Continuous Improvement: Intertwining Mind and Body in Athletic Expertise

How do great athletes defy the power law of practice, according to which improvements in skill eventually plateau?

Commentators  and spectators alike are fascinated by how athletes such as Roger  Federer, Tom Brady, and Serena Williams are capable both of moments of  exquisite brilliance and of sustaining such excellence over a prolonged  period. But what separates these great athletes from those who have  achieved a certain level of expertise before finding that their  performance has started to plateau? How is it possible for world-class  athletes- athletes who seem to be at the top of their game- to keep  improving?

To solve this puzzle, this book presents a theory of  “continuous improvement” that explains how experts use conscious  strategies to update and improve motor execution in training contexts  and stabilise performance under highly pressurised conditions. It argues  that expertise is characterised by an attentional flexibility involving  the use of reflection, abstract thought, and bodily awareness;  processes used by athletes to alter bodily routines in response to  contextual demands. Drawing on theory and empirical findings from a wide  range of disciplines including psychology, sociology, and cognitive  science, the authors outline methodological approaches and practical  strategies that can be used by coaches, researchers, and athletes to  understand, improve, and maintain optimal levels of performance.

A  fascinating exploration into the psychological and physical processes  behind elite performance, this book will be an insightful read for  students and academics of sport science, sport psychology, and  kinesiology, as well as coaches, practitioners working with performers,  athletes, or anyone with an interest in physical performance and  improvement.