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Arriving mentally prepared for a race? Here are the strategies of champions
As all athletes know, success in a competitive race never depends solely on the form and training of muscles, but also on mental preparation and self-confidence.
The ability not to lose concentration even for a moment, not to lose heart even in case of problems or difficulties, and to be able to overcome one's physical limits are indispensable requirements for winners. Yet many athletes sacrifice mental preparation in favour of pure physical power. While this approach may pay off at times, it will not yield adequate results in the long run. A weak mind in a strong body will, in most cases, produce a weak result.
There are a number of methods to prepare yourself mentally for a competition, whatever type it may be. Find out with us what they are, but remember: what will make the difference is determination and consistency in all training, physical and mental. There is no magic wand for winning.
Arriving mentally prepared for a race? Here are the strategies of champions
As all athletes know, success in a competitive race never depends solely on the form and training of muscles, but also on mental preparation and self-confidence. The ability not to lose concentration even for a moment, not to lose heart even in case of problems or difficulties, and to be able to overcome one's physical limits are indispensable requirements for winners. Yet many athletes sacrifice mental preparation in favour of pure physical power. While this approach may pay off at times, it will not yield adequate results in the long run. A weak mind in a strong body will, in most cases, produce a weak result. There are a number of methods to prepare yourself mentally for a competition, whatever type it may be. Find out with us what they are, but remember: what will make the difference is determination and consistency in all training, physical and mental. There is no magic wand for winning.
Why it is also important to train the mind
The reason for this is very simple, and it is that the speed and effectiveness with which we recall our muscle fibres is a trainable component. It is not always enough to think that we want to run at a certain speed to achieve that speed. There are external components that can disturb our senses and prevent us from achieving our best performance. For example, think about waking up in the middle of the night, going down to the garden and wanting to do some repetitions: the strength and responsiveness of this exercise will not be the same as when you do it in the morning after breakfast. Or think about opponents, who can disturb us and make us lose concentration. This is why training the mind before a competition is of paramount importance.
Maintaining serenity in competition is crucial
Many people, despite a professional performance, then fail in competitive moments because they are unable to keep a clear head, and during the competition they get carried away by problems. If something goes wrong, perhaps we get into a loop of negative thoughts that affect performance. We think 'I can't do it', or 'I can't do it anymore', and then the response we give to our muscles changes, causing us to struggle more and not allowing us to perform at our best. If the mind does not command the muscles correctly, then all training is useless.
Positive visualization is a very useful exercise
Many may consider this exercise a waste of time, but it has been scientifically proven to help improve sports performance. Positive visualisation consists of taking a few minutes before the start of the race, alone, and initially focusing on your breathing and body position, perfectly straight but at the same time relaxed. Finally, visualise the victory, the course (in the case of a running race) the possible obstacles, overcoming them all one by one in your mind. This will help the body respond better when the thought becomes reality.
The right approach to unforeseen events is important
The point here is to understand what you are competing for. Especially in amateurs, one gets despondent in case of defeat, but this is mentally wrong. Setbacks serve to train the mind for the next race. Does a shoe come undone? Do you have to stop for some reason? Do it without thinking too much about it, and then resume and try to recover as best you can. The important thing is not to ruin the rest of the race for an unforeseen event that was not of your making. The great Pietro Mennea used to say that 'fatigue is never wasted'. And if an Olympic champion said it, you can believe it.
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