Charlie Unwin is a Sport Psychology Coach specialising in equestrian sport. A former elite athlete and officer in the Royal Horse Artillery, Charlie combines his passions for psychology and equestrian sport in order to help riders manage the mental demands of training and competition. Charlie works with a number of riders, athletes and teams competing at this year’s Olympics and has built a reputation for his specialist experience in helping equestrians perform more consistently in competition and thrive under pressure.
"Click on the link at the bottom to fill out the short questionnaire and find out how mentally tough YOU are!
As many riders kick-started their competition season this weekend, I have been subject to the rigours of scientific testing in a sports laboratory at Bath University. In particular I have been guinea-pig to a study exploring the boundaries of extreme physical exertion (hence the photo!). This is not necessarily something I enjoy doing, nonetheless it was an experience that allowed me to re-connect to the now slightly frayed fibres of 'mental toughness' that served me so well in the past. A lot is mentioned about mental toughness on TV, but have you ever thought about what makes some people stronger under pressure than others? Why is mental toughness important to successful equestrians?
There are generally considered to be four pillars of mental toughness: CHALLENGE, COMMITMENT, CONTROL and CONFIDENCE. Few other sports test these pillars of mental toughness quite as much as riding. Granted, other sports like rowing and cycling require greater physical exertion, but clearly there is far more to being 'tough' than having thighs like tree trunks. In riding, mental toughness is required on many levels which is why it can better predict success than raw talent alone.
1. CHALLENGE
To what extent do you see challenges as opportunities? If you do, then you are the type of person who will use problems as a means of self-development because solving problems makes you feel more competent and confident. Alternatively, if you find challenges a little threatening you tend to minimise your exposure to change and the problems that come with them. This can stifle development.
2. COMMITMENT
Sometimes described as “stickability”, these riders bounce back well from set-backs because they have a clear idea of what they want to achieve and how they are going to get there. Having to deal with adversity such as financial struggle can often increase our sense of commitment and challenge, but only when we have a clear strategy for improving.
3. CONTROL
How much control do you feel in complex situations? Are you able to influence a situation or other people? Control is important on two different levels and both can influence how we perform under pressure; 1. How well do we control our emotions? - People who have bad competitions often allow themselves to feel frustration, anger or depression. 2. How well do we control our lives? – If we genuinely believe we can influence how successful we can be, we will try harder!
4. CONFIDENCE
Confident riders will believe that they can successfully complete tasks that may be considered too difficult by riders of the same ability but with lower confidence. Less confident riders will also be less persistent and make more errors. Interestingly, the more we rely on other people to tell us how good we are or the more we compare ourselves to other riders, the more fragile our confidence is. For example, those riders who seek a certain score or place at a competition will be more likely to suffer losses in confidence compared to those riders who seek small improvements in their own ability (regardless of where they get placed).
Find out how YOU score on mental toughness by filling out a short questionnaire now! It will only take a few minutes and you will be emailed your results. Simply click on the link below...
Charlie’s Next Presentation: 25th March, Witney, West Oxon
Charlie’s Next Workshop: 24th April, Royal Agricultural College, Glos
Please visit his site for more details at the link below..."
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