We Are Able, We Intend, We Act— But We Do Not Succeed: A Theoretical Framework for a Better Understanding of Paradoxical Performance in Sports

Paradoxical performance can be described simply as a sudden decrease in a top
athlete’s performance despite the athlete’s having striven for superior performance,
such as the lost-skill syndrome in trampolining or “the yips” in golf. There is a
growing amount of research on these phenomena, which resemble movement
disorders. What appears to be missing, however, is a clear phenomenology of the
affected movement characteristics leading to a classification of the underlying
cause. This understanding may enable specific diagnostic methods and appropriate
interventions. We first review the different phenomena, providing an overview
of their characteristics and their occurrence in sports and describing the affected
sports and movements. We then analyze explanations for the yips, the most
prominent phenomenon, and review the methodological approaches for diagnosing
and treating it. Finally, we present and elaborate an action theoretical approach
for diagnosing paradoxical performance and applying appropriate interventions.