Earlier this series (Episode 3.13), Dr Pete Olusoga spoke to  Laura Langton and Kit Windsor, from Team Ace of Blades, just before they set off on their quest to row across the Atlantic. Along with the other two members of the crew, Lizz Watson and Beth Motley, they set off from La Gomera in the Canary Islands on 13th December, 2023. Forty-seven days later, they rowed their 25ft boat into English Harbour in Antigua having successfully navigated all 3000 miles of the World’s Toughest Row. In this extra-special episode of EightyPercentMental, Laura, Kit, Lizz, and Beth are all here to talk a ..read more

Ever fancied strapping yourself to a plank and throwing yourself down a snowy mountain? In this episode of Eighty Percent Mental, Dr Pete Olusoga explores The Psychology of The Slopes with snowboarding legend, Stevie Bell, and the Founder of the Mental Performance Center for Action Sports, Alēc Herbert. Such a great conversation around the mental aspects of action sports, preparation, professionalism, and doing things you immediately regret!   Follow Stevie on Intagram: @steviebell801 Check out Stevie’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwGRWqUsePRplN3jh2gFRVw Follow Alēc ..read more

Experiencing pressure is something we can all identify with. In this episode of the EightyPercentMental podcast Dr Pete Olusoga talks with Sport Psychologist and UK Sport Institute Technical Lead, Dr Mike Stoker about what exactly pressure is, the impacts that it can have on how we think, feel, and perform, and how Pressure Training can help us manage pressure more effectively. Follow Dr Mike Stoker on Twitter: @DrMikeStoker Find Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mike-stoker-01795330/?originalSubdomain=uk Read Mike’s research here on Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net ..read more

In this episode of Eighty Percent Mental, Dr Pete Olusoga is joined by Dr Mark O’Sullivan for a deeply insightful conversation on youth sport. We talk about the nature and evolution of coach education and the impact on coaching practice in youth sport, and we discuss the very purpose of youth sport itself. Who is it for? What is it for? And how does that impact on the kids who want to play! Follow Mark on Twitter: @markstkhlm Read Mark’s latest research article here: There is no copy and paste, but there is resonation and inhabitation: Integrating a contemporary player development framework i ..read more

After taking a few weeks off Dr Pete Olusoga is back with another episode exploring the psychology of performance. We’ve had actors, singers, dancers, strength athletes, coaches, speed demons, and endurance masters on the podcast this series, but one thing we haven’t really considered yet this series is the psychology of The Team. How do we get a group of individuals to start performing as a high functioning team? Do we need to get along to survive? Is it all about the job at hand? What are the factors that bring people together to work as an efficient unit? Dr Pete explores all this and more ..read more

It’s brutal. It’s violent. It’s two people trying to hit each other until one of them can’t hit back any more… but it's a sport that has always had, and still has, huge appeal.  What is it that makes athletes want to take up boxing in the first place? What kind of mindset does it take to get in the ring? What are the mental skills and strategies that might help prepare an athlete to compete in a sport like this? Which is the best Rocky film? Dr Pete Olusoga explores all of that and more in this episode of the Eighty Percent Mental podcast, alongside pro boxer, Jordan “The Thrill” Gill, an ..read more

If you’re nervous about flying, imagine the nerve required to fly a 25ft plane through a 30ft window at 250mph. In this episode of EightyPercentMental Dr Pete Olusoga speaks with veteran Red Bull Air Race competitor and champion aerobatics pilot, Mike Goulian, and gets the perspective of veteran Mental Performance Coach, Dr Adam Naylor, on the psychology underpinning some of Mike’s most memorable performances. This really is theory to practice at its best as we discuss precision, focus, acceptance, team culture, golf, and screaming in cars, and how Mike and Adam formed an incredible partnershi ..read more

In this episode of EightyPercentMental, Dr Pete Olusoga talks to Kit Windsor and Laura Langton, exactly 50% of Team Ace of Blades, the all-women crew set to row (and definitely not sail) unsupported across the Atlantic in December 2023. Laura and Kit talk about the mental challenges of being on the waves for over a month, the mental preparation that’s going into such a huge undertaking, their hopes and fears, and the very real possibility of a Marlin sticking its nose where it’s not wanted.   Find out more about the team, the charities they’re supporting, and how you can support them ..read more

In this episode, Dr Pete Olusoga explores the Psychology of The Student Athlete. How do high-school, college, and university students balance studying with sports while trying to make it as an athlete, pursue excellence in academics, all while going through a pretty intense period of personal growth and self-discovery?  To find out, Pete talks with Dr Duncan Simpson, Director of Personal Development at IMG Academy in Florida, Coach Weylu Chang, head of boys' tennis at the Academy, and Atakhan Karahan, up-and-coming tennis star from Turkey and IMG student-athlete.  Dr Duncan Simpson ..read more

In this episode of the #EIghtyPercentMental podcast, Dr Pete Olusoga talks with International Weightlifter and multiple British record holder, Jenny Tong about the Psychology of Strength. Just a great conversation about identity, motivation, confidence, and whether toilet paper should go over or under.   Jenny Tong is a GB International Weightlifter, multiple British record holder and BWL Pathway and National Youth Coach. She also has Master's degree in Law from York University, works as a Pathway Coach, runs Sheffield’s award-winning weightlifting club, and is Non-executive Director ..read more