their sport experience and achieve their personal best. She consults with parents, coaches, and athletes in a wide variety of sports, at all levels of expertise.
Choeleen has a Master Degree in Sport Psychology and her figure skating background as a competitor, U.S. Figure Skating triple gold medalist, international performer, and Professional Skaters Association Master Rated coach lends her special insight into the particular needs and challenges of skaters. She is the proud coach of 2008 US Adult National Championship Master Ladies Champion, Stephanie Ewing, the 3x US Adult National Championship Gold Ladies Champion, Ninotchka Aschow, and the 2009 Adult National Championship Master Intermediate/Novice Silver Medalist Melinda Speer. Choeleen also personally put her mental toughness techniques to the test by taking on the challenge of pair skating with partner William Abel in 2007. In their first two years competing together, the pair has won the gold at the 2007 US Adult National Championships in Championship Pairs, as well as the silver in 2008.
In addition to her one-on-one consultations, Choeleen's Inner Champion Mental Toughness Training Seminars are in demand across the United States, and she is a frequent guest speaker at U.S. Figure Skating training camps and PSA seminars. A guest contributor to magazines such as Skating, Professional Skater, and Recreational Ice Skating, Choeleen is also co-producer of the motivational audio CD Sport and Soul: Skate for the Love.
