Many athletes train hard physically, but still struggle with performance inconsistency, nerves in competition, or difficulty hitting peak output when it counts.
Athletics is unique — because milliseconds, inches, or a single hesitation can change a result. The difference isn’t just physical; it’s neurological, psychological and state-based.
At The Excel Practice, I help athletes improve performance by working on nervous system regulation, focus under pressure, confidence, flow state access, and emotional control — so physical training actually converts to competition results.
I work with athletes in Reading, Didcot, and online across the UK & internationally.
MAIL@THEEXCELPRACTICE.COM OR CALL 07807 540142
Who This Coaching Is For
Athletes who perform well in training but struggle with things like:
- Competition nerves or “tightness”
- Inconsistent performance under pressure
- Hesitation at the start line
- Losing form when tired or stressed
- Overthinking technique mid-event
- Difficulty entering flow state
- Stress after mistakes or missed reps
- Confidence dips after injury
- Struggling to “switch off” pre-event
- Rage or emotional volatility mid-competition
- Underperforming compared to training PBs
These patterns are state-driven, not character flaws.
What This Work Improves in Athletes
Athletics coaching here focuses on:
✔ Start-line composure
✔ Sprint aggression vs sprint relaxation
✔ Flow state activation
✔ Explosive confidence
✔ Emotional regulation mid-event
✔ Recovery mindset
✔ Resilience after setbacks
✔ Pre-competition routines
✔ Conversion from training to competition
The goal is always the same: make peak performance available on demand, not just when conditions are perfect.
Summary: Mental Performance at the Highest Level of Sport
At the elite level, mental performance is trained deliberately, not left to chance.
World-class athletes across swimming, athletics, combat sports, basketball, and American football work with mindset coaches, sports psychologists, and mental performance specialists to improve focus, emotional control, and consistency under pressure.
When physical preparation is already high, performance differences are often decided by state control — the ability to stay calm, committed, and neurologically aligned when results matter.
These principles apply directly to athletics, where small hesitations, tension, or over-arousal can make the difference between a personal best and an underperformance.
Why Elite Athletes Train the Mind (and Why It Matters in Athletics)
Many of the world’s most successful athletes openly credit mental training as a key part of their success:
- Michael Phelps worked extensively with mental coaches to manage pressure, regulate emotion, and perform consistently across Olympic competition.
- Georges St-Pierre used mental performance coaching to develop “release and refocus” routines, allowing him to reset after setbacks and return to championship form.
- Kobe Bryant built the “Mamba Mentality” around disciplined mental preparation, emotional control, and precision under pressure.
- Usain Bolt focused on staying relaxed while producing maximum output — a critical mental skill for sprinting at world-class speed.
- Russell Wilson, working with mental coach Trevor Moawad, applied “neutral thinking” to stay composed and effective under extreme performance pressure.
- Elite basketball players coached by Graham Betchart trained present-moment focus to improve decision-making and confidence in high-stakes moments.
Across sports, the pattern is consistent:
- Pressure disrupts timing and coordination
- Tension reduces speed and power
- Overthinking interferes with automatic movement
- Emotional carry-over affects the next effort
This is why mindset coaching, psychology, and hypnotherapy are effective in athletics.
The work is not motivational or theoretical — it focuses on regulating the nervous system, removing interference, and allowing trained physical ability to express itself on demand.
The same mental principles used by elite performers are simply adapted to athletics: start-line pressure, explosive output, pacing decisions, technical precision, and rapid recovery between attempts or events.
I also work with golfers and tennis players facing similar performance-pressure patterns.
Events & Disciplines Supported
This coaching applies across:
Track (Sprints & Middle Distance)
- 100m / 200m / 400m
- 800m / 1500m
- Relay teams
Key factors: burst confidence, start composure, relaxation at speed, kick-phase clarity, and managing competition arousal levels.
Endurance & Distance
- 3K / 5K / 10K
- Road races & XC
Key factors: pacing focus, mental resilience, tolerance of discomfort, decision-making, emotional pacing, and avoiding overthinking mid-race.
Jumps & Throws
- Long jump / triple jump / high jump / pole vault
- Shot / discus / hammer / javelin
Key factors: technical precision, micro-confidence, explosive output, and ability to reset after fouls or missed attempts.
Multi-Events
- Heptathlon / Decathlon
Key factors: task-switching, emotional containment, adaptation, and momentum recovery.
Why Athletes Underperform — The Real Mechanisms
Most athletes are told the problem is technique, fitness, conditioning, or willpower.
But performance collapses often relate to:
- Nervous system dysregulation
- Over-arousal or under-arousal
- Cortisol spikes
- Overthinking mid-movement
- Fear of failure or injury
- Loss of identity after setbacks
- Emotional rumination
- Mind-Body alignment
- State mismatch (wrong energy at the wrong time)
This work targets the neurological layer, not just mindset slogans.
How Sessions Work (Simple & Tactical)
Sessions combine elements of:
- NLP and hypnotherapy
- Sports psychology
- Somatic regulation
- State activation
- Flow-state principles
- Performance hypnotherapy
- Identity & belief work
- Recovery psychology
Typical structure:
① Understanding the athlete’s pattern
② Mapping what collapses performance
③ Identifying the correct state for their event
④ Installing pre-performance activation routines
⑤ Training focus recovery mid-competition
⑥ Strengthening identity & confidence
No hype. No loud coaching. No motivational clichés.
Just serious performance work for serious athletes.
Who I Work With
This coaching is suitable for:
- Competitive junior athletes
- University athletes
- Club-level athletes
- National-level athletes
- Returning athletes post-injury
- Adults entering competitive masters events
I tailor differently for each level.
Next Steps — When You’re Ready
If you’re ready to:
- Compete without choking
- Stay calm at the start line
- Convert training into results
- Build confidence that doesn’t collapse
- Access flow more consistently
Then athletics performance coaching may be a strong fit.
MAIL@THEEXCELPRACTICE.COM OR CALL 07807 540142