Choke Proof Your Game: A proven playbook for beating pressure

By Hendrie Weisinger

Nothing is more frustrating than feeling your skills and abilities dissolve when it matters most. It's not just your performance that suffers; your mental health takes a hit too.

Now, Dr. Hendrie Weisinger, leading expert in the emerging science of pressure management, Introduces "Choke Proof Your Game," the ultimate evidence- based playbook meticulously crafted to obliterate the eternal nemesis of all athletes: choking under pressure.

Choke Proof Your Game transcends the realm of generic stress reduction techniques by honing in on two pivotal breakthroughs: developing a "pressure reducing mindset" and mastering targeted strategies to conquer the specific feelings of pressure encountered the night before, the morning of, and throughout your event and critical moments.

With its strategic guidance, "Choke Proof Your Game" enables you to remain cool, collected, and confident, no matter the stakes.

Choke Proof Your Game: It's the playbook for every athlete!

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Aug 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9798350910155

Book preview

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Choke Proof Your Game

A proven playbook for beating pressure

© 2023, Hendrie Weisinger, Ph.D.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Print ISBN: 979-8-35091-014-8

eBook ISBN: 979-8-35091-015-5

Ode to the Athlete’s Collapse

The athletes stood tall, with dreams so bright,

Ready to conquer, to claim their right,

But as the pressure mounted, and the game was on,

Their mind began to race, and their confidence was gone.

The crowd was loud and the stakes were high,

Their heart was pounding as the clock ticked by,

But as they took the field, their mind went blank,

And their nerves took over, they couldn’t think

The ball was thrown, the chance was there,

But their body froze, and they weren’t aware.

They missed the catch, and the game was lost,

Their heart was heavy at such a cost.

Tears flowed freely, as they walked off the field,

Their dream was shattered, their fate was sealed.

They couldn’t shake the feeling of defeat,

Their choking a burden, too heavy to bear and to meet.

They tried to fight and come back strong,

But the pressure was too much, far too long.

The choking, a vicious cycle that never ended,

And their athletic career, tragically suspended.

So let this be a cautionary tale

Of the dangers of not being able to prevail,

For choking, a cruel master that can consume

And destroy, the brightest of futures, and one’s bloom.

Contents

INTRODUCTION: Choke Proof Your Game

MEET ME: Your Anti-Choking Coach (ACC)

PLAYBOOK

SECTION I: Choking: Rules, Terms & Technicalities

The difference between Performance Anxiety & Choking

The Choking Zone

Choking Hardware

Pressure

Choking Factors

Road to Choking

The Choking Inventory

SECTION II: Immunization to Athletic Choking

The Pressure Reducing Mindset

Developing Your Pressure Reducing Mindset

Arousal Management

Arousal Calming Plays

Match Play

Night Before: Plays to prevent anxiety occurrence

Morning of: Plays to take charge of your arousal

During Your Event – Plays to stay in the moment

Focus

Daily Choking Immunization Workout

Ode to an Athlete’s Success

Choking Remedies

Resources

Coach’s Biography

INTRODUCTION:

Choke Proof Your Game

A proven playbook for beating pressure

Welcome to the playbook for conquering the enemy of all athletes: choking under pressure. Choking is a global phenomenon that affects athletes of all levels and disciplines, but it doesn’t have to. My goal isn’t to help you win your big game because sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just don’t have the talent to come out on top. The goal here is to ensure that when you’re in the big moment, you won’t be choked out by pressure.

Pressure and performance have a close relationship but not a friendly one; the closer they are, the greater the chances of choking. But the good news is that you have the power to change that relationship. By executing the tips and strategies in this playbook, you’ll be able to outsmart pressure, take control of your performance, and perform to your potential when it matters most.

MEET ME:

Your Anti-Choking Coach (ACC)

I stumbled upon the phenomenon of choking not on a sports field but during my clinical counseling psychology training. I was treating a patient struggling with various psychological disabilities. The patient’s journey of recovery was marked by significant progress, and he was eventually ready to make the transition to outpatient care.

However, one of the major milestones in his journey was a daunting one—to call his mother and inform her of his discharge. His mother’s unsupportive and belittling parenting style was a significant contributor to his hospitalization.

I remember that day as if were yesterday. I stood by his side as he made the call. The pressure was palpable—bottom of the