Meditation is gaining an increasing following in today's society, including many sportspeople.Indeed,many sports practitioners are now integrating meditation into their daily workouts, and for good reason, this practice is known for its many virtues on mental health.In fact, celebrities such as Novak Djokovic, Michael Jordan and Arnold Schwarzenegger have said that they practice meditation every day.But how would meditating increase sports performance? How to practice meditation effectively?
Benefits of meditation in sport
Stress, pressure, competitions, the mind of sportsmen and women is put to the test almost permanently.This is why, apart from physical training,a good mental preparation is essential to excel in one's field.
Meditation reduces stress
Whether during training or competition, athletes are incessantly put under pressure.When poorly managed by athletes, these constant pressures can diminish their performance.By learning to manage negative thoughts through meditation, athletes are less exposed to stress and anxiety.They can, for example, before starting a competition, do a breathing exercise to bring them into a calm state.In fact, it has been shown that athletes who practice meditation show fewer signs of anxiety, somatic distress or depression than others.
Meditation improves concentration
By meditating daily, athletes learn to focus on the present moment, the technical and tactical elements on the field: they do not get distracted by external elements such as crowd noise or personal frustrations, during a competition for example.Also, athletes are less disturbed by pain.This ability to concentrate is an essential thing for athletes, since the slightest mistake, caused by some disturbance of the mind, can be a source of failure.
Meditation promotes recovery
In sportspeople, recovery is essential both physically and mentally.Meditation is the best way to relax after a hard training session or a tough competition.Indeed, this practice not only relaxes the body, but also calms the mind.It thus allows athletes to regenerate before resuming intense physical activities, something that is necessary to keep a steely mind.
Meditating for well-being and personal development
One of the main reasons meditation is so popular is that it contributes to the well-being and personal development of its practitioners.By introspecting on their daily actions and thoughts through meditation, sportspeople could define the causes of their failures, and thus know the keys to their success.
This introspection also helps to ensure inner peace and thus guarantee a certain daily well-being.
Our tips for practising meditation
Do you want to get into meditation, but don't know where to start?
Discover our tips for practicing meditation effectively and increase
your sports performance with this discipline.
Find the meditation technique that suits you
Like practising sport, meditating requiressetting goals before you start.There are several meditation techniques, and the best way to make your choice is to determine what qualities you want to develop through meditation.If you want to focus onimproving your concentration,vipassana meditation is what you need.If your goal is well-being as well as personal development, go fortranscendental meditation.If you lack self-confidence and want to remedy this, chooseZen meditation.
Mindfulness meditation is the most widely practiced meditation technique, and is both stress-reducing and focus-enhancing.
Choose your best time to meditate
Morning, noon or night, you can meditate at any time.The trick is tofind the time that would suit you best.You canchoose your meditation time according to the effect you are looking for and your state of mind throughout the day.For example, meditating after a hard day or workout allows you to relax, recuperate and easily find sleep.Morning meditation, on the other hand, allows you to remain zen throughout the day.Some people prefer to meditate during breaks, as this would allow them to regenerate for the rest of the day.For beginners, it is advisable to meditate in the morning, as it is easier to concentrate with a fresh mind.
The key is to choose a fixed and regular time when you go to meditate daily.
Meditate in a calm and relaxing environment
Opting for a quiet and relaxing place is very important formeditating effectively.Indeed, the mental work required by meditation requiresgreat concentration, and for this, the meditator must be as little disturbed as possible.It is therefore necessary tochoose a place where there is no noise, and no source of distraction.It is also advisable to meditate ina well-ventilated place, with natural light.This could be a secluded room at work or at home, a quiet place in the forest, in the countryside, etc.Turn off all your electronic devices and rediscover the virtues of silence by meditating.
Practice meditation gradually
Brain training is not something that is suddenly done in an intense way: like body training, it must be done gradually.Start with 5 minutes of daily meditation, and as you get more practiced, increase your meditation time to 10 minutes, then 15 minutes.It is also important to know that the benefits of meditation are only felt after a certain period of regular practice:be patient!!
To conclude
In short, training the mind is as important as physical exercise in athletes, as their performance is partly determined by their ability to overcome stress, focus, recover mentally, and self-develop.
