Afremow - The Champions Mind How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive

The Champions Mind reveals the mental skills and strategies Olympic champions use to perform their best when it matters most. Dr. Afremows matchless book is a must for athletes and coaches.

SHANNON MILLER, Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics and president of Shannon Miller Lifestyle

I read this book with my eyes wide open, and the content continued to keep them open at all times. Jims advice and tips are very simple and easy to understand. Read only one chapter at a time and apply it to your approach to tennis, sports, and life.

NICK BOLLETTIERI, founder and president of Nick Bollettieri IMG Tennis Academy

How sweet it is to breathe that rarefied air of a high-performance athlete! How refreshing it is, as well, to recognize so many of the techniques in Dr. Afremows book that get you to that privileged place. The Champions Mind is a simple, straightforward elixir for the high achiever in all of us.

MORTEN ANDERSEN, NFLs all-time leading scorer and a member of the NFLs All-Decade Teams for the 1980s and 1990s

The Champions Mind is loaded with great lessons, advice, and perspectives on how to be successful. It is definitely not a requirement to be an athlete or a coach in order to benefit from this book. The skills and strategies that Jim provides here are essential in carving a path to success, no matter what field you are in or what your goals are. I can honestly say that I have lived by many of the strategies offered in this book, and I can also say I wish I had lived by more of them. But its never too late to be as good as you can be!

DAN JANSEN, Olympic gold medalist in speed skating and former world record holder

The mind is a powerful thing. As a baseball player, the more confidence I have and the more mentally prepared I am, the better I perform when it matters the most. The Champions Mind will help guide you to reach your potential both on and off the field!

TRAVIS BUCK, MLB outfielder, San Diego Padres

Athletes who want to learn the secrets of the mental game should read The Champions Mind.

CARLI LLOYD, two-time Olympic gold medalist and 2008 U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year

One can always learn from others. The Champions Mind holds a wealth of insight as to how you can become a winner in your everyday life.

PHIL MAHRE, Olympic gold medalist in alpine skiing

Its amazing to see how Dr. Afremow points out what athletes go through every day. He describes a lot of situations that I have experienced as well. In this book, you can find a lot of simple but very useful tips and principles that might help you improve your performance.

BRITTA HEIDEMANN, three-time Olympian in pe fencing and gold medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

The Champions Mind is very informative and full of great principles and guidelines for any athlete who is searching for excellence in their performance.

MIKE CANDREA, Olympic gold medal coach of the U.S. softball team and eight-time national champion coach of the University of Arizona womens softball team

Athletes can unlock a new level of performance by learning the power of training their mind as they train their body. From preparation to rehabilitation to competition, The Champions Mind gives the mental guidance necessary to allow an athlete to reach their full athletic potential. Dr. Afremows playbook for increasing mental strength gives clear direction to make the reader a better athlete, a better teammate, and a better person.

CURT TOMASEVICZ, Olympic gold medalist in four-man bobsled

We all have an athlete in us; we were all born to run, jump, swim, and compete in some way or another. The gold medal at an Olympic Games has been declared as the highest honor to reward discipline, commitment, power, strength, finesse, passion, precision, patience, speed, and skill, just to name a few. You too can go for gold in all areas of your life by following Jims strategies. Decide what you want and go after it with all you have to give, every single day. Daily acts of excellence are the secret. Choose your success today.

NATALIE COOK, five-time Olympian in beach volleyball and gold medalist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics

Do you want to learn how the best in the world got there? In The Champions Mind, Jim distills a myriad of golden Olympic stories into clear tools we all can use. I am positive that you will read insights in this book that will help you rise to the top of your discipline. If you read this book, you will be inspired. Thank you, Jim, for writing this book!

ADAM KREEK, two-time Olympian in mens eight rowing and gold medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

When I read The Champions Mind, it quite frankly reminded me of many instances, mannerisms, and thoughts leading to my Olympic championship, and it has given me many other wisdoms to pass on to the athletes I now coach. Choose your path, follow your path; any path worth choosing will have its ups and downs, but The Champions Mind will help you with ideas to keep moving forward on that path. The focus you gain will help you reach the top of whatever you seek.

NICK HYSONG, Olympic gold medalist in the pole vault

Dr. Afremow hits a grand slam with The Champions Mind. Every athlete should keep a copy of this book in their locker or gym bag.

LEAH OBRIEN-AMICO, three-time Olympic gold medalist for the U.S. softball team

Dr. Afremows training and tips have been an important part of the preparation and success of our athletes when they take the Wonderlic test at the NFL combine. In The Champions Mind, Dr. Afremow provides simple yet powerfully effective strategies to help athletes and coaches reach their full potential.

MARK VERSTEGEN, founder and president of Athletes Performance and Core Performance

Mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities in this book does not imply endorsement by the author or publisher, nor does mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities imply that they endorse this book, its author, or the publisher. Internet addresses and telephone numbers given in this book were accurate at the time it went to press.

2013 by Jim Afremow

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

Book design by Christopher Rhoads

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-62336-148-8

eISBN-13: 978-1-62336-149-5

To my wife, Anne, and our daughter, Maria Paz

You were born to be a player.

You were meant to be here.

This moment is yours.

HERB BROOKS,

coach of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Miracle on Ice team