By Jonathan Hensey, MS Education & MS Sports Psychology
Introduction
Sports psychology focuses on the role of cognitive and socio-emotional factors that influence physical performance. In western sports, the elite athlete has been studied in depth due to the resources to conduct scientific research, but the evidence can help all levels of athletes across the globe. However, the eastern culture and lifestyle of mindfulness have recently become meaningful to athletes and cognitive coaches in western sports because the methodology acknowledges the present and absolves the past and future (Kee & Roychowdhury, 2021).
Mindful Performance
Meditation practices have been entrenched for thousands of years in eastern cultures but are in their infancy in western sports. Coach Phil Jackson and golfer Tiger Woods have deep connections to mindfulness; however, western sports began studying mindfulness for sports in 2008 (Kee & Roychowdhury, 2021). The mindful methodology’s benefits include awareness of the moment, creativity, and the flow state (Dhiman, 2012). The flow state has also been referred to as “the zone.” A mindful participant and the flow state have been characterized by heightened concentration, performance, and enjoyment (Dhiman, 2012). Athletes are free from all distractions, so actions fit the current event. Thus, the athlete performs creatively and freely throughout all challenges.
Mental skills like mindfulness are vital to mental toughness as well. Elite athletes have developed cognitive skills to cope with pressure and overcome challenges during competition, and mindfulness has led to the mental toughness that separates good athletes from great athletes (Wu et al., 2021). Thinking about the past or the future has been a critical pitfall for athletic performance; therefore, being aware of the present only has been significant (Dhiman, 2012; Kee & Roychowdhury, 2021; Wu et al., 2021). The ability to perform mindfully is difficult, so training regularly is vital. Intentionally developing mindfulness is critical to mental toughness and the repeatability of optimal performance.
Summary
Mindfulness exercises foster mental and emotional well-being, and the components are essential for the best sports performance. Developing mindfulness through yoga has been proven at the NCAA Division I level, and the benefits included energetic goal behavior, situational awareness, and lower stress (Goodman et al., 2014). An expert taught the athletes mindful exercises, and personalized and intentional mindful practices were associated with improvement and positive outcomes.
At Hensey Sports, we value mindfulness for sports, and we understand that personalized activities are essential for optimal sports performance. So, book a free consultation with us today.
References
Dhiman, S. (2012). Mindfulness and the Art of Living Creatively: Cultivating a Creative Life by Minding Our Mind, 4(1). Doi 10.5590/JOSC.2012.04.1.03
Goodman, F. R., Kashdan, T. B., Mallard, T. T., & Schumann, M. (2014). A brief mindfulness and yoga intervention with an entire NCAA Division I athletic team: An initial investigation. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, 1(4), 339-356. doi:10.1037/cns0000022
Kee, Y. H., & Roychowdhury, D. (2021). Editorial: Mindfulness in sport and exercise psychology. Asia Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 1(2-3), 133-134. doi 10.1016/j.ajsep.2021.10.001
Wu, C.-H., Nien, J.-T., Lin, C.-Y., Nien, Y.-H., Kuan, G., Wu, T.-Y., Ren, F.-F., & Chang, Y.-K. (2021).Relationship between Mindfulness, Psychological Skills, and Mental Toughness in College Athletes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(13), 6802. Doi 10.3390/ijerph18136802
