From Dr. Tamsin Lewis’ article in 2012 TriathlonPlus.
“Learn the mind methods that will guide you through triathlon’s toughest tests” Dr. Lewis
Self-Belief
Think of a mantra that builds your confidence and repeat it to yourself daily. “Whether you believe it or not initially is irrelevant. With repetition you can trick your mind.” Repeat this mantra and distract your mind. Personally I use: Pain is temporary, quitting is forever. We’ve all been to the breaking point during training or a race. I use to think mantra’s were a little cheesy, however you’d be amazed at how well it works.
Motivation
Remind yourself why you do this sport. Why you entered this race. Remind yourself about the feeling you get when you cross the finish line. Remind yourself of a time you felt strong, positive and motivated either during a race or a training session. I heard this quote a few years ago: “motivation doesn’t lead to action, action leads to motivation.” Think about it.
Focus
Prepare for things to go wrong. Concentrate on your own performance since you can’t control the other racers. “When negative mind chatter comes in, silence it by focusing on your mantra and form.”
Handling Pressure
Anxiety is a part of every race. From the pro’s to the beginners, there is no escape from pre-race anxiety. Learn how to let go of mistakes quickly. “A key part of mental training is about compensating, adjusting and trusting if plan A does not work, go to plan B or C.” Establish a systematic pre-race routine that helps switch on a desired mental state.
No comments:
Post a Comment