Mental training for your mental biceps
What do chess grandmaster Judit Polgár , mountain conqueror Reinhold Messner and Para Athlete of the Year 2022, Anna-Lena Forster, have in common? They all have incredible mental strength . In sport, pressure to perform, fear of failure and comparison with others are always present. So how do top athletes deal with this and what can we normal people learn from them? Because we are often confronted with stressful situations in everyday life in which our heads don't stay as cool as we would actually like. But don't worry: After reading this story, you'll have the right tools at hand when it comes to building and training mental strength - because mental training helps you both in everyday life and in sport. We have collected three theoretical and three practical tips to help you gain more mental strength. Can it get started?
Why you should include mental training in your training plan
Training for mental strength only has benefits for you. Let's talk about the sporting area first: Here you manage to perform better because you can simply do more. A marathon is of course also about being physically well trained. However, a lot of it is a matter of the head – that is, mental strength. If you are not convinced that you can complete the route to the finish, then it will be difficult. So that we understand each other correctly: It's not about overloading your body, but rather getting the most out of it with mental strength, as the candidates for the Netflix show “Physical 100” impressively demonstrate.
Mental strength also and especially helps you when competing . Here we find ourselves in a classic situation. If you manage to stay calm and not let stress get the upper hand , you have already gained a lot: you are more concentrated and can focus your thoughts on the here and now .
Mental strength in everyday life is also a good thing. Stressful, unexpected situations and challenges come up again and again - there's nothing we can do about that. What we can change, however, is how we want to deal with them . And when you're mentally strong, stress doesn't get to you so quickly.
By the way : If you have stage fright , it can also help to build up mental strength to counteract it. Mental training is therefore also practiced by numerous musicians and actors. And if you tend to get stage fright during presentations at work or in similar situations, mental training will help you combat it.
Mental training against stress is absolutely worth its weight in gold – whether in everyday life or in sport. Now that we know that, let's get down to business. Are you ready for your Dextro Energy* mental training plan ?
Six really good tips for your mental training
You often ask yourself: How can I become mentally stronger? We have something for you! Here are three theoretical tips, which are all about creating order in your head and giving yourself an overview of your status quo . This serves as the basis for our three practical tips, which will then help you train mental strength .
Theory tip number 1: Find your why
Mental strength has a lot to do with motivation . And motivation has to come from within. So ask yourself, both in sport and in everyday life: Why am I doing what I'm doing? In order to achieve ambitious goals, you need sufficient motivation. If this is missing, or only comes from outside, the mental strength is also missing. If you find motivation within yourself, you will also build self-confidence. And you need self-confidence to become mentally stronger . Self-confidence doesn't come from telling ourselves positive things over and over again, but from letting it arise from within. In short: the basis must be right in order to develop and strengthen self-confidence .
Clear and concrete goals are also important. Then the motivation comes almost by itself - because you have something that you are working towards. So try to set measurable and realistic goals when exercising or in everyday life.
A little tip within a tip: To do even more for your mental strength, it helps to write down your challenges and successes. This way you always have an overview of what you have already achieved and what still lies ahead of you.
Theory tip No. 2: train mental strength? Get out of your comfort zone!
Doing things differently over and over again brings a new perspective . But it also gives us the self-confidence to cope with any situation. This can be particularly helpful in sporting competition: If you keep varying your training and trying out a lot of things , you won't be so easily offended by unfamiliar challenges. You build mental strength.
But this also applies in everyday life. If you constantly challenge yourself and take new paths , then unexpected challenges won't push you to your limits so quickly. So try something new every now and then - even if it's sometimes a little uncomfortable to leave your comfort zone. Because: It’s absolutely worth it for you!
Always at your side, even outside your comfort zone: the products from Dextro Energy* . Our delicious dextrose products accompany and support you: They offer quick carbohydrates for your brain or to replenish your glycogen stores. With us you will find everything an athlete and thinker's heart desires.
Theory tip #3: Get to the root
Are there certain situations in which you repeatedly notice that your mental strength is failing? Then you have identified a perfect training field . Here you can question yourself wonderfully. You can compare these situations with those in which you find it easy to face them with psychological strength. What is the difference between these two? Try to get to the root of what is holding you back from being mentally strong in specific, uncertain situations. This can be in the sporting sector, but also in the private sector.
Mental training helps when it counts. Like serving, for example. @iStock.com/Ivanko_Brnjakovic
Practical tip #1: Ommm…mmmental strength
Being in the here and now – a state that benefits you so much both in sport and in everyday life. That's why meditation is an integral part of mental training for top athletes: in tennis, football, horse riding, golf, cycling, swimming and so on, it's important to be mentally alert . And to block out everything else. This is only possible with previous training sessions in mental training. In competitive sports, there are special mental coaches who help the athletes with this. You can also do your mental training on your own at home. You can practice meditation very well, especially with yoga . There are some asanas here, i.e. exercises that have to do with relaxation and concentration . If yoga isn't quite your thing, there are of course other relaxation techniques and breathing techniques that will help you focus on your current situation. They can also help you at least somewhat control the adrenaline levels in your body . It's best to incorporate mental training into your training plan and make it a ritual . You can also train this area regularly and continuously build up more mental strength through concentration exercises.
Practical Tip #2: Balance is key
We actually need balance in all areas of our lives, right? We shouldn't be over-challenged, but we shouldn't be under-challenged either. To build mental strength, it's important to find the right level of challenge . So if you start running regularly, don't just sign up for a marathon - challenge your body, but don't overwhelm it. This is also part of mental training for runners, for example. This also applies to everyday life. If you fill your day with tasks and don't leave time for a breather, all your mental strength won't do you much good. By the way: If you make sure to find a good balance between under- and over-challenge during training and in everyday life, you also have the chance of achieving a flow state , which further promotes your mental strength because you are in a state of absolute concentration and brings outstanding results.
Practical tip no. 3: Stick with it – mental strength almost comes naturally
It's always so easy to say, but implementing it is usually challenging: stick with it after a defeat . This is where true mental strength shines and where you really gain the most. If you don't give up even after defeat, your self-confidence grows - and as you already know, that's crucial. And hey: don't worry! You don't always have to be a second mental Judit Polgár in all situations. Too much pressure and well-intentioned but not implemented positivity lead to nothing. Mental stability is a journey, not a destination . There are always highs and lows. It's important to stick with it even during the low points and to continue to continuously work on your mental strength. So you always move forward a little bit along the way. And forward is always the right direction.
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