A demanding sports training session or an actual sporting event can present as many mental challenges for athletes as it can physical ones. It is very important for you to be mentally prepared even if you are physically tired. The act of getting yourself mentally up before engaging in the activity will give you a big advantage during practice or out on the pitch! The following are some tips to help you prepare mentally so you can give it your very best!
Visualising
Being ready for your exercise routine or sporting event begins pre workout in Australia, before you even leave the house! The technique of visualisation is helpful for any kind of sport, and involves rehearsing what you are going to do physically in your mind before you actually do it! You visualise your path to success, going through all the steps in your mind’s eye, clearly thinking through every move until it all becomes second nature and makes it feel easy when you actually do step out on the field.
Visualising is a very powerful tool that helps athletes of all levels achieve personal success. Be sure to make time during your day, or at night before you go to sleep, to practise your visualisation technique, it really works wonders!
Focus On Your Technique
You should stay focused on your form and technique with every single repetition, taking time to identify each individual step and checkpoint of your moves start to finish. Go through a mental checklist of things to focus on when you are performing each exercise. Here are some examples!
- Feet – Turn out your feet 30°. Keep your entire foot flat on the floor without raising your toes or heels.
- Knees – Push your knees to the sides in the same direction as your feet. At the top of each repetition lock your knees.
- Hips – Bend your hips and your knees at the same time, then move your hips back and down while pushing your knees out.
- Stance -Squat down keeping your heels apart shoulder-width, then put your heels under your shoulders.
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Positive Stress
It’s perfectly normal to feel stressed before you work out or play a sport, but many athletes don’t realize that this stress can be positive if you control it correctly. Feeling a little stress will enhance your performance by giving you an energizing rush of adrenaline! But, if you let stress overwhelm you, the resulting anxiety is sure to weaken your performance. You must learn to accept and embrace your stress, keep the situation in perspective, and use the fuel of that extra adrenaline to give you an advantage!
Positive Self Talk
Talk yourself up! You are great, so remind yourself of that! The narrative you run through your head before a competition or an intense physical workout must be positive and mindful, its purpose is to inspire. You can set yourself up for success simply by self-talking about your planned performance in an upbeat way.
Being on top of your mental game will make your physical game much stronger, paving the way for you to reach the top!