Mental performance is so important for athletes no matter what sport they are playing. There are many factors that contribute to a strong mental performance but they all boil down to an overriding focus on winning. Top athletes have incredible tunnel vision and are mentally driven to achieve their goals. Elite athletic performance is born out of the elite mental performance. This article will give some tips on how to improve your mental performance as an athlete.
1. Mentally Set Your Goals for Every Training Session
Top athletes leave nothing to chance and make the most out of every single moment of training. Plan your workouts precisely, and as you are warming up, go over everything that you are about to do in your mind step by step. Make a mental checklist and tick off each item as you complete the training. This will ensure that you are paying full mental attention to every important stage of your training. Reaffirm your goals for the session and identify why each drill or stretch or lift is going to help you achieve those goals. Stretch 100%, push 100%, rest 100%. If you mentally focus on each training element, you will maximize the benefits of each one, and the aggregate effect will be significantly improved technique and physical conditioning.
2. Take Proven Supplements to Help You Stay Mentally Focused
When people think of sports nutrition they think of supplements that increase muscle mass, recovery or give athletes a pre-workout energy boost. But the brain is the most important part of any athlete and needs to be fuelled like every other muscle in the body. There are some fantastic supplements such as Neuriva Plus that elite athletes are using to improve mental performance alongside the supplements they take for physical gains. One group of these supplements is called ‘nootropics’ or ‘nootropic stacks’ which can increase focus & concentration, improve memory, promote Neuron repair and growth and increase blood flow to the brain. These are all necessary for top-level mental performance and so brain supplements should never be overlooked.
3. Do the Same Routine Every Time to Take Your Thoughts Out of the Build-up Process
Top athletes are like robots, they mentally break down a match situation into smaller processes and master each one by repetition. Professional fighters will rehearse every stage of a fight during their training, including the walk-in, climbing through the ropes, acknowledging the crowd, touching gloves, everything. Just as with athletic performance, mental performance relies on muscle memory. By doing a sequence, again and again, the athlete makes themselves a machine that cannot be distracted or imitated on fight night or match day. The walkout is the same in their mind, regardless if there are now thousands of people in attendance, they climb through the same ropes, they do the same stretches. Strong mental performance is all about keeping your focus in every situation.
Conclusion
Mental performance is the culmination of years of dedication and hard work. A winning mindset makes all the difference at an elite level when every athlete who is competing is talented and has a chance to win. The best athletes have won in their minds long before the race starts or the fight begins.
