SPORTS AND PSYCHOLOGY

Comparison of Elite British, Soviet Union and American Athletes Training Programmes in the 1950-1960s

By

Jack Brook

10104031

International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology

MMU

March, 2013

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

For this piece of work, I acknowledge and want to thank my teaching staff, family and friends for the support and assistance they provided me throughout the completion phase. Their belief and guidance made me able to complete this study by countering various hurdles.

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DECLARATION

I declare that all the information and data, presented in this research, is my personal research effort and no external assistance has been taken for it. I further declare that this work is not submitted to any academic institution and at any educational or professional level. All the information in this research presents my personal views and observations and they are not associated with the academic institution.

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ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to find the differences between the training programmes of the three nations of Britain, USA and Soviet Union (USSR). The investigation was made during the existence of a state of cold war between them and countries associated with them during the period in 1950-1960. The study was carried out to find out the psychology behind the competing interests, selection of athletes, their fitness and training schedules along with performance standards achieved during the Olympic Games. Training of elite athletes has been an area of great concern for Britain, Soviet Union, and America as they competed fiercely for political influence, prestige and economic gains. Their fierce clash at all world sporting events forced them to lay full emphasis on the training of their elite athletes in order to win the maximum number of medals for their countries. Studies on the subject carried out in the past and literature indicating development in the training of elite athletes were studied and conclusions were drawn accordingly. It was found that the desire and competition to win the maximum number of medals for their respective countries was the sole objective at the Olympic Games and all other international sporting events and that continues even today. Soviet Union represented the countries of the communist bloc where as USA and Britain represented the free world or the Western bloc. Soviet Union representing the communist bloc heavily invested at the state level for the preparation of its elite athletes. They constructed and maintained big Stadiums, Gymnasiums, Swimming Pools, Tennis and Basketball Courts and recruited around three million athletes. Soviet Union also invested heavily in the research and development in this field. Its scientists and technicians worked hard to master techniques and equipment to enhance physical and mental capabilities of elite athletes so that they should be able to bring desired success to Soviet Union. America and Britain also did not lag behind in training and provision of required facilities to their elite athletes for assisting them to win the maximum number of medals. They however, adopted a delegated approach, whereby, the civil society and the government collectively worked for promotion of sports. Each city and town had ...