Tactical Strength And Conditiong Report 17

National Strength and Conditioning Association • www.nsca-lift.org/TSAC page 17.1

APRIL 2011NSCA TSAC REPORT • ISSUE 17

Contents

17.1

The Mental Toughness

Coach: A Role for

the Strength and

Conditioning Coach

17.4

Posterior Chain Exercises

to Enhance Tactical

Performance

17.6

The Importance and

Potential of Integrating

Psychological and

Physical Conditioning

For Elite Performance

The Mental Toughness Coach:

A Role for the Strength and

Conditioning CoachJohn E. Coumbe-Lilley, PhD, CSCS, USAW

Given the nature of the strength and conditioning training room, helping develop mental toughness in athletes is critical to the success of the tactical ath-lete, team or squad. Ideally, the strength and conditioning coach is placed in the role of the mental toughness coach. Th is article will lay out what mental tough-ness is, how it is measured and how the strength and conditioning coach can train it and become the mental tough-ness coach for their tactical athletes.

Research investigations on mental toughness have been ongoing for more than a decade. In recent years, applied sport psychology research has investi-gated the eff ects of mental toughness on sport performance in cricket, Australian Rules Football, indoor triathlon and soccer (1,4,13,15,23,24).

It has been suggested that individual displays of mental toughness are a com-bination of attitudes, beliefs, behaviors and emotions and these can be prospec-tively developed within three inductive-ly found categories that are behaviors, characteristics and situations (4). Th is is important because as tactical athletes prepare for competition or deployment, they will manage behaviors, situations and the development of personal charac-teristics to cope with imposed demands that require preparation. Th e strength

and conditioning coach is ideally placed to create the conditions for progressive pressure and recovery physically, men-tally and emotionally that will help pre-pare tactical athletes for competition or deployment. Th is article will show how strength and conditioning coaches can train mental toughness in their tactical athletes.

Defining Mental Toughness

(MT)MT is a phrase often used to describe how we observe an athlete’s behavior es-pecially when we perceive that they over-come challenging events beyond what is normally expected in a given context. Often, MT is used as a catch-all, general phrase to describe many attributes but lacks the necessary depth that explains and promotes the development of criti-cal characteristics necessary to achieving top-level performance.

Several defi nitions have been used to de-fi ne mental toughness but for the pur-pose of this article we will use the defi -nition of mental toughness provided by Gucciardi: “Mental toughness is a collection of values, at-titudes, behaviors and emotions, which enable an individual to persevere and overcome any obstacle, adversity or pressure experienced, but also to maintain concentration and motivation

NSCA TSAC REPORT • ISSUE 17 APRIL 2011


when things are going well, to consistently pro-duce high levels of performance,” (14).

Th is defi nition is led from fi ndings of previous studies showing the attributes of MT that include self-belief, control of attention (concentration and focus), resilience, motivation, commitment and determination , positive and tough attitude, resilience, enjoying, han-dling pressure and quality preparation (1,8,10,11,12,17,19,21,22).

Measuring MTSeveral MT inventories have been de-veloped since 2002 and used to measure MT. Th e fi rst acknowledged MT mea-surement tool in organized research was the MT48 which measured three ele-ments of hardiness: confi dence, control and commitment (2). Another generic MT assessment tool that proposes to cap-ture MT attributes across all sports was developed by Th e Sport Mental Tough-ness Questionnaire (SMTQ) which fo-cused on measuring three MT factors: constancy, confi dence and control (21). Th e MT48 supported previous intuitive notions of MT attributes in its construc-tion but lacked psychometric reliability (4). According to the SMTQ, the MT48 had yet to yield signifi cant construct validity (4,7). Later sport-specifi c re-search by Gucciardi, studying MT of youth players in Australian Rules Foot-ball, measured MT using the Australian Football Mental Toughness Inventory (AFMTI) which focused on measuring four MT factors: thrive through chal-lenge, sport awareness, tough attitude and desire for success (14).

Th e AFMTI found signifi cant levels of contextual test construct reliability and validity. Measuring specifi c MT in a given sport was further supported by a

study of cricketers that used the Cricket Mental Toughness Inventory (CMTI) to determine the aff ective intelligence, at-tentional control, resilience, self-belief, and desire to achieve that elite crick-eters had in their competitive selves. Both studies showed positive signs of construct validity and internal reliabil-ity. Unfortunately, a general MT test in sport measure is not agreed upon but contextual sport-specifi c measures show promise. More work continues to be done to develop eff ective measures and research in this area.

Training MTResearch has shown that MT can be trained in a variety of complementary ways using practical strategies that to-gether create mental momentum and focus eff ort and intensity on achieving performance goals. Th e following sec-tion describes the tools and approaches that strength and conditioning coaches can take to build mental toughness in their tactical athletes. Th ese tools and approaches are based on work that devel-oped a framework for developing mental toughness in athletes (2).

Strategies to Build a Strong

MT Base• Set long-term athletic goals and then

use short-term achievable goals to direct intensity.

• Set the conditions for maximal eff ort to be given, when required, and shape the training environment in terms of space and equipment organization.

• Apply progressive physical and mental challenges to be completed under pressure always emphasizing that the athlete is personally responsible for their own success. Use a 5:1 ratio of supportive,

corrective and encouraging language to recognize the eff ort being put forth (24).

• Use basic imagery techniques to project positive and realistic future outcomes and generate excitement about what the athlete can achieve and what is within their control.

• Help the athlete learn from critical incidents in performance and support their development of helpful coping strategies for the performance and personal lives (4,20).

• Include a post competition refl ection exercise and focus on what was learned and what will be required to enhance future performance (4).

• Concentrate coaching on having tactical athletes achieve mastery, experience enjoyment through training and develop a competitive mindset that focuses on performance and builds a belief of superiority (9).

ConclusionTh e strength and conditioning coach is usually a trusted, reliable and skilled professional that enhances athletic per-formance day in and day out and works at the base of the sport performance pyr-amid on physical performance. Is there anyone better to train and develop MT on a day-to-day basis than someone who can see the tactical athlete’s eff ort, per-sistence and desire to succeed than the strength and conditioning coach? Th is is why strength coaches are in a prime posi-tion to be the number one MT coach in an athlete’s preparation. When strength coaches add the MT coaching skill set, they become more valuable to the tacti-cal athlete. Th e strength coach is likely to achieve greater satisfaction in their

Figure 1: Pull-Ups Figure 2: Squat Jumps



job as their athletes perform better under pressure and are able to cope more and compete consistently at the highest levels. °

References1. Bull, SJ, Shambrook, CJ, James, W, Brooks, JE. Towards an

understanding of mental toughness in elite English cricketers. Journal of

Applied Sport Psychology 17; 209 – 227, 2005.

2. Clough, PJ, Earle, K, and Sewell, D. Solutions in sport psychology.

London: Thomson Publishing; 32 – 43, 2002.

3. Connaughton, D, Hanton, S, Jones, G, and Wadey, R. Mental toughness

research: Key issues in this area. International Journal Sport Psychology

39; 192 – 204, 2008.

4. Connaughton, D, Hanton, S, and Jones, G. The development and

maintenance of mental toughness in the world’s best performers. The

Sport Psychologist 24; 168 – 193, 2010.

5. Coulter, TJ, Mallett, CJ, and Gucciardi, DF. Understanding mental

toughness in Australian soccer: Perceptions of players, parents, and

coaches. Journal of Sports Sciences 28; 699 – 716, 2010.

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8. Fawcett, T. Perceptions of mental toughness from adventurer/

explorer/“medal winning” elite athlete and elite coach perspectives:

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strategies for working with athletes, teams, and coaches. Champaign, IL:

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toughness in elite cricket. In T. Morris, P. Terry, S. Gordon, S. Hanrahan,

L. Ievleva, G. Kolt, & P. Tremayne (Eds.), Psychology promoting health &

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12. Gould, D, Dieff enbach, K, and Moff ett, A. Psychological

characteristics and their development in Olympic champions. Journal of


13. Gucciardi, D, Gordon, S, and Dimmock, JA. Towards an

understanding of mental toughness in Australian Football. Journal of


14. Gucciardi, D. Do developmental diff erences in mental toughness

exist between specialized and invested Australian footballers?

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104, 2003.



One of the biggest areas of neglect for the tactical athlete is the posterior chain which consists of hamstrings, gluteals and low back. Neglecting these muscle groups increases the risk for injury dur-ing periods of intense exertion, thereby prohibiting the tactical athlete from en-gaging in further missions or even com-pleting the current one. Also, neglecting these areas can lead to chronic pain in the low back, hips and knees.

Many exercises exist that enhance the functionality of the posterior chain. Squats and deadlifts are often cited for developing these areas, but auxiliary lifts will also help develop these areas and can help enhance performance. Examples include the following exercises and will be explained in more detail: Romanian Deadlift (RDL), Gluteal Ham Raises, which utilizes assistance from a partner, and an unconventional Medicine Ball Hamstring Curl.

Romanian Deadlift (RDL)Th is exercise is used to increase strength in the hamstrings, gluteals and low back. Th is exercise may be performed with the use of a straight bar, dumbbells or kettle-bells. Begin with the feet shoulder-width apart with a slight bend in the knees (Figure 1). Keeping the back straight, chest out and shoulders contracted, bend at the hips. Keep the bar close to the body. Lower the upper body until it is at a 90° angle to the ground or until a stretch in the hamstrings is felt (Figure 2). Using the hamstrings, raise the upper body until perpendicular with the fl oor.

Gluteal Ham Raises

(partner assisted)Place the ankles on a foam roller or com-parable pad with a partner holding the ankles and position the knees on the pad (Figure 3). From the down position, raise the body by fl exing the knees and contracting the hamstrings and gluteals until the body is upright (Figure 4). Lower the body by straightening the knees until the body is horizontal and back in the down position. While per-forming this exercise, be aware that the hips need to stay in an extended, neutral position and not in a hyper extended or fl exed position.

Medicine Ball

Hamstring CurlBegin with the back on the ground, with the knees bent and heel of one foot on a medicine ball (Figure 5). Th e opposite leg should be kept off of the ground and straight. Lift the hips with the heel of the foot and bend at the knee. Roll the ball on the bottom of the foot until fully fl exed, keeping the foot dorsifl exed at all times (Figure 6). Extend the knee to the original position to complete one repeti-tion. Keep the core tight and the hips off of the ground during the entire exercise. Repeat on opposite leg.

Incorporating these exercises into a work-out routine based on the supervision of a certifi ed strength and conditioning spe-cialist will decrease the chance of injury and increase performance in the tactical arena. °

Posterior Chain Exercises to Enhance Tactical PerformanceRay Bear CSCS, USAW

Figure 1. Romanian Deadlift starting

position

Figure 2. Romanian Deadlift fi nishing

position



Figure 3. Gluteal Ham Raises starting position Figure 4. Gluteal Ham Raises fi nishing position

Figure 5. Medicine Ball Hamstring Curl starting position Figure 6. Medicine Ball Hamstring Curl fi nishing position



Military and police (warrior) training has, and continues, to evolve in many crucial ways. Paper targets have been replaced by mannequins and computerized targets; rubber knives by shock knives; plastic guns by simuntitions or live fi re: and descriptive examples of skill applications by reality-based sce-nario training.

Th is evolution continues. In regards to performance training and readiness, several changes in military training have been described. White has discussed a paradigm shift in the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Fitness Test (26). Likewise Henning and Khamoui describe a review of the future of the Army’s Combat-relevant Physical Fitness Test (11). In response to an unacceptably high drop-out/failure rate in the Army’s Special Operations Assessment and Selection program Humpage de-scribed the design and delivery of the SELECTED! Program (13).

A highly relevant and particularly important development has been the (ongoing) adaptation of sport science and strength and conditioning principles and techniques to military and police training arenas as captured in the concept of the tactical athlete (18,19). Th is conceptualization and these applications have great promise to develop truly elite warriors.

However one area that has not developed at the same pace in tactical athlete training is the inclusion of training warriors in psychological skills that can maximize performance and which form the basis of what is termed, “mental toughness.” Th is might be considered a form of “training tunnel vision” that slows the development of psychological readiness and maximal performance for many tactical athletes. A cursory review of the content of the articles published in the NSCA TSAC Report from 2007 until the present shows a wide variety of critical and innovative topics. Training enhancement is promoted by advancing the importance of approaches from nutrient management to agility load and progression to train-ing the human weapons platform to fi tness operation orders to Grizzly Bear circuit training to the need for certifi ed strength and conditioning specialists being involved with special forces groups training (4,10,18,20,21,25). However, with the excep-

tion of one article that suggested elevated heart rates do not have stress or psychological etiologies, none of these articles, nor the programmatic changes occurring in military fi tness de-scribed above, discuss the inclusion or benefi t of psychological and mental toughness skills training (6).

On one hand, this is a bit surprising, as the importance of psychological training and skills is readily recognized in many other areas of elite human performance.

Elite warrior Lt. Colonel Jany served overseas with the United States Marine Corps. He has an extensive military special op-erations background and is also a Police Sergeant and Tactical Team Supervisor in Washington State. Commenting on men-tal training, he has stated:

“For years, so many of us involved in military or law enforcement tacti-cal training opted for the “sexier side” of our skill sets, working on deadly force, discriminative marksmanship, or defensive tactics, but rarely, if ever, factoring in the mental side and its importance to our success,” (18).

On the other hand, it is perhaps not so surprising that inte-grating psychological and mental toughness skills training with physical conditioning is not as advanced as it could be. Th is integration of psychological knowledge and skills has always been a bit slow in any fi eld of performance including sport. It has been characterized this way by Dillman, former Director of Sports Medicine for the U.S. Olympic Committee:

“Similar to all applied disciplines, sport psychology experienced a slow and unsteady start in sport, but has now progressed over the last few years into an area that is widely accepted by coaches and athletes,” (16).

Th is statement must be seen in the context of sport psychology coming of age in the 1980s despite the fi rst sport psychology study occurring in the 1890s and the Russians and East Ger-mans integrating sport psychology in their elite athletic train-ing since the 1930s and 1940s (16).

So while the integration, or lack, of psychological and mental toughness training into tactical athlete training may simply rep-resent a natural evolution, the time to move this development

The Importance and Potential of Integrating Psychological

and Physical Conditioning For Elite PerformanceMichael J. Asken, PhD, Tyler Christensen, CSCS and Mark D. Stephenson, CSCS, MS, ATC



forward is now for several reasons. Th ese reasons include the potential contribu-tions to performance, the demonstration of psychological infl uence on warrior fi t-ness performance and the essential role strength and conditioning specialists can play in integrating the two perspectives for maximal results.

As noted, the psychological factor is recognized, if not always integrated, in many areas of human performance. It is, in fact, the understanding and use of psychological performance skills that promotes what is called, “mental tough-ness.”

Th us, psychological performance tech-niques and mental toughness are a set of skills that can be trained directly, just as physical conditioning skills. Too often in the past, mental toughness was assumed to develop as an indirect result or side eff ect of other diffi cult and strenuous (usually physical) training. Just as with combat fi tness programs, the military has begun to question if this is maximal-ly eff ective training.

Th ompson and McCreary, in discussing the enhancement of mental readiness in military personnel, note that there are several problems with the “implicit” training of psychological skills; expect-ing mental toughness to develop as an indirect result of physical training and drills (22). Th is approach can; make mental toughness skills harder to learn, delay the learning of physical and tech-nical skills because of a lack of mental toughness, undermine operational eff ec-tiveness because of sub-optimal mental toughness, and result in a sub-group of individuals who never develop suffi cient mental toughness. Th e explicit and de-signed training of mental toughness is more likely to be successful.

Th erefore, strength and physical condi-tioning training has traditionally been a method (albeit indirect and somewhat haphazard) for promoting psychological performance skills and mental tough-ness. Further, the physical (and mental) challenges of strength and physical con-ditioning continue to present an excel-lent paradigm to test and train persis-tence which is perhaps the hallmark of mental toughness.

Th e integration of psychological and physical performance skills is timely and necessary. It is also prompted by an in-creasing body of research demonstrating the symbiotic eff ects of such interac-tions. Th e value of psychological skills for sport performance has already been documented in the sport psychology lit-erature (14,15).

Further, research shows that psychologi-cal performance skills such as self-talk can positively enhance specifi c physical skills such as the vertical jump and dy-namic balance performance (1,24). Per-haps even more important and worthy of attention is recent research on the im-pact of integrated psychological training with physical and combat skills training.

Th e evaluation of a comprehensive, structured and integrated mental tough-ness program for skill learning and per-formance enhancement conducted by the Walter Reed Army Research Insti-tute and the Army Center for Enhanced Performance at West Point provided evidence that comprehensive “mental fi tness training during basic combat training” had a positive and signifi cant eff ect for warriors during Army Physical Fitness Training, on marksmanship (shot groupings) and with skills like the slide to victory (8). A related study showed that warriors strong in psychological

skills performed better on the Army Physical Fitness Test and those who had weak psychological skills, or a negative psychological skills profi le of a fearful fo-cus cluster, performed most poorly (9).

While part of the reason for the oversight of consistent integration of psychologi-cal and physical skill training may have been the absence of a comprehensive de-scription of concepts and techniques for a tactical athlete, this, unfortunately is no longer true. In addition to the grow-ing literature cited above, more compre-hensive resources are now available for police and the military (2,3). It should also be clear that applied performance psychology is diff erent from traditional clinical psychology, making it of greater interest and greater acceptability to the communities of tactical athletes.

Finally, tactical athlete training is an ideal opportunity and venue for devel-oping psychological performance skills and mental toughness. Th is is so, fi rst, because of the tradition of associating physical and mental toughness. Second-ly, the challenge of elite physical train-ing continues to provide a challenge to psychological skills. Th irdly, psycho-logical performance skills can enhance performance. Finally, the strength and conditioning specialist provides training valued by tactical athletes and engenders a respect that lends credibility and mo-tivation to psychological performance skills when presented in an integrated program.

To summarize, psychological perfor-mance skills/mental toughness and strength and conditioning expertise can be a synergistic combination to maxi-mize elite performance in our warriors undergoing tactical athlete training. °



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L, and Ohlson, C. Realtionship between

psychological skill profi les and soldier physical

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399 – 411, 2010.

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11. Henning, P, and Khamoui, V. The Army’s

combat-relevant physical fi tness test: A look

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12. Hewitt, J. Get mental with the psychology

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TSAC Editorial ReviewMark Abel, PhD

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OCS, FAAOMPT

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ContributorsMichael J. Asken

Michael is the psychologist for the Penn-sylvania State Police where he is involved in the selection and training of troopers. He functions as the psychologist for the PSP Special Emergency Response Team where he consults with both tactical op-erators and crisis negotiators. He teaches and is involved with cadet performance issues at the Pennsylvania State Police Academy. He is on the Editorial Board of Th e FireArms Instructor, written ar-ticles for PoliceOne.com, SWAT Digest, Th e Crisis Negotiator, Th e Tactical Edge, Law Offi cer, and Th e Bulletin of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police. Michael received his Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology with a minor in Medical Psy-chology from West Virginia University

Mark Stephenson

Mark is a certifi ed Strength and Con-ditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning As-sociation (NSCA) and is recognized as a Certifi ed Athletic Trainer (ATC) with the National Athletic Trainers Associa-tion (NATA). Mark has over 19 years experience working with elite, profes-sional, Olympic, collegiate, and high school athletes. His work also includes consulting with members of the US Army’s Special Forces Recruiting Com-mand preparing soldiers for assessment and selection. Mark has co-authored over six manuals related to Tactical Fit-ness with the NSCA.

Tyler Christensen

Tyler coaches a variety of tactical ath-letes. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Sport Science from Iowa State University and served in the Army National Guard for 8 years. Tyler is also a veteran of Operation Enduring Free-dom.

John E. Coumbe-Lilley

John is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He was a police offi cer in England and is a former national team rugby league player and national team rugby union head coach. He has trained, coached and consulted a range of abili-ties from recreational to Olympic levels of competition and he was one of Team USA’s sport psychology consultants at the Vancouver Olympic Games. His re-cent research and practice focus is boxing and triathlon training, mental toughness and team performance.

Ray Bear

Ray is a veteran of the US Army and has over 15 years of experience as a Strength and Conditioning coach in Division 1 athletics, Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League. He currently serves as the Human Performance Coor-dinator for the US Special Forces. Ray holds CSCS through the NSCA as well as the USAW Club Coach certifi cation.

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