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3rd out of 21 books
—
8 voters
Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence
by
Gary Mack
Drawing on his work with some of the top teams in professional sports, noted sport psychology consultant Gary Mack shares with you the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." These 40 accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes will help you gain the "head edge" over the competition.
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
June 3rd 2002
by McGraw-Hill
(first published 2001)
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1. It was an amazing book for me because it changed my whole perspective on how to view my results in sports and also changed my perspective in many other things.
2. I can relate this book to me in many ways. Most of all, I can relate it to baseball. If I get up to bat and I have a bad at-bat, I can now think "It's okay I'll do better the next time." Instead of dwelling on the bad at-bat I had the first time. If I make an error in the field and I think "I'll get the next one" rather than poutin...more
2. I can relate this book to me in many ways. Most of all, I can relate it to baseball. If I get up to bat and I have a bad at-bat, I can now think "It's okay I'll do better the next time." Instead of dwelling on the bad at-bat I had the first time. If I make an error in the field and I think "I'll get the next one" rather than poutin...more
Apr 24, 2013
Drew Hubka
added it
This book is awesome! Every athlete should read this book. If someone said "by reading this book you can become a better athlete" most people would laugh and say yeah right, but its true you can become a better athlete by reading Mind Gym. There is no main story line in this book, the man who wrote it was a sports pschycologists. Over the years and that he has been in this line of work he has worked for different teams and different sports all at the professional level. This book doesnt make you...more
This book is inspirational, and very educational. The authors Gary Mack and David Casstevens talk about what goes through athletes heads, and how we think. The love, stress, pain,and the feeling of accomplishment. They talk about story's of athletes and what they went through. They have quotes that they have said like "you must have dreams and goals if you are ever going to achieve anything in this world." said by Lou Holtz. While I was reading it I was just inspired to go to something productiv...more
Great resource tool for performance development whether it be in athletics, vocational life or a particular avocation where you are seeking to excel. I often use this book with coaching clients and pair it with 'The War of Art' as resource tools.
His key premise is that we reach a level of physical competency that can only be elevated by our mental game. The peak level of performance is unleashed - or stopped by what we think - not what we do. This is about developing our mental game.
It is crit...more
His key premise is that we reach a level of physical competency that can only be elevated by our mental game. The peak level of performance is unleashed - or stopped by what we think - not what we do. This is about developing our mental game.
It is crit...more
Mind Gym is written by Gary Mack but throughout the book many famous athletes give personal
insight on what they have had go wrong and how they overcame it. Some of the athletes include Tiger
Woods, Mark McGuire, Greg Maddux, Charles Barkley, and many more. The first thing Mack
wants one to practice are the seven c's. The seven c's are competitive, confident, control, committed,
composure, courage, and consistency. According to Mack, if one practices the seven c's, they will
master mental toughn...more
insight on what they have had go wrong and how they overcame it. Some of the athletes include Tiger
Woods, Mark McGuire, Greg Maddux, Charles Barkley, and many more. The first thing Mack
wants one to practice are the seven c's. The seven c's are competitive, confident, control, committed,
composure, courage, and consistency. According to Mack, if one practices the seven c's, they will
master mental toughn...more
Mind Gym, by Gary Mack, is an exceptionally great book. I recommend it to anyone who is really into sports. The book is about the psychology of sports. Basically, it helps you with pressure, distractions and anything else that can offset your game. It has helped me so much in sports and has allowed me to excel much faster.
There is no plot in the book because, much rather than a story, it is more of an instruction manual of how to control your mental state in the sports you play.
Gary Mack is a...more
There is no plot in the book because, much rather than a story, it is more of an instruction manual of how to control your mental state in the sports you play.
Gary Mack is a...more
This book caught my eye when it cropped up on a friend's reading list (Thanks, Virb!). I am in the middle of training for a half marathon, and I figured I could use a pep talk. Mind Gym fit the bill nicely. It contains many inspirational stories, mostly from professional athletes with whom the author has worked in his career as a sports psychology consultant and counselor. Many anecdotes came from baseball, football and golf greats. I'm not very familiar with those sports; I hope that by reading...more
This book is amazing. This book has changed my life in so many ways, after reading and participating in the task in the book, you feel like a complete athlete and ahead of everyone else. This book gets average players to reach their full potential and helps them become great players. This whole book focuses on the mental side of the game, which in my opinion is the most important. It does not just tell you how to reach peak performance in sports, but in any aspect of life such as one's job or ev...more
This is an amazing book that every athlete should read. It is a book written by a sports psycologist who has worked with many profesional sports teams and the worlds top athletes. There is no story line to the book. In this book Gary Mack reaccounts many stories of how he helped athletes mentally when they were struggling. He shares how important it is to be mentally strong in sports as it does to be physically strong and he gives you ways to help you get better mentally. He shares many inspiri...more
Feb 16, 2011
Dannie D
added it
Mind Gym
By Gary Mack and David Casstevens
Forward By Alex Rodriguez
Mind Gym a great, great book in my opinion. Mind Gym is a non-fiction book. It is about the mental aspect of sports. It teaches the athletes lessons about controlling their mind during their sporting events.
You learn the lessons through Gary Mack. Gary teaches you these lessons as if he were sitting across the table from you. As he explains the lesson he gives you examples of how this lesson impacted a persons and he also gives gr...more
By Gary Mack and David Casstevens
Forward By Alex Rodriguez
Mind Gym a great, great book in my opinion. Mind Gym is a non-fiction book. It is about the mental aspect of sports. It teaches the athletes lessons about controlling their mind during their sporting events.
You learn the lessons through Gary Mack. Gary teaches you these lessons as if he were sitting across the table from you. As he explains the lesson he gives you examples of how this lesson impacted a persons and he also gives gr...more
May 28, 2012
Lynne
marked it as to-read
from ashley
've been reading the book, Mind Gym: an athlete's guide to inner
excellence by gary mack. You need to get this book.
Its written by a sports psychologist and he interview athletes and
uses his experience to explain how great athletes (mainly golfers and
baseball players) overcome self doubt and bad games while playing
their sport. Its a really cool book about being optimistic and how
your mind is in control of how you play.
've been reading the book, Mind Gym: an athlete's guide to inner
excellence by gary mack. You need to get this book.
Its written by a sports psychologist and he interview athletes and
uses his experience to explain how great athletes (mainly golfers and
baseball players) overcome self doubt and bad games while playing
their sport. Its a really cool book about being optimistic and how
your mind is in control of how you play.
May 16, 2013
Dani Oliver
added it
1. Very good inspirational story, builds your mind up mentally.
2. I can relate to this because everyday my head gets to me, weather its running or playing volleyball.
3. Yes I would recommend this to a friend. It has so many good quotes and building up things to say, that can really boost and strengthen your mental toughness.
4, Has a lot of imagery- (gamelike situations)
Also characterization (shows characters dreams and beliefs).
2. I can relate to this because everyday my head gets to me, weather its running or playing volleyball.
3. Yes I would recommend this to a friend. It has so many good quotes and building up things to say, that can really boost and strengthen your mental toughness.
4, Has a lot of imagery- (gamelike situations)
Also characterization (shows characters dreams and beliefs).
This book was thoroughly useless. It was just a repetitive set of cliches reappeared over and over. It could have been covered in a few short blog posts. To top things off, the example athletes chosen to make points all turned out to be shady characters who cheated to get their edge: A-Rod, Lance Armstrong, Mark McGwire, Joe Paterno, etc.
I had great hopes for this book but it had no real value.
I had great hopes for this book but it had no real value.
I expected this to be more of a how-to book but it turned out to be more of chicken soup for the soul-ish in my opinion. This book is basically made up of lots of little inspirational sports stories which isn't a bad thing but still isn't what I was looking for. When I'm expecting how-to, I want the meat with little fluff. For example, an exercise with a story to go with it to put the exercise in perspective. I could have learned what I wanted to know just by reading the re-caps at the end of ea...more
As an athlete, I found this book to be superb in helping me get around my own mental blocks. I found the insights and exercises very helpful and the writer's professional knowledge to be just what I needed.
I was also inspired to begin studying Sports Psychology!
I recommend this book to any and all athletes of any and all levels.
I was also inspired to begin studying Sports Psychology!
I recommend this book to any and all athletes of any and all levels.
as my mom called this book "my volleyball bible." I loved this book, not only did it help me with my athletic pursuits but i could apply it to many areas of my life. It taught me how much my mind is involved. That your thinking is a trained thing that you can improve. Devoured this book over and over.
as my mom called this book "my volleyball bible." I loved this book, not only did it help me with my athletic pursuits but i could apply it to many areas of my life. It taught me how much my mind is involved. That your thinking is a trained thing that you can improve. Devoured this book over and over.
I have actually read this book once when preparing for a national competition. It helped my take my mental preparation and game to the next level. I want to read it again, because I'm always working to achieve mental toughness in all aspects of life. It's also a quick read.
Really solid read about the difference between athletes at the higher level: confidence and how that's created in the competitor's head. I think this book is a great introduction to sports psychology and an important book for coaches, but even more so for athletes.
Great book for anyone interested in Sports Psychology, or improving their attitude and performance in an athletic setting. I think parts of this book also apply to non-athlete's as it retrains your way of thought and your ability to believe in your body.
I really liked this sport's psychology book by Mack. I heard that John Cook, the Nebraksa volleyball head coach was having all of his players read it. I enjoyed reading how I can improve my game by improving my mental game.
An absolute MUST READ for any athlete or anyone wanting to excel at something. This book will help to inspire you to reach your full potential. Not only that, but it will give you real tools to help accomplish your goals.
So many inspirational ideas on the power of our brains. One of my favorites, "While positive thinking doesn't always work, negative thinking, unfortunately, almost always does." This is definitely a must read for my kids this summer!
This book is a must for every athlete. It really helps give you the mental edge needed to advance to the next level. I make all my players read this book, and have seen great results. Absolute must read!
All athletes should read this book. Especially if they struggle to control their emotions during competitions. As a fencing coach, I require all of my intermediate to advanced fencers to read this book even though the author never mentions fencing at all in the book.
One of my new favorite books! The power of your mind is so unbelievable....and REAL!! This book is great for athletes, but also for anyone with an important goal or desire in their life.
This was like "Chicken Soup for the Soul" stories for athletes, full of inspiring narratives and substantial take-aways. The lessons are applicable to all areas of life, not just sports.
Jan 10, 2009
Alan
is currently reading it
This book has taught me several ideas that I've used to improve my running and to give tips to other athletes to improve their running and bowling. (Yes, bowling!!!)
a great book to read right before new year's & all of the push for resolutions. it's all about mindset - thus "mind gym." be willing to try and fail.
Totally helpful and inspiring even for non-athletes like myself! I highly recommend it because the lessons stick with you and can be applied to everyday life.
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Mine just gliched or did u buy it hard copy tp read?
Mar 06, 2013 04:27am