posted by nikki g
Have
you ever been in the middle of your sport (for most of us it’s our WOD)
and you knew it was over? Done.
Was your performance not something you were proud of? Take a minute
and think back to what was going on in your head.... probably something like
this: "my arms hurt too bad to swing that kettle bell again?" or
"I can't breathe!" or "my boyfriend is a jerk and I am just too
upset to do this stupid workout." OR the all time favorite “I have PMS!".
The list goes on and on. We all have our bad days, and this blog
isn't to discredit those days and say that everyday can or should be the best
training day. However, to become great, you must learn to over come this.
If you think
that I have mastered this concept, think again. I have my meltdowns like
everyone else and I am so thankful for my Hot Box family for always coming to
the rescue and "filling my cup" yet again so that I can continue to
pursue this passion of mine. A wise coach whom I will leave unnamed for
my protection (because he lives with me), always reminds me that it is a skill
to be able to tune everything out and just do work. Sounds easy right?
Until I have a bad day at work. OR someone changes the music to something
I don't like. OR I have to pee. I mean, lets be honest, your mind can be
your own worst enemy. The good news is that it can also be used your best
coaching tool.
Mental
toughness is a
necessity in competitive sports. Competing against other athletes, or even
against your personal best, can be stressful. Competing in general can cause
anxiety in some athletes. It’s one
thing to enjoy playing basketball on your day off, but when you’re playing a
game of basketball against a rival team and all eyes are on you to perform,
mental toughness is often needed to overcome said stress and anxiety. Even before
you get to the competition stage in a sport, the act of training itself
requires mental toughness and discipline. There may be times when you don’t
feel like training and you’ll need the tenacity and perseverance to carry on.
At other times, you might be dealing with muscle soreness or an acute injury
that is irritating and that might not stop you from playing but does
distract you. In this case, you have to mentally push through the discomfort
and complete your training session. During training you might have doubts about
your own physical abilities. Watching others excel in areas where you are weak can
be another distraction. Your best friend gets HSPU before you...any of this
ringing a bell?! Mental toughness in all of these scenarios entails staying
focused on your own progress, ignoring distractions and pushing through all the
challenging moments. When it’s time to compete and prove your capabilities
to yourself and to others with an audience present, stress and anxiety can
often get in the way. If you miss
a lift or throw a wall ball and miss, you might feel like you have failed or
that you are not good enough. With others watching, these feelings can become
magnified. Mental toughness during sports performance involves tuning out the
opinions of others. After all, you are human and you will make mistakes.
Acknowledging that no one is perfect and that all you can do is make your best
effort each time is a large part of demonstrating mental toughness in our sport.
Below is a list of 7 things you can do right now to help develop
your mental toughness. Time to get after it Hot Boxers!
1. Starts with the right attitude and
state of mind (know what your core confidence is all about) - Confidence comes in knowing your are prepared and having an
unshakable belief in your abilities to
reach intended goals.
2. Program your mind for success ahead
of time with positive affirmations and expectations - Expect the best from
yourself; affirm what it is you are going to do to be successful.
3. Routinize Your Behaviors : Develop a systematic pre-performance
routine that clicks on desired mental- emotional state of mind (practice,
pre-game, competition).
4. Poise and Composure : learn how to let go of mistakes quickly if
things do not go the way you want.
5. Take control of Negative Self-Talk :
Reframe “stinking thinking” into positive task oriented suggestions.
6. Look at failure as a stepping stone for
future achievement - Champions approach to overcoming adversity.
7. Be a difference maker, step up and have
a peak performance when it matters the most.
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