One tenth of a second. One inch. One slightly off centered shot out of one hundred. The difference between winning an Olympic medal and finishing out of the running is often minute, and yet often, spanning these margins remains unachievable for even the most talented athletes.

Overcoming these differences requires more than increasing physical ability, it means honing mental skills too. Soldiers from the Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP), such as Olympian Staff Sgt. Sandra Uptagrafft, are using the latest in mental skills training as they prepare to compete in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

A competitor in the Air Pistol event, Uptagrafft knows her margin for error is almost non-existent. This makes each shot a pressure-filled event. To assist with her preparation for the games she reached out to her local R2 Performance Center. Working closely with a Performance Expert trained in sports psychology, Uptagrafft worked to further sharpen her mental skills. Like many world-class athletes, she identified mental preparation as a key to overall performance success.

R2 Performance Centers offer Mental Skills Training in areas such as:

• Mindfulness
• Attention Control
• Goal Setting
• Academic Performance Training

Soldiers require the same physical and mental attributes as elite athletes. Contact your local R2 Performance Center here to schedule training that will assist you and your unit in successfully spanning your margins.