Books that help with sports psychology are beneficial for comprehensively training the mind. Reading such books introduces new ideas, stimulates analytical thinking, and assists in detecting and solving problems effectively. Here is a list of the eight best sports psychology books of 2020 to guide you toward reading the best books.
The Art of Learning – Josh Waitzkin
In this book, Josh Waitzkin, a BJJ black belt under Marcelo Garcia and a chess prodigy has taught us the methods of learning and delivering the best performance in our game. Josh has also described effective ways to control emotions and transform them into fuel in this book.
The Fighter’s Mind – Sam Sheridan
This book should be on top of the reading list for MMA/BJJ athletes. This book will help you deal with the anxiety and nerves you faced before. It also teaches you how to deal with a loss. It is an amazing, fascinating, and engaging book for combat sports fans.
A Champion’s Mind – Pete Sampras
This book is written by Pete Sampras, one of the best tennis players. In this book, Pete describes his life deeply and mentions what made him as good as he was. Pete has discussed the lessons that he learned and has also mentioned ways that he used to control his mind.
The book details how Pete dealt with immense pressure that affected him badly when he fought to be the best player in the world.
The Inner Game of Tennis – W. Timothy Gallwey
This book is solely dedicated to eradicating anxiety, fear, and nerves in training and competition. This book mainly focuses on tennis; however, all the advice can be used in MMA or competing in BJJ or boxing. If you want to deal with your fear and anxiety, this one is the best.
The Chimp Paradox – Dr. Steve Peters
In this book, Dr. Steve has provided actionable tips and advice that you can use to clean your mind. You can also use this advice to remove your emotional self from charge and put the logical self back in the position. This book can guide you in every situation of your life, including attaining your best potential in the world of MMA/BJJ.
Think Like A Warrior – Darrin Donnelly
This is the best book for athletes with little experience in sports psychology. In this book, the author has explained five amazing coaching philosophies, including building mental toughness, developing self-confidence, utilizing the power of self-talk, and much more. You can also use this book to become a powerful leader in your business and family.
Relentless – Tim Grover
In this book, the writer has mentioned what it takes to be the best athlete and what it requires to win the highest levels in the game. The book uses a wide range of anecdotes to explain the ideas of sports psychology and how to use these ideas to dedicate yourself to attain the desired goals.
Sports Psychology: A Complete Introduction – Dr. John Perry
If you are new to sports psychology, then this book is best for you. This book is easy to read and briefly introduces the field. This book is best if you want to learn about sports psychology; however, this book requires an approachable and academic route.
