Training Attitude - (the psychology of sport)

Sports psychology is many faceted but the one point that almost everyone has heard of, (part due to the training principles now widely publicised by our Olympic athletes), is FOCUS.

But what exactly is 'focus' and how can it be used successfully in both the training and competing stages of sport?

For many years athletes in all disciplines have realised the importance of having the right mental attitude before competition. Take for example the highly aggressive weightlifting event seen in the Olympics. Prior to stepping out on stage the focussing process begins. Their coach provides smelling salts to clear the head, shouts and slaps them about the head and shoulders to promote a mentally aggressive attitude and once on stage they will complete their preparation with deep breathing and displays of aggressive behaviour.

This is all part of the principle of 'focus', or adopting the right mental attitude in order to achieve your goals. It is easily transferable to any sporting activity and should not just involve aggression, as demonstrated admirably by the weight lifters, but should also encompass a thought process as well.

The aggression should be controlled and channelled to the task in hand and should not be to the detriment of good form, as the Biomechanics of sport play an equal if not more important role than the aggression.

Take, for example, Micheal Johnson, arguably the greatest 400m runner of all time, and also one of the most 'fluid', 'relaxed' runners there has ever been. His 'focus' has not been to the detriment of good form but a compliment to it.

Mental attitude should play an equally important role in your training as it does in your competitive performance, for your training, as the word implies, should 'train' your body and your mind to an equal level, (and more), to that of your competitive performance. There is little point training below your optimum and expect the rest to come on the day of competition. It will never occur.

This also includes your mental attitude, unless you practice and understand how to channel your energies and aggressions in a controlled manner, then you will never be able to do the same on the day of competition, and you will never be able to train to beyond the optimum level required.

Your mental attitude to training is just as important if competition in your chosen sport is not your ultimate aim. Many of us train for purely personal gain and unless the correct mental attitude is adopted then your personal goals may never be achieved, you will become disheartened and training will become more of a chore. Ultimately leading to you giving up altogether.

Putting it to Practice.

So how do we achieve the right mental attitude?

Well, the process starts before we even get into the gym or training ground by adopting these simple rules.

1. Plan what you are going to train that day - if you enter the gym without a clear idea of that days training programme you will likely amble from one exercise to another, pausing for thought along the way, with no pattern to the workout. Your mind will not be concentrating and you will be performing below your best trying to decide what to do next.
2. Plan your eating that day - make sure you have consumed enough calories/proteins or you may enter your workout with doubts about how tired your going to feel due to lack of fuels and you will have adopted a defeatist attitude before you even start. (if your unsure about what to eat and how much take a look at our nutritional information sections, where you will find all you need to know about diet requirements)
3. Warm up properly - proper warm ups are essential, if you even cause the slightest of muscle tears, then the next time you visit the gym you will be training to protect it, and not giving the more than 100% that's required.
4. Set yourself exercise goals - within your greater goal of fitness and strength, should be the goals you wish to attain at the particular exercises themselves. For example, if training in a gym doing bench presses, (see our training pages for a description), then think about that exercise only at that time. Perform your warm up sets, then 'focus' on achieving that perfect set, maybe its 1 more repetition than last time in the gym or its 2.5kg more for the same number of repetitions. But above all get aggressive and force those repetitions out.
5. Ignore the surroundings - your exercise is paramount, don't let peoples conversations, music in the gym, lighting, or any other little distraction, get to you. The key word is 'FOCUS'
6. Get aggressive - but remember, don't lose the correct 'form' for whatever sport your are doing

If you can adopt these rules then you are half way to attaining the right mental attitude. The final step is being able to adopt them without thinking, this will only come with time, after all, that's what training is all about.

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