We have all witnessed an athlete that is in the flow or zone. It’s enjoyable to witness or experience a state of heightened awareness, extreme focus, and attention that leads to a drastic increase in performance. This article is directed at bringing you information on the 2 best meditation practices for athletes.
Since 1992, numerous studies have been conducted about flow and its relationship to optimal experience and performance in sport. Researchers have even discovered ways to induce flow or train athletes to experience flow more easily by utilizing these 2 best meditation practices for athletes in their training routines. The Zone The Zone is a, disconnect from the world around us, and extreme focus and attention of the task at hand give us a sort of tunnel-vision that enhances our performance or productivity and chances our perception of time. As Mark Calcavecchia, a 13 time PGA tour winner, described his experience on the golf course: “When I’m in the zone, I don’t think about the shot, or the wind, or the distance, or the gallery, or anything. I just pulled a club and swing.” It seems as though the prerequisites to make a perfect shot are already downloaded and in place without calculation or much planning. We don’t have to be athletes, however, to experience the flow. Some of us get in the zone while creating, so completely focused on our art that we forget to eat dinner. Others get in the zone while studying in the library or writing a paper. All of a sudden, we looked outside the library window and it was dark because time flew by. Often times, we get in the zone at work. Those tend to be our most productive days. When we get in the zone, we’re usually too focused to feel joyful. Although we might not consciously feel joy, while completing an important project or task at work, we usually experience some level of contentment that gives us a sense of accomplishment and joy afterward. The Flow The flow has quite a similar description as; the zone, however, it takes on a slightly different approach. Some studies and interviews of creative people, conducted by American-Hungarian psychologist Mihály Csíkzentmihályi on what makes people happy and gives their life meaning, concluded that artistic types (performers, painters, athletes, writers.etc.) described their experience as a flow. The flow is described by these people as; losing awareness of time, or often describing how the clock seemed to slow down or stop. Diminished self-consciousness and indifference to the crowd and the crowds respond to their actions. Your work, at the moment, seems fluid and effortless and the attention to thought process is absent. How do we induce the flow and get into the zone? Many athletes spend a lot of time physically training and preparing for a match or performance. But studies also prove the importance and benefits of preparing mentally, by subjecting athletes and performers to a mental preparation program that can help pre-performance stress, deal with past performance disappointments, and increase confidence and focus.
A Look At The 2 Best Meditations
It’s probably in an athlete’s best interest to choose one form of meditation and practice it for some time, to get the best results, before moving on, or starting a new practice. You will most likely choose one that sounds fitting for your sport, style, and or schedule.
1.Mindfulness Meditation
it’s known among researchers that mindfulness meditation can help athletes control negative thoughts and sports anxiety, allowing them to focus on their skills in the present moment and perform better. Mindfulness Sport Performance Enhancement (MSPE) did a study in 2009 that concluded that mindfulness training enhances flow and aspects of confidence which could lead to improved performance. Another such study in 2015 by Mindful Performance Enhancement, Awareness, and Knowledge (mPEAK) suggests that mindfulness training improves the ability to identify and describe feelings and reactions to bodily sensations, which means that mPEAK training can help athletes adapt to high stress and develop more resilience. In conclusion, a most recent study by Mindfulness-Integrated Cognitive Behavior Therapy (MiCBT) on cyclists found that mindfulness-based interventions tailored to specific athletic pursuits can be effective in facilitating flow experiences and, therefore, enhancing athlete performance.
How do I put it into practice? Nothing within your experience can take place without you being aware of it either consciously and or unconsciously. Mindfulness is the practice of deliberately bringing attention to your current experience by maintaining moment-to-moment awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. Most importantly, is to accept everything in the current moment, without judgment or attachment, and allowing the moment to unfold in your awareness. There are lots of reliable resources on how to practice mindfulness meditation for beginners. I highly recommend this one that I use on a regular basis.
Tips and reminders
Your mind will wander and there’s no way to quiet it. When practicing mindfulness meditation, it’s normal for your mind to wander; what am I going to make for dinner? Or I wonder if the Red Sox the game this afternoon? For example: Quieting your mind is not the goal. The goal is to be aware of it.
Try not to engage with the activity of the mind. Simply acknowledge that it has gone astray and calmly bring it back to the center of your focus. Keeping the mind present takes practice. But it’s highly rewarding.
Use your breath as an anchor to the present moment. Focus your attention on your breath, get involved in this, feel the cool air as it brushes over the sensitive area at the entrance of your nose or mouth, follow it all the way into the lungs, and like a smooth circular motion follow it back out.
2.Visualization Meditation
much like mindful meditation, the purpose of visualization meditation is to anchor your attention on an image, event, person, or goal you wish to accomplish. Adding visualization to your meditation mix allows you to better direct your relaxed mind toward specific outcomes you’d like to see. When you visualize your goals with intensity and emotion, this gives you confidence, and the mind comes to believe that they have happened. This also helps create new pathways in your brain over time through a process called neuroplasticity. This image can help your brain start associating optimism and other positive feelings with the thought of your visualized goals. It works in much the same way as guided imagery. But instead of creating a scene in your imagination, visualize the specific moment of achieving your goal. That’s why it’s so powerful for athletes and performers. How do I put it into practice? Hold your goal firmly in your thoughts. Maybe your goal centers on winning a competition, learning a new skill, or developing a specific personality trait. Imagine yourself succeeding at this goal. Focus on your location, the other people around you, and your feelings in the moment. Add as much detail as possible to make the scene vivid and realistic. Tips and reminders
Don’t give your doubts any attention. If they come up, combat them with a positive mantra. “I can do this,” “I have faith in myself,” or “I have the strength to keep trying.”
Bring attention to your breath and your mantra as you visualize the scene of your success.
We hope you find some useful information here, and enough proof to encourage you to start utilizing the 2 best meditations for athletes in your regular training schedule or at home.
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