Here are the 3 areas that Rory has worked on to get his confidence on another level. The cool part? You can copy these 3 starting today:
1) Improved Body Language
Rory has been playing golf since he was 2 years old. He has put in his 10,000 hours (See Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers for more info) of training to achieve mastery in his field. As long as we have had the opportunity to watch him compete, he has never appeared to lack for confidence. However, Rory tells a different story. We all remember his hooked tee shot into the cabins at Augusta and the triple bogey that led to an 80 instead of a green jacket. Rory describes his body language that day as, "I was uncomfortable. It's not like me to look at my feet when I walk. My shoulders were a little rounded. I was very insular." After that point he decided to change his focus and always keep his head up no matter what was happening. He often focuses his gaze just above the faces in the crowd. Rory says it will improve how you feel about yourself as well as improve your posture and cause you to stick your chest out. These are great positions to be in to have great body language. An added side benefit? Your opponents will not gain a psychological sense that they are getting to you.
Rory Lesson #1: Keep your head up at all times to effectively display confident body language. It will have an impact on you and those around you.
2) Improved Body Fitness
This area has been the most obvious area that Rory has made incredible improvement. In 2010 Rory hired Steve McGregor as his trainer. They immediately discovered imbalances in Rory's strength and began to develop a variety of workouts to provide a more balanced physique. There is not any special secret to their routine. He works out 3-5 days per week, although he has definitely amped it up over the last few months. They do a variety of cardio, weights and exercises changing the routine every 6-8 weeks. The main reason Rory has really taken his workouts to a high level was explained by his trainer: "Rory's never lacked for confidence, but there's a lot of scientific evidence that links being strong and physically fit with self-confidence and psychological well-being. Those are great things to have on the course."
Rory Lesson #2: Start working out today using a variety of methods. It will improve your athleticism and also your confidence.
3) Improved Mental Training
This area is probably the least obvious area but also is likely the most important. Rory's mental training really came to light in his interview at the Open Championship. At the conclusion of his final round he said he only had two keys the entire week, "Process and Spot." These two trigger words were vital for Rory to keep his focus and to play his best. His focus on process means that he would follow the same routine from the moment he woke up in the morning until the moment he went to sleep. The best athletes in the world (at least that stay the best) are known for their discipline, delayed gratification and daily routines. Another key process area would be in his pre-shot routine, the moment he grabs his golf club until he makes his stroke, is all programmed down to a fraction of a second. His focus on a spot is a key that many golfers and athletes will use to help the mind focus in on a clear target while eliminating everything else from the mind. This key is an amazing mental training principle that can help a player of any ability level to play better golf. When the mind has a clear picture of the intended target, the body will do an incredible job of taking care of the rest. Rory thought these two words were so important that he used them to win a major. Most professionals have a mental skills trainer to help in this area, now you can too. The one that I would recommend is Joshua Medcalf of Train2BClutch. Joshua has worked with top college and high school golf programs across the country. He is very engaging with his clients on twitter and does excellent work. Tell him that we sent you.
Rory Lesson #3: Start to develop your mental training. Start by simply having a clear "Spot" (target) and focusing your energy on the "Process" (routine).
Take these 3 tips to the golf course or try and apply them in any area you are working to improve. If they have worked for Rory, I am sure you will be happy with the improvements that you start to make as well.
Please let us know how your "process" is coming along. Share your observations, experiences and lessons learned on the course with us in the comments, twitter, facebook, Instagram, email, or phone.
If you would like help building your own game improvement package, we would be glad to help bring confidence to your game through proper training and proper equipment.
#GolfIsConfidence
-Eric Holen
#GolfIsConfidence
-Eric Holen
"Professional Game Improver"
Owner of www.holen1golf.com
Owner of www.holen1golf.com
Email: ericdholen@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment