How can we work on our mind to perform the best?
I would like to start this article with the word ‘paradox’ but let’s take a moment and see just what a ‘paradox’ really is before we move on to body and mind...
A paradox, conceptually at least can be defined as " a fact that is contrary to the common sense"; admittedly that might make it sound somewhat complicated but let's put the thesaurus aside for now and rather dive deeper into the crux of the matter at hand, what we dealing with here that can be referred to as a paradox.
© 2023 TORX | Photo: Camilla Pietrantonio
It is a common belief that the mind plays a crucial role in achieving athletic success. Ask any athletes about the importance of mindfulness in achieving results and they will, without hesitation, admit that it plays a major role in making any accomplishments.
But then when it comes down to it, who really works on their mindfulness on a daily basis, whether in sports or in everyday life?
But if we do acknowledge the part that the mind plays then why do we not translate this awareness into actual practice?
Why is the mind not trained as well as the body?
Think about it:
how much time do you spend working on your body, how many hours do you spend running, doing repetitions, cardio, gym, mountain runs, night runs... but what about the mind?
So let us ask ourselves this question... and it is already a good place to start making some changes.
It is well-known that a peaceful, calm and strong state of mind will equip us with a general sense of well-being in all areas of our lives: family, sports, relationships, etc.
But so how should an athlete be trained from a psychological standpoint? How can we work on the mind so that we perform our best?
© 2023 TORX | Photo: Camilla Pietrantonio
A few tips that may come in handy:
Practice concentration and confidence
Learn to keep your focus on what you are doing, getting rid of all distractions and any anxieties. Be aware of your movements; it can help you decrease the likelihood of injury while practicing sports.
Cultivate a new relationship with yourself, begin by using an optimistic and appropriate language. As your progress in your training, try to reflect on the improvements you have made, however small, by doing so you will build more confidence in what you are capable of doing, therefore, in harnessing your potential, for a better performance.
Learn how to shut down negative feelings and insecurities;
the second you notice negative thoughts such as "I'm too tired," "I haven't trained enough," "I'll never make it," or "others are better than me" are about to overwhelm you, picture a big "stop, these thoughts will get you nowhere!" sign.
Find the right motivation
Identifying both inner and outer motivation will help us improve our performance, reminding us, however, that it is more important to develop true personal motivation that keeps us constantly in touch with our target. Remind yourself of the feelings you had when you gave it your best; awaken your full potential.
Learn to handle your emotions
Emotional balance is a key factor in performing better on a daily basis and making sure that whatever you do will not suffer from a lack thereof.
© 2023 TORX | Photo: Camilla Pietrantonio
And here are a few techniques:
- try to control your breathing: this will help you isolate yourself from external triggers
- think of your own positive mental mantra to repeat
- try to visualize yourself during the task: visualize how you would go about doing it, what emotions you would feel, what your movements would be like, try to picture yourself emerging victorious at the finish line
- try to envision yourself in a movie-like preview of the most difficult stages of a competition.
This will help you mentally prepare yourself for the exertions of the race and deal with any situations that might arise more calmly and without compromising your performance.
Mental training, a branch of sports psychology that focuses specifically on helping athletes overcome the mental barriers that keep them from reaching their maximum potentials, can be of great benefit in athletic training.
Not only that, the benefits that can be derived from it can also positively impact other areas of one's life.
