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When we think of elite athletes, we think about their achievements, their superb reflexes, endurance, and strengths. However, we rarely think of another factor that plays as crucial a role as all others: intelligence. 

Physical ability is just as important as cognitive flexibility, high speed in decision-making, and mental sharpness in high-level sports. And this is where sports psychology and IQ meet. A high score on the IQ test gives athletes a competitive advantage. It helps them outthink their opponents, adapt to changing conditions quickly, and stay focused regardless of pressure and stress. 

If you’re an athlete or a sports enthusiast, you may check your IQ score. You can pass the MyIQ IQ test free and see if you have a strong mind just like most elite athletes. 

Let’s figure out how much IQ matters in sports, whether it can be trained just like a muscle, and what traits separate elite sportsmen from other athletes. 

IQ in sports performance 

Traditionally, scores on the test give us an understanding of how good we are at problem-solving, reasoning, and abstract thinking. However, when we’re talking about sports, it’s something beyond traditional IQ scores. 

Sportsmen heavily rely on the following cognitive abilities: 

• Processing speed. It’s the ability to react quickly to changing situations; 
• Spatial awareness. It’s about understanding how to position yourself and move in relation to opponents and team members; 
• Decision-making. It’s about the ability to make split-second choices that can affect the results of the game; 
• Memory and pattern recognition. It’s the ability to remember opponents’ tendencies and patterns, remembering plays and strategies. 

If you’re intelligent, it doesn’t mean that you have all the chances of becoming a pro athlete. However, if you’re persistent enough in physical exercising and have a high IQ, it can provide a significant advantage. It’s especially relevant to strategy-driven and fast-paced sports. For example, if you’re an athlete in the following sports: 

• A quarterback in football; 
• A point guard in basketball; 
• Formula 1 athlete. 

A Psychology of Sport & Exercise study suggests that in five out of eleven cognitive test variables athletes show better performance than non-athletes. It proves that success in sports is not only about physical excellence but about mental sharpness too. 

Distinguishing psychological traits of elite athletes 

1. Mental toughness and resilience 

Mental toughness is about being able to deal with pressure, break down barriers, and stay concentrated. Those are the traits that are of paramount importance to elite athletes. Sportsmen can achieve that if they can control their emotions, and stay confident and resilient. 

Pro sportsmen with high mental toughness can: 

• Recover quickly from failures and mistakes; 
• Stay motivated regardless of the conditions; 
• Perform well under stress. 

Have you known that before becoming an NBA superstar, Michael Jordan was kicked out of the team in high school? As we can see now, it didn’t stop him from succeeding because he used that obstacle as a source of motivation and improvement. 

2. Decision-making under pressure 

It’s hard to even think straight when you’re under a lot of stress. In sports, you can't afford such a luxury if you want to become a superstar. Athletes must act in milliseconds. 

Take a look at the football players. Midfielders can’t take some time to think. They must decide quickly whether to pass, dribble, or shoot based on rapidly changing circumstances. Pro players are reported to have better anticipation skills, meaning they can predict plays before they happen. 

As part of the training, sportsmen use the following techniques to master this skill: 

• Video analysis; 
• Simulation training; 
• VR exercises. 

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3. Visualization and mental rehearsal 

Visualization and mental rehearsal are the most powerful tools for sportsmen. This enhances performance by strengthening neural pathways in the brain. 

The greatest example of how athletes use this technique is the movie Rush about the rivalry between Formula 1 drivers, James Hunt and Niki Lauda. There was a scene when Hunt was preparing for the race by imagining how he would drive through the racetrack. His mind helped him visualize all the curves and bends so that he could prepare to maneuver them in real life. And when the actual race began, Hunt did everything he visualized and won the race. 

4. Focus and concentration 

One of the worst things that can stand in the way of victory is distractions. Thus, the ability to maintain concentration and focus is a key psychological trait that distinguishes elite performers from amateurs. 

Here are the techniques pro sportsmen use: 

• Mindfulness meditation. It helps to stay alert and present while reducing anxiety; 
• Pre-game routines. It helps to stay mentally prepared and reinforce concentration; 
• Controlled breathing. Even when athletes are under pressure, it helps to calm nerves and stay focused. 

Wrapping up 

Raw intelligence won’t make someone an elite performer. A strong mental game is often what separates good athletes from legendary ones. Here, IQ plays a significant part in strategy, reaction speed, and decision-making. However, what truly creates winners are mental toughness, focus, and resilience.

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