Racing Psychology expert, Dr. Patrick Cohn, at racingpsychology.com helps NASCAR, Motocross, and motorcycle racers improve performance and lap times by boosting mental preparation, focus, and confidence on race day. Learn auto racing and motocross mental tips and strategies.

In today’s mental game of racing session, I help a racer improve his negative self-talk. I answer the following psychology of racing question:

“My self-talk is really bad at the track. I think, ‘You can’t win this race because so and so is in it and he always wins or there are lots of fast cars in your heat.’ How do I keep from mentally defeating myself when a racer with a known track record of winning is in the field?”

Learn the top mental training racing strategies to overcome negative self-talk. Many racers struggle with their self-talk on the racetrack. Negative self-talk can influence your racing performance. Negative self-talk can affect your racing confidence and cause you to question your racing ability, or doubt yourself. Doubt is the opposite of self-confidence.

Avoid making comparisons to other racers and focus on what you need to do. Make a list of your top doubts and develop a rebuttal for those doubts, or change them into statements of confidence.  

Listen to this podcast on “self-talk” to learn more about how to improve your training for race day!

Use the player below to play the podcast or use the “download” link to save to your computer:

 

 RacePsych Podcast 14 [4:15m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Racing Psychology expert, Dr. Patrick Cohn, at racingpsychology.com helps NASCAR, Motocross, and motorcycle racers improve performance and lap times by boosting racing confidence, focus, and mental preparation on race day. Learn motocross and auto racing techniques to improve performance on the racetrack.

In today’s mental training session for BMX racers, I discuss how to use mental imagery before races. I answer the following BMX racing psychology question:

“Although I have seen improvement in my skill level over the past year and half since I started racing BMX, I have always had trouble with picturing my race before I race it. I can’t get the mental motion picture if you will, rolling in my mind the way I would like. How can I get a more detailed view of myself and the track that I am racing?”

Learn the top mental training techniques for auto and motocross racers. Not every racer is a visual learner. Racers have different learning styles, seeing, feeling or hearing. The most common type of imagery is seeing, or visualizing. You may be a kinesthetic learner, or learn by feeling yourself on the racetrack. To mentally prepare for a race, you should do “mental laps” or see, feel or hear yourself go around the racetrack.

Most racers are a combination of visual and kinesthetic learners. The best way to use mental imagery is to find out which learning style works best for you. You should see or feel yourself just as you are performing, in real time. 

Listen to this podcast on “mental imagery” to learn mental game tips to prepare yourself for race!

Use the player below to play the podcast or use the “download” link to save to your computer:

 

 RacePsych Podcast 13 [4:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Psychology of racing expert, Dr. Patrick Cohn, at racingpsychology.com helps NASCAR, Motocross, and motorcycle racers improve performance and lap times by boosting mental toughness, focus, and confidence on race day. Learn mental racing tips and strategies for motocross and auto racing.

In today’s racing psychology session, I discuss how to improve your race team dynamics. I answer the following racing teamwork question:

“My main challenge is team dynamics and the friction caused by one very talented and hard working individual who disrupts the team. How can I mentally get past this problem?”

Learn the top mental racing strategies to improve team cohesion.  Teamwork is very important to achieve success on the racetrack. Team communication and support are the most important factors to improve your mental attitude for racing. The first step to dealing with team conflict is to address the problem as a team. It is important to address the issue rather than ignoring the problem. Have a team meeting to openly discuss team goals and expectations of team members throughout the season.  

Listen to this podcast on “team dynamics” to learn more about mental training for racing and how to improve teamwork!

Use the player below to play the podcast or use the “download” link to save to your computer:

 

 RacePsych Podcast 12 [4:27m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Mental game of racing expert, Dr. Patrick Cohn, at racingpsychology.com helps NASCAR, Motocross, and motorcycle racers improve performance and lap times by boosting mental skills, focus, and confidence on race day. Learn motocross mental training and auto racing secrets.

In today’s racing psychology session, I answer a question about a racer who wants to be as fast as the pros. I answer the following mental game of racing question:

“How do start to believe that I can get as fast as the pros? I feel like I can almost make it but I fall short every time.”

Many racers feel that they have the potential to be as fast as the pros.  Learn my top mental racing strategies to improve motocross and auto racing confidence on the track.  You have to believe in your racing ability to compete at the professional level. Doubting your ability will affect your concentration on the racetrack. If you are not at the professional level yet, focus on what you need to improve to get to that level. The key is to focus on improving your own speed and not the speed of the pros.

Listen to this podcast on “improving racing speed” to learn more mental training tips for motocross and auto racing!

Use the player below to play the podcast or use the “download” link to save to your computer:

 

 RacePsych Podcast 11 [3:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Racing psychology expert, Dr. Patrick Cohn, at racingpsychology.com helps NASCAR, Motocross, and motorcycle racers improve performance and lap times by boosting mental toughness, focus, and confidence on race day. Learn the psychology of motorsport success and mental training for motocross and auto racers.

In today’s racing psychology session, I help a racer who is worried about underperforming. I answer the following mental game of racing question:

“I am just about to race in a championship. I am afraid that I might underperform considering I am new to racing. I want to make a mark! Please advise me on what kind of mind set should I have before I go into the first race?”

Many racers are concerned about not performing up to their potential on race day. Being new to racing, you want respect and to show others what you can do. But, you should avoid focusing on what others think of you. A functional mindset is helpful to getting psyched up before a race. Your mindset should focus on how you can perform to your potential.  To prepare mentally for the big race, you should focus on the process, or the small things that you need to do to race your best.

Listen to this podcast on “how to mentally prepare for a championship race” learn how to improve your motocross and auto racing training techniques!

Use the player below to play the podcast or use the “download” link to save to your computer:

 

 RacePsych Podcast 10 [4:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Mental game of racing expert, Dr. Patrick Cohn, at racingpsychology.com helps NASCAR, Motocross, and motorcycle racers improve performance and lap times by boosting mental toughness, focus, and confidence on race day. Learn race psychology tips and strategies.

In today’s mental training session, I discuss the racing psychology tips to stay focused after other racers’ put-downs.  I answer the following mental training for racing question:

“How do I block out “put-downs” or things other people say like “I’m going to beat you, you stink, or you can’t win” or anything else to make me lose concentration?”

Other racers use trash talk to get you off your game and reduce your racing confidence. These put downs can become a distraction if you let them. Racers who become distracted by trash talk can also doubt their ability on the racetrack. Doubt is the opposite of confidence and is not helpful to your racing. The solution is to develop strong mental confidence in your racing ability so that those put-downs do not affect you.  Having racing confidence is more important than what others think.

Listen the podcast on “Racers trash talk” to learn more about psychology of motorsport success!

Use the player below to play the podcast or use the “download” link to save to your computer:

 

 RacePsych Podcast 9 [4:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download