In the past, it was understood that the key to personal success in fitness was all about training our bodies to the max. Nowadays, it is understood how powerful the mind can be in your training tool kit to get the most out of each session both in the short and long term.
Athletes of all levels have to know how to navigate self-talk and the stories each mind creates revolving around training sessions and perceived success. Taking and applying these techniques can have huge benefits!
How to train your mind before a workout
Sometimes, the prospect of facing a workout can be the hardest part of the session, especially if it is full of exercises for which you are less comfortable.
Once you accept that you sometimes experience these negative feelings before the workout, it becomes a lot easier to try to manage them.
You may have experienced how the mind can limit the body as a defence mechanism – telling you for example that a hill is too steep to push up in your wheelchair – and how in time training can teach the mind that your body is capable of much more than it initially thought.
As disabled people, we know our bodies are capable of being extremely uncomfortable for a long time. By fostering the right habits, principles, and protocols can lead to creating routines, which make diverse situations easier. We can then take what we learn in our everyday adapting and apply this to our fitness.
Examine why you may feel negative to start with
Much of the time, negative feelings are self-created and are often due to past experiences and concerns about future consequences. This is something that can be changed with the right techniques, which is something that you can manage.
Try to avoid focusing everything on results
This may seem counterintuitive but…Stop focusing on results. In workouts, this includes times, trying to beat others or trying to beat yourself. You can improve more if you stop worrying and consider your training holistically. You’ve done the hardest part already by showing up. Instead focus more on the enjoyment of the experience and results will come.
Maintain consistency
Consistency yields very good results. Doing something dependably will get you to your goal far quicker than most anything else. When it comes to your workout, focus on what feels right and what keeps you coming back day after day, and not so much on results (see the previous paragraph). This can be tricky with some conditions, but we work with what we have and do the best we can. Consistency is a big part of that success.
See the positives of the situation
Tell yourself a story of positivity. This might look like something along these lines: “I am the type of person that shows up. I am the kind of person that works hard but doesn’t self-destruct. I am the type of person who is in tune with his/her body. I have gotten through tough things before and I can do this.” Someone with a strong character can stick to almost anything no matter how hard it gets. Appreciate the advances that you make no matter how small it may seem as it is still progress.
Realise that every workout is a stepping stone
Every training session will bring you closer to your goal, so your results do not necessarily matter. There’s no need to put that pressure into your training sessions. Focus on the current goal while you are still working on it. You can see that there are many more ahead, but keep your focus on where you are now and not as much on how much more you have to do. You will get there.
Your self-worth is not tied to the results of your workouts or what others in similar situations can do. If you think it is, you will shy away from your weaker areas and experiences. This often comes out of fear of exposing inabilities and not wanting to show weakness, which happens to all of us.
To unlock your full potential, focus on the areas on which you need to work. Spend more time on those vs. those areas that come more easily to you. There is a necessity for humility here. Being okay with not being the best version of yourself today will allow you to be better tomorrow. It is about short term pain (self-reflection can be extremely painful), for long term gain (overcoming these can accelerate your potential).
The voice inside your head can be the missing piece of the puzzle or it can be your biggest hindrance. If you were to put your mid-workout inner voice on a loudspeaker, would you be proud of it? Pay close attention to your self-talk, be aware of it and, from there, realise that you have control over it. It is widely accepted that it is difficult to perform to your full potential with a negative mindset. Work on silencing the critic inside your head and instead focus on filling that area with something else more positive.
When negative thoughts spiral out of control, try to flip them by focusing on successes, no matter how small. Ultimately, your performance, edge, and motivation will thrive or crash depending on the story that you tell yourself.
Problems start when things become bigger than they are and you become overwhelmed. Here, we can mentally strategize to separate things down into smaller manageable chunks – be it reps, rounds or your overall training session.
TOP MID-WORKOUT MENTAL STRATEGIES
Practise these mental strategies every training day and you will soon start to see the change. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable and build your character through repetition.
What your mind tells you right after a workout will set you up for the next session. This happens regardless of whether the self-talk is positive or negative. The note you finish your workout in will be the one you remember when things get hard next time. Be mindful of this time and see what adjustments can be made. Even if it was a tough session, identify what you were able to achieve and any positive feelings you gained. This will lay the foundation for your next training session.
Another motivator is by rewarding your actions at the end of your workout. Give yourself credit for the workout you just completed, be proud of your efforts and enjoy your feelings.
If you keep showing up and doing what you just did, you’ll get everything you want out of your fitness journey. Be proud of the effort you put in, even if you think you could have done better.