How Top Athletes Use Hypnotherapy to Boost Performance
Hypnotherapy isn’t just for stress relief or breaking bad habits—it’s also a powerful tool that many top athletes have used to elevate their game.
Kate McDavid
9/19/20241 min read
By training the subconscious mind, hypnotherapy strengthens the connection between mental focus and physical skills. It helps athletes overcome mental blocksnand act confidently in high-stakes moments. Importantly, athletes trained in visualization can recover from temporary setbacks with even more will to win, not less!
Athletes Who’ve Used Hypnotherapy
• Tiger Woods: Known for his mental strength, Woods used hypnotherapy early in his career to stay focused under pressure and visualize his golf success.
• Michael Jordan: During his time with the Chicago Bulls, Jordan reportedly worked with mental conditioning coaches using techniques similar to hypnotherapy to enhance performance.
• Mary Lou Retton: The Olympic gold-medal-winning gymnast attributed part of her success to visualization and mental rehearsal, techniques often used in hypnotherapy.
Techniques Athletes Use in Hypnotherapy
1. Visualization
Athletes mentally rehearse their performance, seeing every detail of success in their mind’s eye. For example:
◦ A swimmer visualizes gliding through the water with perfect strokes.
◦ A basketball player envisions making every free throw with precision.
2. Anchoring Confidence
Hypnotherapy helps athletes create mental “anchors” tied to confidence and focus. For example:
◦ A tennis player imagines a calm, powerful feeling while gripping their racket.
◦ A sprinter associates the starting gun with a surge of excitement and determination.
3. Overcoming Negative Beliefs
Hypnotherapy replaces thoughts like “I’ll choke under pressure” with affirmations like “I perform at my best under pressure.”
4. Relaxation Techniques
Athletes learn to stay calm and grounded, preventing performance anxiety from interfering with their game.
Be Your Own Champion
You don’t need to be a professional athlete to benefit from hypnotherapy. Whether you’re training for the Super Bowl or improving your pickup basketball game, mental training can help you achieve your personal best.