★★★★★ (5.0) Rating from athletes, parents, and coaches
Mental Performance Coaching for Athletes
Build confidence, focus, emotional control, and consistency when it matters most
THE MENTAL SIDE OF SPORT IS REAL
Every athlete eventually runs into moments where talent and training are not enough by themselves. Pressure, mistakes, nerves, and expectations can change how you think, feel, and compete. Mental performance training gives athletes practical tools for those moments.
Anxiety
Your heart races before competition. Your thoughts speed up. You feel pressure to perform and start wondering if you’re ready.
Confidence
Some days you feel capable and prepared. Other days your confidence disappears after one mistake, setback or bad performance.
Concentration
Staying focused sounds simple until distractions, pressure, expectations, and emotions begin pulling your attention away from what matters.
Mistakes
One mistake becomes two. Two become three. Learning how to respond effectively after errors is a skill every athlete needs to reset to the next play.
High Pressure
Tryouts. Championships. College recruiting. Big games. High expectations create pressure that affects enjoyment and performance.
Setbacks
Every athlete faces adversity. The challenge is learning how to stay engaged, motivated, and resilient when things don’t go as planned day in and day out.
Free Mental Toughness Workbook
Get the Workbook
Build a better response to pressure with our free Mental Toughness Worksheet. Learn practical strategies to help athletes notice thoughts and emotions, focus on what they can control, and respond more effectively to setbacks, mistakes, and high-pressure moments.
Learn How To:
- Notice when frustration is taking over
- Refocus on what you can control
- Respond with your next best action
- Create a personal reset cue
- Build a simple plan for tough moments in competition
- Stay composed after mistakes, bad calls, fatigue, or low-confidence moments
Mental Skills Can Be Trained
Just like strength, speed, and technique, mental skills can be developed through deliberate practice and application.
At The Mental Barbell, we help athletes build practical mental skills that support performance in training and competition.
Take the Mental Skills Quiz to see how your mental skills stack up! Are you a rookie, a contender, or a champion?
Confidence
Build confidence through preparation, experience, and effective mental habits rather than relying solely on results or circumstances.
Concentration
Learn how to direct attention toward what matters most and refocus quickly when distractions arise.
Control Emotion
Develop the ability to respond effectively to emotions without allowing them to dictate performance.
Resilience
Strengthen your ability to recover from mistakes, setbacks, adversity, and difficult performances.
Motivation
Build sustainable motivation, commitment, and consistency in pursuit of meaningful goals.
Elite Mindset
Develop routines, perspectives, and strategies that help you perform under pressure and compete with greater clarity.
Mental skills are developed the same way athletic skills are developed: through assessment, training, application, and ongoing refinement. Our process is designed to help athletes build skills they can use in training, competition, and everyday life.
Every athlete’s goals, challenges, and sport are different. While the process remains consistent, the strategies and skills we develop are tailored to the individual athlete and their performance needs.
Meet our Team
Ian Reardon,
MS, CMPC
Founder of The Mental Barbell, Ian works with athletes, coaches, and organizations to develop the mental side of performance. His approach focuses on practical mental skills that help athletes build confidence, improve concentration, perform under pressure, and navigate the challenges of competition.
Mike Mancini,
MGCP
Mike combines experience in coaching, athlete development, and mental performance to help athletes strengthen their mindset and approach to competition. He works with athletes to develop resilience, consistency, and the habits needed to perform at their best when it matters most.
Anthony Carnevale,
PsyD
Anthony works with athletes to build the mental skills that support growth, confidence, and long-term success. Local to New York he works in person and virtually. His athlete-centered approach helps competitors develop greater self-awareness, manage pressure effectively, and perform with greater clarity and purpose.
Experience You Can Trust!
CMPC Certified
Certified by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.
20+ Years Combined Experience
Coaching, athlete development, education, and mental performance.
Athletes Across Sports
Experience supporting athletes across a variety of sports and competitive levels.
Practical & Applied
Mental skills designed to be used in training and competition, not just discussed.
Youth Gymnast
“Working with Ian really helped my team to find a new sense of confidence and motivation to perform throughout the season.”
Hockey Coach
“Ian was fantastic with the Bantam hockey team! Kept the kids engaged and taught them how important the mental part of the game is! 10 out of 10 recommend the Mental Barbell.”
USCG Attorney
“Ian’s expertise in sports psychology transcends athletic pursuits and proved indispensable in conquering the challenges of legal studies. I attribute a large part of my success in law school to the invaluable strategies that I learned”
Develop Mental Toughness
Get a free introduction to practical mental toughness strategies used to help athletes notice their thoughts and feelings, take control, and respond effectively to setbacks.
What You’ll Learn:
- Notice when pressure or frustration is taking over
- Refocus on what you can control
- Respond with your next best action
- Create a personal reset cue
- Build a simple plan for tough moments in competition
- Stay composed after mistakes, bad calls, fatigue, or low-confidence moments
