Mindfulness for Athletes: Can Meditation Help Your Performance?

in #meditation5 years ago (edited)

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That is really a thing to think about, nice to know meditation has great impact for the athletes. and I think it can be useful for the farmer like when I work in the field.

Oh absolutely! Farming is tough work, but I can see aspects of it being very conducive to active meditation. :)

That is really a thing to think about, nice to know meditation has great impact for the athletes. and I think it can be useful for the farmer like when I work in the field.

Great post @plantstoplanks. Great message. I admit when I was going to the gym and working out regularly, I usually had music playing to turn off my mind. It never really seems to shut off much, so I try to drown it out. Over the past few years, I have gotten much better at activities to where I do as you mention to listen to my body more and focus on my activity. I find things like cleaning house are not a complete chore anymore.

Thanks so much @tryskele! I really enjoyed putting this together. Music isn't necessarily a bad thing when you're working out or doing other activities, but sometimes it's nice to just be present for the task at hand. As an introvert, I actually really enjoy repetitive activity like cleaning or other house work is sometimes just the ticket to find some solitude and recharge. That's probably why I really enjoy running alone, as well. ;)

Great post @plantstoplanks. Good analogy to make obstacles in mudder race to hindrances/enemiews of meditation 😊. And, absoultely, running can be form of meditation - there is a walking meditation popular in many traditions
🧘🏼‍♂️🧘🏼‍♀️🙏🏼

Thank you @bewithbreath! I am very much enjoying continuing my mindful journey. Especially having such wonderful people to share my experiences with! It really is fascinating to find how connected seemingly different experiences can be. I know I used to have the perception that meditation was only sitting in the quiet with a totally quiet mind, but it is refreshing to truly explore all of the different mindful moments throughout the day whether you are moving or still, quiet or in a stimulating environment, by yourself or in a group--there really is no bad time to take a few moments of reflection!

Really good post @plantstoplanks

It's interesting, I think I was doing the opposite of some of things you are recommending in this piece. For instance, I would deny myself the chance to think about a football (soccer)match and avoid warming up. I'm not sure why I used to do it! I think it might have something to do with the adrenaline kicking in before the game. I didn't like it. I used to get the shakes. I would actively try to get to the starting whistle without thinking about it or stretching. It seemed to work for me but, maybe, I would have been better if I did allow myself to use it and focus pre match. I guess I'll never know.

I am a bit of a hot headed player. I've always played my football on the edge and with a bit of a chip on my shoulder. It's interesting that as a coach, I am the opposite. I try to be calm and pass that on to the players. I really don't like seeing coaches and parents getting angry. So bad for children's development. So again, the focus that you are describing by use of meditation and relaxing would have benefited me. Again, too late for me.

One other thing I relate to is the thing you said about meditating during exercise. I get that very situation with cycling. When I'm cycling I am in the zone pounding out a rhythm, just the sound of the road and the drivetrain. I really do feel balanced and I'm able to think clearly, more than any other time.

One perfect scenario is being in the French alps. I try to get there as often as possible. Cycling in the alps is such a wonderful thing. The scenery is ridiculously spectacular. Even though my body is feeling pain and fatigue from climbing a mountain, I am at peace with myself (for once). The struggle is embraced, the breathing stabilised and the wheels are turning. I'm addicted to that feeling and live for the next chance to be there.

Great job and thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Gaz

Thanks for taking the time to read it! I would never have pegged you for a hot-head! You always seem to have so much patience and a calm demeanor. Though I guess we all have times when the beast comes out in us. I think I had a few of those moments back in school when I played basketball, so I suppose I should be able to relate. ;)

It is a shame that mindfulness is not taught as much in youth sports. I think it would have greatly helped me in my school days playing sports. I used to hate playing offense because I was so anxious to miss a shot or bonk my volleyball serve. I was really good at defense as a result, but I think some mental training would have helped me be a more well-rounded player. It's nice that you bring that calming aspect to your athletes. Too many parents and coaches get way too crazy over what should be fun events, and pass up opportunities to teach kids about more than just winning the game.

The good thing is we have found enjoyable activities as adults to channel that mental training! I can definitely imagine cycling is a great activity to totally get in the zone, especially in such a great environment as the Alps! I would love to start traveling more for my running at some point, so I can appreciate different places in my sport, as well. I hope you get back to that happy place soon!

Lol. Not a hot head! Tell that to some of my teammates! hehehe.

I am a different animal playing football. I have always felt pressure because it's always been 'my game' and that fuels the fire. It's still there even though I recognise it these days. It's switched in its focus to me getting older and playing younger fitter guys and needing to do all those little tricks to out think them. I hated that kind of play when I was younger, and now it's me doing it!

I heap pressure on myself and I have always been after my father's approval and never received it. Certainly not in a form that would be classed as 'well done, you are a good player' kind of thing. I know it's sad but it's part of what has driven me and given me that aggression. The fear of failure terrifies me.

I have a little known story about me that I tend not to tell but, for you P2P, I will. I was mid 20s. Playing quite well at the time and I moved back to a local team where I knew a few people (players and club members, some family). It was a situation that had kind of developed over a few years, playing against them as well, and finally I made the move back.

This one game after I joined them I was feeling pressure, as a striker, to score. I had not scored for them yet and I had missed a few chances in this game. The pressure was mounting. A lot of my family were watching. Ironically, my father came out to watch which didn't always happen.

We were on the attack and I found some space in the penalty box. All that the winger had to do was poke the ball through to me and I could have literally blown it in to an empty net. Sure enough, the winger did his job and passed the ball. I was so scared of missing, that as the ball was rolling towards me, frightened of miss controlling it again, I dropped to my knees. The pressure buckled my legs. The ball bounced off of my thigh and it was instantly cleared. It was so obscure that everyone was laughing. I just mentally nosedived. I tried to laugh it off by my confidence was well and truly shot. I didn't stay much longer and joined another team; crucially, away from where I grew up and returned to having some success.

It doesn't affect me now that I understand why but at the time, it took me ages to get over it. Even though I am a good player and should have played at a higher level, I was never mentally strong enough or had the confidence to do it.

Therapy session over! lol.

I agree with you that the psychological side of sport needs more focus for the young up and comings. The mental side of sport at the higher levels can destroy your aspirations to play and turn you away from the sport. It needs to be fun, first and foremost. As a coach, I totally get that! I try to nurture a love of the game first. Once that is there then you can increase the intensity slightly. I try to avoid putting any undue pressure on them. They have enough already.

You have certainly got me thinking about my football past. Again, great work on your post P2P.

Oh my gosh, I can totally relate to that moment of yours on the field! I don't have one stand out moment, but lots of small moments like that where I let my nerves get the best of me. I will share a memory from the P2P vault since you were so candid. Mine actually does involve my father pushing me in a good way.

Basketball was "my sport", so I also felt a lot of pressure to perform well. It probably didn't help that my older sister also played and was a pretty darn good athlete, so I always measured myself against her performance. My junior or senior year I had a few games where I was just totally off. I think I totally got in my own head and couldn't do anything right. Before the next game my dad brought me to the gym and made me drill until I was blue in the face. Just the same basic shooting drills over and over. I was so ticked off at him thinking he was just being mean, but in the end after I worked through all the emotions I realized my body had the skills and it was my brain holding me back. That next game I did just fine!

He was really frustrated with me because I didn't want to even try out for the basketball team in college. I was on a 90% academic scholarship (wouldn't have been able to attend the school I did without it), though, so I didn't want to jeopardize that by trying to juggle school and sports. That first year or two of college we had a very cool relationship, but then I think he finally realized I made the best choice for myself at the time. It was tough then as I hated the thought of disappointing him.

I do miss team sports, but at least running for me tends to be less external pressure and more just my own desire to do well. Makes it easier to use the mental tricks I've learned over the years and actually enjoy it as a meditative activity at times. I still get crazy nervous even before races that I am only doing for fun, but the more I make meditation a priority the more I can at least calm myself down once I start getting anxious. I don't think it will ever totally go away (which is probably a good thing as it means I'm invested in what I am doing), but at least I'll never have a total freak out before a race.

Thanks for sharing some of your experiences! I'm sure we could go back and forth on this topic for quite some time!

Meditation is the most amazing tool and so easy to do. We just need to set time aside each day to still the mind and meditate.

It really is! Like anything else, we just have to work to make it a habit. :)

great post, .. iv always found meditation to be useful whether its prior to the gym or prior to my work sessions, … finding the quiet time seems to be the issue for me, reading posts like this rekindle my interest.. thanks.

Happy to rekindle that desire to find that time! I do find it easier when I run as I can just go outside and find a quiet place, but in the gym I just take whatever time in my own head as I can and not worry about it being a full meditation session, more just a few mindful moments. :)

What a great post! I’m sorry I’m late on responding, was sick last week. Love this and just listened to podcast of a former NBA Coach expressing the importance of meditation in training. I never thought about the recovery aspect either and it makes sense how meditation can help in many ways with that as well. Thanks for sharing and you are really strong! How powerful!! Thanks for the shout out too, I really appreciate it 💜💕💙🙏🏻

Hope you are feeling better! It really is interesting to listen to some of these great coaches and athletes, and realize that most of the big names do some sort of meditation or other mental training. I've been meaning to start listening to Rich Roll's podcast as I believe he has a lot of really interesting guests that cross into both of these spheres. We did recently watch an interview he did with Fiona Oakes about the documentary about her called "Running for Good". She was so humble and swore up and down that she is not really a "runner". (She holds a number of world records for her running endeavors) She just said she is so motivated for her work with her farm sanctuary and to promote the vegan message that it drives her to work harder than almost anyone else to have that platform that racing gives her to spread her message. I can't wait to watch the documentary to learn more her and the amazing mental fortitude that she has! I think I might have digressed a bit there, but as you can see it's a topic that is really interesting to me. :) Thanks for popping by to comment!

Thank you! I am much better now. Wow I will definitely look both of those people up, I love podcasts. I have been geeking out so hard on Oprah Winfrey’s soul sessions and almost every single person mentions mediation, it’s crazy how it all comes back to that. That is amazing she’s not a runner yet uses running to showcase her true passion. I really love that. I’m trying to figure out how to use my talents to best serve myself and humanity and this gave me a new perspective! Thank you 💜💕🙏🏻😀

Ooh, I'll have to look up the Oprah ones, too! I keep saying I need to start listening to more podcasts. I think I should just remember to pop one on when I go into the kitchen to cook rather than try to find time otherwise. All about making new habits, right? :)

Yes!! That’s exactly what I do, I listen when I’m cleaning and cooking! 😀

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