Jason Selk - 10-Minute Toughness

I would like to personally thank the Ictus Initiative for connecting me to my agent, Farley Chase; Dave Fletcher for his contributions to the writing; Ron Martirano for overseeing the project; and McGraw-Hill for taking a chance on the book. This book is dedicated to all of my coaches: thank you for your knowledge, support, and motivation. Special thanks to Russ and Kathy Telecky, Tracy Steel, and Todd Beyer for teaching me about hard work and commitment. Thanks to Dr. Patrick Stack, Dr. Rocco Cottone, Dr. Kathleen Haywood, and Dr. Marshall Colt for your professional guidance. And a very special thank-you to my parents, Jack and Elizabeth Selk, for being the best coaches a son could ever have.

I also extend a note of gratitude to all the athletes mentioned in this book. I highly value and respect every individual with whom I work, and I honor the tenets of confidentiality that we've established. Athletes cited have afforded me the permission and privilege to tell their stories, which helped transform this manuscript into a living, breathing, functioning tool for individuals aspiring to further success. I am forever indebted to the numerous athletes who allowed me to use their experiences with the 10-Minute Toughness mental-training program in the hopes of helping others achieve their dreams.

Now that you have all the details of the 10-MT mental exercise program down pat, you need to smoothly incorporate 10-MT into your regular training schedule. To guide you, I've placed the mental preparation into a twelve-month training cycle based on the widely accepted method of training periodization.

Periodization divides the athlete's year into four phases of competition, as they relate to the competitive schedule:

Postseason. This phase begins immediately after the last competitive event of the season and lasts for approximately two months. During this interval, it is restorative for athletes to get away from the sport both physically and mentally. From a mental standpoint, I encourage athletes to stop doing mental workouts altogether in this phase. This is a good time to give the body and mind a rest.

If you happen to be making an immediate transition into another sport, it would be appropriate to complete a new Goal Setting for Greatness Work Sheet. Likewise, you should continue using daily Success Logs and create a new mental workout for the upcoming sport participation. This is also a prime opportunity to commit to maintaining the relentless solution focus.

Generalized preparatory. In this next phase, athletes apply themselves to general strength, flexibility, speed, agility, and cardiovascular training. For the duration, typically three to four months, athletes need to emphasize a strong conditioning base to ensure that as they move into the next training cycle, they will avoid injury and increase skill-development potential. This is a good time to complete the Goal Setting for Greatness Work Sheet and develop a season-specific mental workout. In this phase, athletes may want to start doing their mental workouts two or three times per week to supplement the strength and conditioning programs they are undertaking. The details of the mental workout should reflect the current training that the athlete is following. Also, there's no time like the present to commit to maintaining the relentless solution focus.

Specialized preparation. In this phase, which lasts anywhere from a month to two months, athletes emphasize skill-specific strength and conditioning. This is a golden opportunity to recommit to mental preparation. If athletes haven't already completed the Goal Setting for Greatness Work Sheet and Mental Workout Work Sheet for reference in the season to come, better get to it. In this phase, it would be ideal for athletes to go through their mental workouts three to five times per week and to begin filling out Success Logs after training sessions and reviewing them prior to mental workouts. If you haven't done so already, or noticed the pattern, it is incumbent on you to commit now to maintaining the relentless solution focus.

Competitive in-season. We've come to the main competitive season within the twelve-month cycle. Athletes will benefit from doing their mental workouts daily before training and competition (five to seven times per week) and from filling out Success Logs after every practice or competition and reviewing them prior to the next day's mental workout. As ever, if your commitment is at all shaky, renew your vow to maintain the relentless solution focus.

To illustrate, here are timelines for two athletes with whom I work that embody the general event milestones of their respective sports:

Generalized preparatory: December 1February 15

December 1: Core physical training resumes. Athlete will engage in mental workout two or three times per week to prepare for strength and conditioning programs.

January 15: Athlete completes season-specific Mental Workout Work Sheet.

January 20: Athlete completes Goal Setting for Greatness Work Sheet.

Specialized preparation: February 15April 1

February 15: Athlete reports to spring training, completing Success Logs each day after practices and preseason games. Athlete goes through mental workouts two or three times per week, before practice (emphasizing desired improvements from Success Logs).

Competitive in-season: April 1November 1

April 1: Opening day. Athlete goes through mental workouts daily before practices and games (emphasizing desired improvements from daily Success Log entries).

Postseason: November 1December 1

October/November 1: Season ends (varies year to year). No mental workouts during this phase, except for the commitment to the relentless solution focus addressing the shortcomings of the previous season in the season to come.

Generalized preparatory: April 1July 25

April 1: Core physical training resumes. Athlete will engage in mental workout two or three times per week to prepare for strength and conditioning programs.

July 15: Athlete completes season-specific Mental Workout Work Sheet.

July 20: Athlete completes Goal Setting for Greatness Work Sheet.

Specialized preparation: July 25September 1

July 25: Training camp begins. Athlete completes Success Logs each day after practices and scrimmages. Athlete does mental workouts two or three times per week, before practices (emphasizing desired improvements from Success Logs).

Competitive in-season: