Athlete Mindfulness: Training your Brain for Success

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Many people just focus on the physicality of sports, but it has been shown that around 90% of performance is mental. This means it is important to train and prepare your mind to get the best results. Dr. Kristen Race, Ph.D., founder of Mindful Life, author of Mindful Parenting, and expert on brain-based mindfulness solutions says, “Mindfulness helps train the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that creates a calm and alert state of mind, which helps us stay focused, avoid distraction and perform at our best. It’s one of the best ways to calm the stress response in the brain.” Practicing mindful techniques can help athletes stay in the present moment and avoid having their performance inhibited by stress or negative thoughts. There are a few practices an athlete can do to strengthen their minds:

Deep Breathing

If you take a few minutes each day to focus on your breathing, you can calm nerves and reduce stress levels.

Positive Thoughts

Focus on your thoughts to yourself throughout the day. It can be easy to let negativity creep into our minds, but it is important to acknowledge these thoughts and try to change them into something more up-lifting. The power of positive thoughts can make a huge difference in how you play your game.

Body Scan

Lie down and close your eyes. Start by focusing on your toes and notice how they feel. Slowly go up your body and pause at each part and release any tension you may feel. This exercise helps to bring awareness to your body, releases pressure, and can calm feelings of being overwhelmed or worried.