As competition approaches the pressure builds. The fans get loud as they cheer for their favorite team and jeer at the opponent. This is a huge rivalry and everyone is here for the event. Right before you run out your coach delivers the pre-game speech that reminds you how important this game is. Your teammates are counting on you to perform at your highest level. How are you feeling in this moment? The mindful athlete in the midst of all this input, is calm, collected, and focused. They focus on their breath, which always brings them back to the present moment. As the doors open and the crowd roars, the Mindful Athlete is confident and prepared for the battle ahead.
Mindfulness is the ability to be aware of what is going on around you but not attach to your reaction to it. It is the ability to observe as if you are on the outside of yourself watching what is going on. Mindful athletes are able to stay in the present moment and not get stuck thinking about something that just happened. Mindful athletes are able to move on quickly from a mistake or success to stay focused on the present demands of competition. When you are mindful you do not ride the waves of emotions that can take place during competition. Instead, you can put yourself under the surface and watch them come and go without being moved from your calm, focused center.
In the book, The Mindful Athlete, George MumFord compares mindfulness to the ability to sit inside the calm, still center of a tornado while life is whirling around you. Athletes are often expected to perform in chaotic, sometimes even hostile, environments. The ability to find the space between stimulus and reaction is where Mindfulness resides.
Just like training your body, you need to spend time training your mind. To become more mindful you must practice being in the present moment without being distracted by outside or inside stimuli. One of the best ways to practice mindfulness is through meditation. I think some people hear the word, “meditation” and picture a Yogi sitting for days on a mountaintop in a cross-legged position. While I’m sure there are some very experienced Yogis that can do that, that is not what we are talking about here. Like starting anything new, start small and then increase the challenge.
- Sit comfortably with your feet on the floor, a chair with a backrest works great.
- Set a timer for 3 minutes (as more comfortable, increase the time)
- Start with eyes open, take 3 deep deep breaths, in through your nose, out through your mouth.
- Close your eyes and just focus on the breath. In the beginning it may help to count your breaths, or repeat: “Breath in, breath out.”
- It’s okay and expected if thoughts come, just don’t get lost in them. You may just observe, “Oh, I’m thinking again” and go back to focusing on your breath.
That’s it!! A great way to begin your work to become a Mindful Athlete. But you have to practice!! To be able to utilize these calming strategies come game/match/race time it needs to become automatic, that takes repetition. The more you practice, the easier it will become.
For more Mindfulness Activity ideas, click HERE
Keep Calm and Play On!!!
