Are you looking to improve your Sports performance in Hertfordshire? Top sports men and women know how important it is to work on their minds as much as their bodies. Having the right mental approach can mean the difference between winning and losing.
Superior performance is possible when mind and body are working together towards the same goal.
Think of yourself as being in a boat that you need to row back to shore. One oar is training hard and making sure you keep your body fit and healthy, if you try to row with just this one oar you might get some success but you might find you go around in circles. By training your mind and your body you will be adding another oar to your boat so it will be easier to row back to shore with ease.
Goal setting
Do you set yourself goals when you train? Whatever your chosen sport is, it is important to have a focus. Having an idea of what you want to accomplish will allow you to progress faster and enhance your performance.
When you set yourself goals it is helpful to make sure the goal is
- Specific – State this in a positive way “I will be the best” instead of “I won’t come last”
- Measurable – How will you know that you have achieved your goal?
- Achievable – Is it physically possible for you to achieve your goal?
- Realistic – Is it realistically possible to attain your goal?
- Time frame – Giving yourself a time frame will allow you to see what you need to accomplish in each training session
See yourself succeeding
Close your eyes and picture yourself performing perfectly. Mentally rehearse how your body will move, imagine what it will feel like and see yourself succeeding. Regularly rehearsing mentally can dramatically improve your personal performance.
Relaxed breathing
Deep, slow breathing has been proven to lower heart rate which will help you maintain control when you are performing. The ability to stay calm under pressure is a skill that all athletes can benefit from learning, this key skill can make all the difference to your sports performance.
Confident body language
If you carry yourself like a winner, you will begin to think like a winner and your sports performance will improve. Having strong, confident and relaxed body language will translate in your brain as strength, confidence and relaxation. This will put you in the right mind frame to become a winner!
Try this for a moment, cross your arms over your chest and tuck your chin in and hunch your shoulders. Do you feel like a winner? Probably not, because your body language is small and closed in.
Now put your hands on your hips, push your chest out and lift you chin. Now you should feel like a winner!
Internal chatter
Get into the habit of speaking to yourself in a positive, encouraging way. If you make a mistake, don’t dwell on it or allow negative internal chatter to creep in, learn from it and stay positive. Become your own biggest fan and keep your mind on supporting yourself instead of being your own biggest critic.
Enjoy yourself
If you don’t enjoy yourself, what are you getting out of your sports practice? Without enjoyment sports performance will suffer, make the decision today to enjoy yourself and stick to it. Decide to be in a good mood and enjoy your practice, top performers make this choice every day.
Try to incorporate a few of these practices into your sports performance and see how you can benefit from your mind and body working together towards better sports performance.
If you are looking to improve your Sports Performance in Hertfordshire, call us today on 01438 358174 to discuss your goals further.
Disclaimer:
As is common in therapy, results may vary from individual to individual and no specific outcome can be promised or guaranteed. Your therapist will however, endeavour to accomplish the objective of your sessions to the best of her ability.
