Training the mind to train the body:

THESPOTTER.NET
By: Chris Kelly

At the end of a long day, there is always that moment when you choose to head for home or hit the gym. "Ill do it tomorrow" you kid yourself, knowing that when the alarm goes off, you'll probably hit the snooze button. Sure, you were gung-ho in the beginning, but after weeks of the same repetitive workout, your motivation is sinking like a stone.

Day after day you wrestle with this decision, and day after day it becomes easier to accept-- until you haven't been in a week, then a month, then a year. For athletes, this loss of motivation-- what Sports Psychologists refer to as "deconditioning"-- can mean the difference between victory and defeat. But even the great experience dips in motivation. So what can be done? "Many athletes talk about "being in the zone", but it is impossible to stay in perfect form all season" says Dave Yukelson, a Sports Psychologist at Penn State University "This is when they rely on their inner drive, passion, and mental toughness which are developed over time"

Recalling the career of many former patients, Yukelson says these skills are developed by testing yourself under difficult conditions. "Overcoming defeat or adversity is about learning to focus on a goal. Even when an athlete is defeated, giving a gutsy performance increases their passion for their event or sport the next time around." he said.

The first step to building mental toughness is identifying the factors in life which cause you stress. Yukelson begins each session by identifying an athlete's short and long term goals to help reestablish perspective. Knowing exactly what you want and why you want it helps to focus on what it will take to work beyond stress." He said

Before embarking upon a goal, it is important to give yourself time to focus and reflect on your level of commitment. By setting and working towards manageable smaller goals on a daily basis you can then begin to focus on larger objectives. But rather than setting specific outcome goals (such as 'coming in first') every day should revolve around a small increases in daily performance goals--such an adding a rep to your bench, or taking a second off your mile time.

When placed under stress, we tend to revert back to behaviors we are comfortable with--so start slow and choose only activities you enjoy. This way as you draw closer to your main objective, you will develop a sense of purpose which can be applied to all areas of life.

Developing social support:

Another factor in achieving your goal is developing social support. Social support is a network of family, friends, colleagues and other acquaintances you can turn to, whether in times of crisis or simply for fun and entertainment. Social support can also increase your sense of belonging, purpose and self-worth, promoting positive mental health.

Whether acting as spotter or simply talking about your goal, a workout partner will help to create consistency in your routine. But before making your decision, several factors must be considered. A workout partner should share your same level of interest and commitment. It is also important to pick somebody who you enjoy spending time with, because it will motivate you to be active.

Yukelson is quick to note that age doesn't matter as much as fitness level. "If you walk for exercise, your buddy's speed should be similar to yours. You should choose someone that is of a similar fitness level because you will be able to push one another towards a shared goal" he says.

Learning to focus awareness:

When preparing for any sport or activity, awareness is a huge part of mental training (things that are working and things that are not). Developing techniques to "tune out" stress will allow you to focus your concentration and review your progress. Once such technique, known as "focused visualization", allows you to become completely engrossed in your task by focusing on it's execution.

In martial arts this concept is known as Zen (Acting with "One Mind"). Ancient Samurai warriors would practice this technique through daily meditation known as "zazen" where they would sit and ponder the actions necessary for kenjutsu (sword fighting).

Repeatedly visualizing your activity will help to familiarize you with movement, and technique. Soviet-era power lifters would spend hours visualizing their lifts (making contact with the bar) while tuning out all external feedback. In this way, visualization helps to train muscle awareness and activation.

But regardless of your sport, focused visualization can positively affect the outcome of any event or activity. Here are a few suggestions on applying this technique to your own training:

1. Warming up: Start by choosing an activity or goal. Setting aside 10-15 minutes to focus on this goal will help to tune out anxiety, and create a "present focus". Picture how the bar will feel under your grip, the speed with which you will complete your lift, and how it will feel under tension. While this mental rehearsal may sound unusual, it will help to improve your reaction time and execution technique.

2. Be aware of your surroundings: Many athletes find it useful to visualize in an area similar to where they compete. Familiar sights, sounds, and smells are often associated with emotion. Whether a trophy, a victory song, or the headband you wore on the day of the race, try filling your space with positive reminders to give you a boost before your workout.

3. Self talking: it is important to continually reinforce your emotions during this process. Some find it help to talk themselves up as would a coach during a rousing halftime speech, while others focus on repeating a single word that helps to visualize their goal.

4. Refocus and recommitting: Another application of this technique is focusing on prior performance. Recalling past defeats helps to condition mental toughness by focusing on the passion and desire necessary to overcome them.

Getting smart with your goals

Still having trouble staying motivated? Even with the techniques described above, demanding schedules, illness, and just plain burnout can discourage even the most dedicated lifter. But in times like these, it sometimes helps to turn to a simple formula. Labeled the S.M.A.R.T approach, many athletes use this formula to refocus on long term goals.

1. Set Specific Goals. Research suggests that setting specific goals assists in developing motivation. A common error many make is saying they merely want to get stronger. A specific goal is to increase your bench by 20lbs in?six months. Specific goals eliminate uncertainty in the gym by taking the guess work out of training.

2. Set Measurable Goals: A key to consistency is making measurable progress. One way to track your goal is to document your workouts in a journal. By keeping track of your reps and sets, you can follow your progress, and make changes when needed.

3. Set Adjustable Goals. While it is good to specify your goals, it is also important to remain flexible enough to deal with uncertainty. If you focus too intently on a goal, it will be harder to recover from setbacks (injury, schedule, etc). By the same token, you may also need to raise the bar if you are progressing too quickly.

4.Set Realistic Goals. Before starting your program, consider your experience and level of commitment. If you have never lifted before, an over ambitious goal can easily create burnout. In the beginning, setting manageable goals will build your confidence and level of commitment. After two to three months, you can reassess your goals and set the bar higher as needed.

5. Set Time-based Goals. Another factor in your long term goal, is setting a definite timeline. Adding 50lbs to your bench in six months may seem overwhelming, so try breaking down your goal in to shorter weekly or monthly time periods. This will help you to stay motivated by consistently achieving realistic goals while building to your final objective.

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