By Hypnosis is a recent development in sports psychology. For authors such as Brian Weiss, this technique provides a ‘state of focused concentration’ that athletes could take advantage of. But does it really work? Find out in the following article.
Hypnosis in sports psychology is a technique that is used to help athletes treat various disorders, both medical and psychological. Although psychology is gaining more and more weight in the sports field, in the particular case of hypnotism, scientific evidence is still being collected. However, everything points to its possible effectiveness.
According to the American Psychological Association , athletes should seek help from sports psychology professionals to enhance their performance, recover from injuries, cope with pressure, stick to a program and, above all, enjoy what they do.
As for hypnosis, they say that this procedure brings about changes in the perceptions , sensations, thoughts or behaviours of a subject. This is where the relationship between the psychological technique and its application in sports comes from. But before going into the effectiveness it would have or not in this area, it is necessary to pause to define it.
What is hypnosis?
There are several concepts about hypnosis. For authors such as Ernest Hilgard , the purpose of the method is to create the conditions that allow for enhanced receptivity and accessibility to suggestion. Hypnosis is a mental state of dissociation and involves being able to disconnect conscious and unconscious processes .
As an adjuvant technique, it is effective . That is, hypnosis alone is not effective in treating some disorders, but when combined with other techniques it does seem to work. This utility would have a place in pain management and in the treatment of anxiety, provided it is complemented with cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Similarly, when combined with other techniques, it is “probably effective” in the management of obesity and smoking , as well as in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Hypnosis has proven useful as a pre-surgical procedure; an example of this is reported by the journal Enfermería Universitaria .
Furthermore, in the specific field of mental health, it also reveals some role in the treatment of depression or post-traumatic stress.
Hypnosis is a psychophysiological state in which peripheral awareness is reduced and concentration is focused.
– Spiegel and Spiegel –
Hypnosis and its effectiveness in sports psychology
Having explained what hypnosis is and under what conditions it would have an influence, it is time to investigate what its role and usefulness is in sports psychology.
Although scientific evidence on the effectiveness of hypnosis in sports continues to grow, the resource is used to improve performance in disciplines such as tennis or football.
A study published in Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte revealed that using hypnotic techniques to benefit sports performance not only favored this point, but also reported an increase in self-efficacy, concentration and mood.
In the particular case of tennis, the usefulness of positive autosuggestion when executing serves has been evaluated. And the effectiveness has been total, in addition to reducing the number of “double faults.”
The same review by Franquelo et al. refers to a case in which a footballer claimed to “return the ball very quickly.” After using hypnosis, his performance improved . Similarly, they point out its intervention in controlling anger in the football context, getting the athlete to direct the focus of his irascible emotion towards the ball.
Furthermore, an analysis published in the Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology highlighted the effectiveness of hypnosis in reducing negative emotions and increasing confidence and performance in professional football.
Hypnosis has elements in common with other psychological training techniques and quite specific components. In any case, it functions as a secondary strategy in that it allows to catalyze or optimize the impact of the various primary strategies that are applied in the hypnotic situation.
-Jara and Garces-
Hypnosis as a tool of psychology in other sports disciplines
Hypnosis as a technique in sports psychology is also present in disciplines other than tennis and football. In cycling, it has been seen that the method increases endurance in situations of maximum effort.
In basketball, it has also been found that, when combined with other tactics, hypnosis increases the effectiveness of free throws by up to 23% and plays an important role in shooting performance .
In golf, there is no significant evidence of hypnosis beyond helping golfers feel confident, relaxed and in control. In canoeing, it has been found that when hypnosis is combined with acceptance and commitment therapy , physical strength and the number of repetitions of bent-over rowing are improved.
Hypnosis in sports psychology: a promising resource
In light of the above results, it is possible that hypnosis as a psychological technique contributes greatly to the improvement and enhancement of the physical and mental abilities of athletes .
We are therefore talking about a resource with potential value for the psychological branch in question, with the capacity to provide numerous advantages to athletes, which is why it is necessary to advance research that defines specific action protocols for each sporting discipline.