For junior performers, and their parents
Performing under pressure is a skill. Train it early
Young people who perform — in sport, on a stage, in an exam hall — are asked to deliver in moments that do not wait. That capacity can be trained, and it is better trained early.
Who this is for
-
Young athletes
Juniors competing at a level where the difference between practice and competition is mental, not physical.
-
Performing artists
Musicians, dancers and actors who have to deliver on the day, in front of people, with no second take.
-
Students under pressure
Exams, auditions and trials — the same skills apply wherever performance is judged in a single moment.
How it works
Eight minutes, incorporated into training that’s already planned
Mental workouts integrate into the cooldown of physical training rather than competing with it. For juniors already balancing school, training and a social life, that difference is the whole thing.
-
THRIVE — 12 weeks
Identify where performance breaks down under pressure, train the mental skills that address it, and apply them to the thing they actually do.
-
GRIT — sustained
Keep building once the foundation is there, with targets that adjust as they grow and their level changes.
For parents
Support the performance without adding to the pressure
Most parents of a young performer have felt the gap between wanting to help and knowing how. Our short course for parents is built around the four steps of the CALM approach.
I wish I had found this course sooner. Beyond being highly convincing, it is even more useful in practice. It has helped me stay calm and thrive alongside my daughter.
-
C — Check in
Understand where they actually are before responding to where you think they are.
-
A — Arrange
Set up the conditions, rather than managing the performance itself.
-
L — Let them play
Protect the space where performance is intrinsically motivated.
-
M — Mentor
Guide rather than direct — the shift that keeps you useful as they get better.
The parents short course covers these in full — US$45.
Evidenced where the pressure is highest
Training with a progressive overload is the standard for physical development of every pro athlete. It’s really time we started doing that for our mind.
Wolf Oswald — ATP Tour Fitness Coach and Physical Therapist The method is the same one used by professional athletes on tour. Juniors get the version built for their stage, not a diluted one.
Questions parents ask
› Is this only for sport?
No. The method was developed with athletes and most of our juniors compete in sport, but performing under pressure is the same problem in music, dance, theatre and exams. The techniques and the routines transfer.
› How much time does it take?
The mental workouts are eight minutes and are designed to integrate into the cooldown of training a young person is already doing, rather than adding another commitment to the week.
› What is my role as a parent?
Mostly not coaching. Our short course for parents is built around the CALM approach — check in, arrange, let them play, mentor — which helps you support performance without adding to the pressure.