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Mental toughness a muscle?

The Next Level of Sports Performance Training

 

 

hoodie upWeights clanking, slamming, and athletes competing to get the teams greatest weight. Team bonding, strength gains, mental discipline, endorphins release,  the strength and conditioning portion of the sports world helps develop athletes on a number of levels. Sports of all ages are adding some kind of sports performance training, outside the actual sport played, it’s great!

Body mobility and power (speed and strength) needs to be developed in order to help prevent injury and achieve the athletes true potential. There are many benefits to this when there are proper progressions in the art of sports performance training.  The Neurological, bone and muscular  components of the body must work together and there for must develop in unison. This is where Movement training is established. The strength and the speed comes together to progress the athlete to power training. Where the athlete is able to complete movements in a strong and fast (powerful) component.

At a certain point in training, over training the power may actually cause set back rather than positive result. If you’re at this stage, don’t worry, there is another level to tap into.

The Great Athletes of our time and present day:

There is a level of greatness that we have all witnessed. Athletes on every Elite team have that go to player. The Oilers with Wayne Gretzky, The Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps in the US olympics, The Penguins with Crosby (No, I don’t like him either, but game on the line, the guy has been proven reliable)   The Rangers have Lundqvist, The Philadelphia Eagles have Foles ( a little Super Bowl prep 🙂 ).

When the game is on the line, put the game in their hands. It doesn’t only stop with the professionals, all youth sports teams have that player that when the game is on the line they put the game on their shoulders. Whether they will come through is a different story.

The ability to focus in high pressure situations is not a god given/innate skill. It can be developed. Certain athletes may have a greater potential for it but we all have the ability to strengthen our abilities under pressure. Focus is a muscle, Train it, develop it, unleash your true potential!

Next week: 6 ways to develop your Mental Game toughness- beginner edition

 

Kirill Vaks
BA,CSCS,ACSM-cpt

 

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