The Champion's Mind by Jim Afremow

Author:Jim Afremow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rodale
Published: 2013-12-02T16:00:00+00:00

REGENERATION: RELAX YOUR BODY SO YOU CAN TAX YOUR BODY

Relaxation means releasing all concern and tension and letting the natural order of life flow through one’s being.

—DONALD CURTIS, NOTED AUTHOR AND LECTURER

A champion understands that regeneration is one key to sustainable success. One needs to relax mentally and to allow the body to rest and recover from hard training. Think of regeneration as the yin to training’s yang. Burning the candle at both ends by over-training and insufficient recovery results in burnout and increases the risk of injury and illness. When you’re tired, your ability to play productively and think clearly is compromised. NFL coaching legend Vince Lombardi cautioned, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.”

Relaxation training is a necessary component of regeneration, and it is especially important for counterbalancing the wear and tear of playing through a long season. Discover which relaxation techniques work best for you to diminish physical exhaustion and mental weariness. Practicing deep relaxation on a daily basis will help you quiet your mind and keep physical tension at a minimum. Heed these words by the ancient Chinese philosopher Laotzu: “Deal with the small before it becomes large.” Strive to release stress and tension as soon as you notice it is beginning to build.

Recharge your mind and body with deep relaxation. In addition to using a 15-second centering breath (see this page), experiment with a variety of other approaches. For example, incorporate mental imagery for deep relaxation. Recline in your favorite chair at home or lie down on a bench in the locker room before practice and breathe slowly and deeply for 10 minutes while imagining that your body is floating in space or in a hot tub. Make sure to turn off your cell phone. Simply enjoy the beauty of silence, and let your mind clear of fog.

Take some time to decompress, to get away from the sport, and then get back to training. Try having an occasional rest day that has no purpose or goal other than letting your body rest and rejuvenate! Also, make room in your schedule for some lighthearted activities. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? What are your favorite hobbies and interests? Aim to relax your body away from training so that you can tax your body in training. To perform at a champion’s level, commit to being fully rested and ready for all of your practices and games (see Appendix B for sleep tips).

Nap for peak performance. Imagine that one day your head is drowsy and your feet are dragging—perhaps you did not get a full night’s sleep. But there isn’t much time for slack and you still have a full day’s activities ahead of you, including your workout at the gym. To nap or not to nap, that seems to be the question. But if you do decide to take an afternoon nap, how long should it be? Is a longer nap always better?

Findings from a 2006 research study by Australian psychologists Amber Brooks and Leon

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.