Real Madrid

Psychology plays a very important role in a player's performance. The goal of the work done in this room of the Realmadrid TEC-Sanitas is to help a footballer control his emotions.

"We want to help our players learn about what heppens to their bodies, to control and develop it," says Valter di Salvo, "We also help coaches learn more about their players and to get to know them better."

The emotional state of a footballer is controlled through the visualisation of images. Electrodes are attached to the player in order to monitor his chardiac frequency and other physiological parameters. "Different parameters are recorded, visualised and used to help the sportsman control them," adds Di Salvo.

"When calm, brainwaves are relaxed and the body is in a normal state... On the other hand, when you have an exam -just an example-, you sweat more, you are nervous and you smell different." Physiological parameters change without moving a muscle and the mind has great effect on them. "The capacity to control these parameters will allow players to waste less energy and have a higher capacity to overcome tests. This is applicable to any professional activity, not just to the practice of sport."