An Extraordinary Sports Psychologist

By: Charles W. Boatright

Jon Rahm’s Extraordinary Sports Psychologist

When one thinks of a Sports Psychologist, some might not think about a bomb disposal expert as being one of the qualifications. But that’s exactly what Jon Rahm, a professional golfer from Spain, has as his Sports Psychologist, or mental coach. Joseba Del Carmen was a former bomb disposal expert that also enjoys the field of quantum mechanics before he became a sports psychologist.

Quantum mechanics is a field of physics that attempts to measure the energy level of subatomic particles. Joseba Del Carmen uses his experience as a bomb disposal expert and interest in quantum mechanics to help others recognize and control these intangible forces that we call the subconscious mind.

The reason some Sports Psychologists, like Carmen, are interested in quantum mechanics, is because quantum mechanics explains how the supernatural  function of the golfer’s mind works within the rim of probability. The more knowledge and understanding the golfer has of how the subconscious mind works with the body, the higher percentages of the golfer’s potential can be achieved.

The Development of the Athlete’s Subconscious Mind

The subconscious mind allows the athlete to synchronize their heart, mind, and body into a seamless effort. The reason quantum mechanics is an important factor in sports psychology is that it can help control how the mind works on the subconscious level. In other words, the athlete can’t walk into a drug store with a prescription and buy a pound or pint of confidence, perseverance, experience, and/or muscle memory off the shelf. The athlete has to learn to develop these on their own. Not even a swing coach can help the golfer use their subconscious mind once on the course. This is the reason self-coaching is an important component in the golfer’s training.

The Critical Swing Path refers to three muscle used to develop the golfer’s muscle memory. One of the key muscle lives up to its name, Supinator muscle shown above in the illustration with the golfer placing the club at the top of the swing.

I’m a retired grid engineer that taught linemen how to perform energized transmission line work, or what we called ‘Hot Work.’ I used to refer to what I taught as the Quiet Strength that the linemen needs to develop and maintain their procedures, focus, routine, and safety. In Hot Work, you’re not talking about an errant golf shot for bogey or worst, but something a little more dramatic, such as a loss of life or a limb. The golfer has to have a clear vision of both the procedures and sequences of their golf swing.

In sports, developing the athlete’s focus, procedure, muscle memory, routine, and sequence are crucial. The techniques that I learned for teaching linemen Hot work for over the 33 years came from basic techniques I learned from my grandfather, H.Q. Boatright. His coaching techniques are a large part of my book, The ESPY Golf Swing Coach, about the sequential elements of the golf swing.

What I was taught by my grandfather was mainly abstract or intangible theory, based on what he called the ASPEN Coaching Technique. He developed this technique of coaching golf in the late nineteen-twenties. His forum of coaching golf was based on developing three simple elements, using three techniques that develop the golfer’s confidence, perseverance, mental vision, focus, and muscle memory.

ExtraSensory Performance (ESP) Coaching Technique

A example of ExtraSensory Performance (ESP) can be described by what some refer to as Driving Hypnosis. While Driving Hypnosis is unsafe for driving a vehicle down the highway, it works great for driving a golf ball down the fairway. This allows the golfer to focus by letting their subconscious mind to execute a consistent golf shot with automatic responses. For the golfer to develop a ExtraSensory Performance, three conditions must be in place:

1. Having a normal and routine task and conditions must exist. The golfer must setup the same condition in practice as how they will play on the course using the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is responsible for executing the golf swing.
2. Relying on a high degree of relaxation, confidence, and muscle memory. The golfer must be so familiar with their golf swing elements and sequences where they can develop an automatic muscle memory.
3. Allowing the conscious and subconscious minds to focus on two different situations. In the Mental Rules of Golf, No. 9, The greater the conscious effort, the smaller the subconscious response. The conscious mind is responsible for the what, the ball to target, while the subconscious mind is responsible for how to execute the golf shot.

The ASPEN Coaching Pyramid

The ASPEN forum of coaching golf has at its base an unusual term called Apperception. Apperception, or APP, allows the golfer to learn the proper techniques and mechanics for power, speed, and control in the golf swing from skills they have already mastered. Like for instance, the golfer taking a baseball-style golf swing from the batter’s box to the tee box creates a natural swing. Below is the ASPEN Coaching Pyramid and a brief explanation of each element.

This is the reason I have APP in my Website and email addresses (www.espygolfapp.com and espygolfapp@gmail.com).

All of the elements in the ASPEN forum of coaching are based on mental capability. Yogi Berra summed it up best this way referring to baseball- Baseball is 90 percent mental, and the other half is physical.

In my book, The ESPY Golf Swing Coach, I use the ASPEN (Apperception, Synchronize, Prep and Performance, ExtraSensory, Neuromuscular) coaching forum to develop a natural golf swing. This allows the golfer to develop The Critical Swing Path muscle memory, or Neuromuscular behavior, which is at the pinnacle of The ASPEN coaching forum Pyramid.

To learn how to develop The ESPY Golf Swing self-coaching system, purchase your copy of The ESPY Golf Swing Coach from the links below, or visit your local bookstore:

 My book can also be purchased at Edwin Watts Golf Store in Jackson, Mississippi. Phone No. 601-956-8784

820 East County Line Road, Ridgeland, MS 39157

My book can also be purchased on-line at:

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

This book is a self-coaching forum that provides basic and advanced fundamentals to help you play golf with confidence and start lowering your handicap.

Please take advantage of my SR-925 Diet Program, where I lost 6 inches in my waist in 3- months (FREE of CHARGE) with the CASPER Workout Program, detailed in Section 20 of my book:

 

Please include an exercise routine in your weekly schedule.

Also, learning The ESPY Golf Swing Coach process is an excellent way to develop Rhythm without experiencing the Blues in your golf game, learn how to take your baseball-style swing from the batter’s box to the tee box.

Please visit “The Locker Room” for an Index of all my golf articles to improve your golf game and life. Discover how you can take your baseball swing from the batter’s box to the tee box.

For Comments or questions please contact me at 1-888-514-1228 Mon – Fri from 9 am to 4 pm CT Zone.