Mental Preparedness for Training and Sport
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INTRODUCTION
Recently, I wrote an article pertaining to the theoretical Training Hierarchy Pyramid (THP) that provides a conceptual model for the development of an athlete. Similar to Maslow’s psychological hierarchy of needs model, the THP suggests that certain athletic capacities need to be attained prior to others being addressed.
In reality, some or all levels of preparedness in this pyramid will be trained or practiced congruently during certain times throughout the year. So, I prefer to think of this model as an interconnected, 3-dimensional pyramid, where deficiencies in lower levels will have an adverse affect on performance in the upper levels.
The last article focused on defining and establishing the importance for athletes of all sports to build big athletic foundations or “bases” through GPP and SPP training. This article will focus on mental and emotional preparedness or “mind training”. Mind training can and should play a vital role before, during and after all training or competition. Assuming same or similar base physical and sport preparedness, mind training IS what separates the best from the rest. More importantly, it is the developmental ingredient that will determine if an athlete realizes his or her own potential.
It is well documented that most athletes who have made the Olympic team in their sport practiced some form of mind training, while those athletes that failed to make the team did not. Mind training is now a part of nearly every successful program because of its documented success and impact on athletic performance. However, chances are still good that your next opponent is less than optimally prepared mentally and emotionally. This presents an opportunity for you to gain a competitive advantage!
There are many forms of mind training. What works best is largely dependant on the individual. My recommendation is to try all of them before deciding which methods/tools you will regularly practice and eventually master. These are presented in no particular order of importance of effectiveness. The method or methods that work best are the ones that you put into practice!
#1 SELF TALK
I feel comfortable saying that every athlete ALREADY uses self talk as a method of mental preparedness, but self talk can either be extremely beneficial or extremely detrimental to performance. Becoming aware that self talk can be used as a tool to improve confidence and performance is a positive step in itself. Self talk is that little voice inside your head that is you coaching yourself. The internal dialogue of thoughts directly affect feelings and emotions, and ultimately, athletic movement and performance. Negative thoughts lead to negative feelings and poor performance, while positive thoughts lead to feelings of confidence and high performance.
It is not uncommon for many athletes to engage in negative self talk. Negative self talk often times creates feelings of nervousness, anxiety, fear of success and fear of failure. These feelings will most certainly have an adverse affect on athletic performance. This can be easily remedied by first becoming conscious of it, then replacing the negative self talk with positive affirmations. Every athlete is capable of doing this, but it takes practice to master.
SELF TALK BEST PRACTICE:
Find a verbal cue that turns your attention away from negative thoughts and feelings to the task at hand. The verbal cue or reminder can be one word or a phrase that helps you focus on the present moment, encourages focused relaxation or acts as a self pep talk. You may have one or more verbal cues for different situations, but this should be decided and practiced before competition, so that it becomes automatic. Examples of verbal cues include:
“Focus”
“Breathe”
“Stay present”
“Be ready!”
“Let go”
“I’m exceeding my own expectations”
“I feel good”
The list could go on and on. The verbal cue or cues that you choose should be very personal and address those specific situations that have led to negative feelings, emotions and poor performance in real or imagined events.
#2 BREATHING/MEDITATION
Deep breathing and meditation (relax the mind) is a skill that is mostly practiced before competing or anytime anxiety or nerves have taken over. Proper breathing relaxes the mind and the body. It oxygenates the blood and energizes the brain, nerves, and muscles, allowing for optimal performance. Proper breathing could easily be the most important aspect of staying focused during sports or any athletic activity. Inefficient breathing consists of short, shallow breaths that never reach below the upper chest. Proper breathing consists of large breaths that are pulled deep into the lungs using the diaphragm. Think of filling up your lungs with air from the bottom up. Breathing this way will help to reduce anxiety, improve focus or encourage relaxation, whether you are training, competing, or lying in bed having trouble falling asleep.
BREATHING/MEDITATION BEST PRACTICE:
The best way to practice and master deep breathing is through meditation, which is performed separately from any physical activity (preferably in solitude). Meditation is a self-directed process for calming the mind and body using deep breathing. Meditation should be practiced in a quiet room or setting, with your body situated in a comfortable position. Your job during meditation is to calm the mind through deep breathing:
With practice, you will reach a state of relaxation quicker and quicker. There is no time limit for meditation. Meditation sessions can last from 10 minutes to 1 hour or longer. You meditate and breathe UNTIL. Once you have trained your body and mind to relax through meditation, you can use self talk (“Breathe” or “Deep Breath”) to calm yourself down before or during stressful competitive events.
#3 MENTAL REHEARSAL/VISUALIZATION
Visual motor behavior rehearsal (VMBR) is a process of creating a mental video of a particular event, before training or competition. Athletes can use this mental video to:
MENTAL REHEARSAL/VISUALIZATION BEST PRACTICE:
Step 1: Pick a quiet, comfortable and tranquil place to sit, in a chair or on the floor. Practice some deep breathing to get focused and relaxed (see “Deep Breathing/Meditation”).
Step 2: Once you are relaxed, turn your attention to your upcoming event or competition. Picture yourself as the participant, not the observer. Visualize and take in all of your surroundings (internal and external); the sights, the sounds, the smells, the temperature, the feelings and the emotions. Create a mental video, from start to finish, of the entire event or competition. See yourself arriving to the venue, getting dressed, warming up, starting the event or competition, executing perfect technique and staying present in the moment. Imagine everything going exactly as planned, ending with the outcome you desire.
Step 3: Repeat step 2, only this time, imagine every possible situation that could go wrong. This is the time to experience the worst case scenario, and control your reactions to it, before you are placed in that situation. See yourself addressing all obstacles with calm and ease, turning negative situations into positive outcomes. Visualize yourself using the other mind training tools (self talk, verbal cues, deep breathing) to stay calm, focused and positive during adverse conditions. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!!
Step 4: Repeat step 1 to complete your VMBR session.
#4 RITUALS
Many successful athletes incorporate pre-competition rituals or idiosyncrasies that get themselves into a full state of readiness. Rituals allow athletes to take control of their environments and filter out distractions. Rituals are very specific to the individual and may include:
RITUALS BEST PRACTICE:
Depending on the sport or nature of the activity, some of the mentioned rituals may get interrupted by external situations that are outside of an athlete’s control. So, the best ritual is to regularly practice and master the mind training tools mentioned in this article, so that you are prepared to handle anything that might interfere with your other rituals and knock you off course. “Ritualize” self talk, deep breathing/meditation and mental rehearsal/visualization, so that you are mentally and emotionally prepared for circumstances that are confined only by your imagination.
CONCLUSIONS
Mental/emotional preparedness plays an important role in all training and competition. The most successful athletes regularly practice one or more of the mind training tools mentioned in this article. If you want to separate yourself from your competition, and more importantly, KNOW your potential as an athlete, you will begin to consciously practice and master the mind training tools that best prepare you mentally and emotionally to perform at your best. Through trial and error, you will develop rituals that will allow you perform or compete with a healthy level of “focused relaxation”. Winning and losing or succeeding and failing will become side effects of your level of physical, mental and emotional preparedness instead of what defines you as an athlete. If you have any thoughts or questions about mind training or mental/emotional preparedness, please post to comments
INTRODUCTION
Recently, I wrote an article pertaining to the theoretical Training Hierarchy Pyramid (THP) that provides a conceptual model for the development of an athlete. Similar to Maslow’s psychological hierarchy of needs model, the THP suggests that certain athletic capacities need to be attained prior to others being addressed.
In reality, some or all levels of preparedness in this pyramid will be trained or practiced congruently during certain times throughout the year. So, I prefer to think of this model as an interconnected, 3-dimensional pyramid, where deficiencies in lower levels will have an adverse affect on performance in the upper levels.
The last article focused on defining and establishing the importance for athletes of all sports to build big athletic foundations or “bases” through GPP and SPP training. This article will focus on mental and emotional preparedness or “mind training”. Mind training can and should play a vital role before, during and after all training or competition. Assuming same or similar base physical and sport preparedness, mind training IS what separates the best from the rest. More importantly, it is the developmental ingredient that will determine if an athlete realizes his or her own potential.
It is well documented that most athletes who have made the Olympic team in their sport practiced some form of mind training, while those athletes that failed to make the team did not. Mind training is now a part of nearly every successful program because of its documented success and impact on athletic performance. However, chances are still good that your next opponent is less than optimally prepared mentally and emotionally. This presents an opportunity for you to gain a competitive advantage!
There are many forms of mind training. What works best is largely dependant on the individual. My recommendation is to try all of them before deciding which methods/tools you will regularly practice and eventually master. These are presented in no particular order of importance of effectiveness. The method or methods that work best are the ones that you put into practice!
#1 SELF TALK
I feel comfortable saying that every athlete ALREADY uses self talk as a method of mental preparedness, but self talk can either be extremely beneficial or extremely detrimental to performance. Becoming aware that self talk can be used as a tool to improve confidence and performance is a positive step in itself. Self talk is that little voice inside your head that is you coaching yourself. The internal dialogue of thoughts directly affect feelings and emotions, and ultimately, athletic movement and performance. Negative thoughts lead to negative feelings and poor performance, while positive thoughts lead to feelings of confidence and high performance.
It is not uncommon for many athletes to engage in negative self talk. Negative self talk often times creates feelings of nervousness, anxiety, fear of success and fear of failure. These feelings will most certainly have an adverse affect on athletic performance. This can be easily remedied by first becoming conscious of it, then replacing the negative self talk with positive affirmations. Every athlete is capable of doing this, but it takes practice to master.
SELF TALK BEST PRACTICE:
Find a verbal cue that turns your attention away from negative thoughts and feelings to the task at hand. The verbal cue or reminder can be one word or a phrase that helps you focus on the present moment, encourages focused relaxation or acts as a self pep talk. You may have one or more verbal cues for different situations, but this should be decided and practiced before competition, so that it becomes automatic. Examples of verbal cues include:
“Focus”
“Breathe”
“Stay present”
“Be ready!”
“Let go”
“I’m exceeding my own expectations”
“I feel good”
The list could go on and on. The verbal cue or cues that you choose should be very personal and address those specific situations that have led to negative feelings, emotions and poor performance in real or imagined events.
#2 BREATHING/MEDITATION
Deep breathing and meditation (relax the mind) is a skill that is mostly practiced before competing or anytime anxiety or nerves have taken over. Proper breathing relaxes the mind and the body. It oxygenates the blood and energizes the brain, nerves, and muscles, allowing for optimal performance. Proper breathing could easily be the most important aspect of staying focused during sports or any athletic activity. Inefficient breathing consists of short, shallow breaths that never reach below the upper chest. Proper breathing consists of large breaths that are pulled deep into the lungs using the diaphragm. Think of filling up your lungs with air from the bottom up. Breathing this way will help to reduce anxiety, improve focus or encourage relaxation, whether you are training, competing, or lying in bed having trouble falling asleep.
BREATHING/MEDITATION BEST PRACTICE:
The best way to practice and master deep breathing is through meditation, which is performed separately from any physical activity (preferably in solitude). Meditation is a self-directed process for calming the mind and body using deep breathing. Meditation should be practiced in a quiet room or setting, with your body situated in a comfortable position. Your job during meditation is to calm the mind through deep breathing:
- Start by closing your eyes and taking in a deep breathe, filling your lungs from the bottom up.
- Hold your breath for a period of 10-30 seconds.
- Release the breath, releasing all feelings of anxiety and muscle tension.
- Repeat this procedure, focusing all of your attention on your breathing, until your mind chatter slows down or stops or until you feel calm and relaxed.
With practice, you will reach a state of relaxation quicker and quicker. There is no time limit for meditation. Meditation sessions can last from 10 minutes to 1 hour or longer. You meditate and breathe UNTIL. Once you have trained your body and mind to relax through meditation, you can use self talk (“Breathe” or “Deep Breath”) to calm yourself down before or during stressful competitive events.
#3 MENTAL REHEARSAL/VISUALIZATION
Visual motor behavior rehearsal (VMBR) is a process of creating a mental video of a particular event, before training or competition. Athletes can use this mental video to:
- Analyze and correct errors that have occurred in real or imagined situations.
- Imagine turning individually specific fears or anxieties into positive situations and improved performance.
- “Experience” the event before it happens.
- Desensitize athletes from stressful situations or environments.
- Imagine perfect sport skill and technique
- Prepare positive reactions to unforeseen situations that “go wrong”.
MENTAL REHEARSAL/VISUALIZATION BEST PRACTICE:
Step 1: Pick a quiet, comfortable and tranquil place to sit, in a chair or on the floor. Practice some deep breathing to get focused and relaxed (see “Deep Breathing/Meditation”).
Step 2: Once you are relaxed, turn your attention to your upcoming event or competition. Picture yourself as the participant, not the observer. Visualize and take in all of your surroundings (internal and external); the sights, the sounds, the smells, the temperature, the feelings and the emotions. Create a mental video, from start to finish, of the entire event or competition. See yourself arriving to the venue, getting dressed, warming up, starting the event or competition, executing perfect technique and staying present in the moment. Imagine everything going exactly as planned, ending with the outcome you desire.
Step 3: Repeat step 2, only this time, imagine every possible situation that could go wrong. This is the time to experience the worst case scenario, and control your reactions to it, before you are placed in that situation. See yourself addressing all obstacles with calm and ease, turning negative situations into positive outcomes. Visualize yourself using the other mind training tools (self talk, verbal cues, deep breathing) to stay calm, focused and positive during adverse conditions. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!!
Step 4: Repeat step 1 to complete your VMBR session.
#4 RITUALS
Many successful athletes incorporate pre-competition rituals or idiosyncrasies that get themselves into a full state of readiness. Rituals allow athletes to take control of their environments and filter out distractions. Rituals are very specific to the individual and may include:
- Any of the mind training tools mentioned in this article (self talk, deep breathing, mental rehearsal)
- A specific song or playlist of songs that amps up an athlete’s energy level (be careful not to wear yourself out or get amped too early!)
- A specific warm-up routine
- A specific dressing routine or clothing item
- Performing a specific movement or getting into a specific position before certain situations (think of a basketball player’s rituals at the foul line)
- Any thought, gesture or activity that an athlete does every time he or she is getting ready to perform an athletic movement or compete in a sport event
RITUALS BEST PRACTICE:
Depending on the sport or nature of the activity, some of the mentioned rituals may get interrupted by external situations that are outside of an athlete’s control. So, the best ritual is to regularly practice and master the mind training tools mentioned in this article, so that you are prepared to handle anything that might interfere with your other rituals and knock you off course. “Ritualize” self talk, deep breathing/meditation and mental rehearsal/visualization, so that you are mentally and emotionally prepared for circumstances that are confined only by your imagination.
CONCLUSIONS
Mental/emotional preparedness plays an important role in all training and competition. The most successful athletes regularly practice one or more of the mind training tools mentioned in this article. If you want to separate yourself from your competition, and more importantly, KNOW your potential as an athlete, you will begin to consciously practice and master the mind training tools that best prepare you mentally and emotionally to perform at your best. Through trial and error, you will develop rituals that will allow you perform or compete with a healthy level of “focused relaxation”. Winning and losing or succeeding and failing will become side effects of your level of physical, mental and emotional preparedness instead of what defines you as an athlete. If you have any thoughts or questions about mind training or mental/emotional preparedness, please post to comments
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