Becoming an accomplished athlete or sports competitor requires a mixture of performance and processes. You obviously have to have raw talent, the right physical conditioning and the ability to do the things required in your chosen discipline. You also need education relating to the sport’s rules, regulations, and tactics.
For example, a tennis player in a US Open type of competition will benefit from understanding the different types of shots and how to react in different rally situations. These things are a given, and we know what is required to excel at this sport.
However, I find that two things that are often overlooked are mindfulness and spirituality, or your belief. As you will see below, being mindful and practicing mindfulness techniques such as meditation, plus having a strong spirituality and beliefs can contribute to a positive sporting attitude and actually increase your performance and longevity.
Mindfulness can help reduce sports anxiety
Sport anxiety is a real thing, and it comes in many forms. It could be anxiety about injuring yourself, anxiety of possible failure, or the anxiety of facing a particularly tough team, for example. If left unchecked, this anxiety can build up and negatively impact your performance and enjoyment of taking part in sports.
Mindfulness techniques are a superb way to reduce sports anxiety. You can become aware of your thoughts and feelings, and push away those negative feelings of failure. They can be replaced with positivity, or simply by concentrating on other aspects, such as the enjoyment of the sport itself.
It can also help improve physical performance
Limited studies also show that mindfulness and tapping into your spirituality can have a positive impact on your performance and physical conditioning. The main process is mindful breathing to help reduce your resting heart rate, which in turn can improve your conditioning and circulatory processes.
For example, you may notice better control over your breathing when exerting effort during sports. You may also have improved endurance because your heart is working more effectively, and lastly, you may also inadvertently reduce your perceived exhaustion factor, which means you could boost your longevity, allowing you to perform at higher skill levels for longer.
This, of course, must always be part of your sporting regime. You can’t expect to be a top competitor purely by practicing mindfulness techniques. Instead, think of these activities as complementary, while you also exercise and keep your body in shape.
Mindfulness can help you resist pressure and tense situations
Playing sports can be especially stressful and tense. Just think of the different scenarios – you’ve been playing badly and are feeling the pressure to put on a good show. Or maybe you’ve reached a critical point in a match and the game has become unbearably tense.
Perhaps your team has reached an important match in a league, or you have to face the pressure of something like an elimination game or cup final.
Not everyone can cope with this pressure and tension, and some people let it get the better of them and it can ultimately affect their performance. To combat this, you can consider using mindfulness techniques such as mindful waking, mindful breathing, mindful yoga, and mindful eating.
You will become more attuned to your body, its needs, and how you react in different sporting situations. You should become more at ease with your person, lower your stress rates and anxiety, and ultimately deal better with these tense situations.
The beauty of mindfulness is that you can utilize the techniques in multiple instances. For example, you could meditate and practice yoga before a sporting event to warm up and calm yourself. You could also practice meditation during breaks or intervals to lower your stress levels and calm yourself if the tension and pressure are building.
Belief can give you the drive to push yourself and succeed
If you don’t believe in yourself then how can you hope to succeed? You can have all the people in the world telling you that you are good at a sport, or that you can win a match, but you have to believe these things yourself. Techniques like positive affirmations and positive reinforcement can help immensely.
You can also use your own beliefs and spirituality to reinforce your mind and show that you are making the right choices and pursuing your sporting career in the right way.
Spirituality can also help when times are dark
I’m sure you’ve experienced the ups and downs of sports. There can be incredible highs when your spirit flies high after you’ve pulled off an amazing performance or broken a personal record. You can then be brought crashing down due to a serious injury or a run of terrible play.
It’s really a rollercoaster of emotions, and this holds true whether you’re playing professionally or casually. This is where spirituality can help, and using techniques such as positive affirmations can give you a boost. Positive affirmations are an incredibly simple but effective spiritual technique where you aim to bolster your confidence and change your thought patterns by repeating simple positive phrases.
For sports, these could be things like: “I am going to recover from this injury and be stronger than ever”, and “I can become a better version of myself and achieve my goals”. Self-belief promotes positive action and can greatly impact your sporting journey.
Bolster your athletic performance today by tapping into your spirituality and practicing mindfulness techniques
While looking after your body and refining your skills and techniques for your chosen sport is especially important, mindfulness and spirituality can give you that extra edge. If you tap into your spirituality, you can give yourself that extra drive and belief to succeed. You can also use your faith and spirituality to help you push through dark times, such as if you have poor form or a serious injury.
At the same time, using mindfulness techniques like meditation and breathing techniques can reduce stress, help you cope with pressure, and improve your physical conditioning. Don’t see these things as conflicting entities – instead, embrace your spirituality, be mindful and use them as a potent tool to take your sporting ventures to new heights.
