Breaking Through "The Wall": An Examination of Elite Rowers and Their Experience of Conquering Their Mental Boundaries

<p>Throughout sports, elite athletes have faced mental boundaries in pursuit of their success. These mental boundaries, often referred to as "The Wall", have typically been investigated in endurance sports. Within the sport of rowing, Baltzell (1999) found that elite rowers coped with their mental boundaries by using; mental preparation, goal setting, social support and psychological well-being. However even though rowing is a sport where athletes experience "The Wall" frequently, modest research has been done to further understand this phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experience of elite rowers when challenged with "The Wall". The study utilized a humanistic theoretical framework. Semi-structured interviews were completed with eight to ten elite rowers. Data analysis procedures will follow Henderson (1992). Six themes emerged from the data analysis: (1) Team Support, (2) Hunger - strong desire for success, (3) Preparation, (4) War between body and mind, (5) Focus, and (6) Confidence. Implications from this study may benefit coaches, athletes, sport psychology consultants, and those who may encounter mental boundaries.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Kinesiology (M.S.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Health and Kinesiology

Year dc:date.available

2011

Author dc:creator

• Jordens, Nicole

Contributors dc:contributor

• Daniel R. Czech
• A. Barry Joyner

• ETD
• "The wall"

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/111

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1111