Today we have free and unlimited access to training programs , warm-up exercises, strength exercises and anything else, having the ability to calculate what is best for us as individuals. A machine that can help us make good decisions as we continue our training plan, and that can handle the most complex situations and give us the best solutions.
This machine is our brain . And you can get it to do all of these things. The problem is that there is no operating system, program or user manual.
In this sense, here you will discover how to use this wonderful machine called the brain to become an athlete who thinks and is able to harness its immense power.
5 mental attitudes necessary for athletes
1. Purpose
Purpose is central to everything you do. Your brain is designed for survival. You can make the most of it for your training. The more you can align any program or task to a deeper purpose, the more you will be able to accomplish it.
This means that if you are trying to get stronger , you have to explain to the brain that the methods like the programs and exercises that you are using are good and that they are important in reaching your goal. That is why you can go beyond the limits of each training session even if your mind says otherwise,
That is why it is recommended that you examine the goal of your training program and stay constant on that goal by constantly sending thoughts to your brain that it is possible to achieve it. It is important that you know that your brain and body are inseparable.
2. Comprehension
A better understanding of what you want to achieve will help you choose the training programs you need. Usually most of us are not fortunate enough to have a full time coach with a dedicated coach. That is why it is recommended that you understand how what you are going to do, it is not necessary that you understand how all the programs work, you have a multitude of options. Just delve into the program that suits your needs and preferences.
3. Interrogation
Once you’ve chosen a coach or program, your mission to gain a better understanding of your training is far from over. Training is a dynamic process and you have to maintain a fluid process of understanding in depth what you are doing. That process is the questioning of everything you do.
The questioning doesn’t have to always be verbal and you can also ask yourself questions through trial and error. For example, you may wonder if that exercise looks good and if it fits your goals.
Therefore, the best thing you can do is question everything. Instead of taking everything you see, you can ask yourself an interrogation derived from observing your senses.
4. Intent
That trial and error process mentioned in the previous section is meaningless unless done with intent. Performing any exercise program without proper intention will do little to help you during your program.
For example, the intention flows even in the movement and muscular level . Bodybuilders have what they call muscle intent, an approach to a particular muscle in order to help it grow. In lifting, the intention to lift the bar as fast as possible is just as important as the movement you actually do. Both modes of intention have real effects on your development as an athlete. That is why you must be clear about how to perform each movement until the end, and how to execute your program.
5. Expression
Athletes create individual expressions of universal principles. At present, it is being discussed which elements of a training are universal and which are individual. Universal expressions are one of the reasons people get injured.
The problem lies in focusing all the individual elements of the program, making them universal. For example the time and type of squat are not imitable factors, they are individual expressions and as a result may not be suitable for you, causing you to injure yourself.
That is why it is recommended that you determine the universal aspects of your program. In this case, you must take into account that the movement pattern of your sport and the coherence of the training are universal principles that will lead you to the selection of an individual training program .
Reference
- Morjaria, C. How to Be a Thinking Athlete: A User’s Guide to the Brain. For Breakingmuscle [Revised December 2015].
