The power of the mind can be an invaluable tool in sports

WHEN I first qualified as a gym instructor / personal trainer. I felt I needed more to be a top class coach and strength and conditioning specialist so, I decided to study late nights and weekends and flew abroad on my time off to complete a diploma in sports physiology.

It was this mindset strategies I’ve used on myself, athletes, teams and general people that come into me to reach a certain goal.

The leaders all have all their own little journey to travel and their own mind to deal. I’ve tried to sneak some practices I’ve learnt into their sessions so the leaders can overcome barriers and build health’s mindsets and behaviors they need to be their best when it matters most and these all alone come the big day on Sunday April.

The powers of the mind is a miraculous as it is incomprehensible, I’ve been using myself as a study for years even taking on a 24 hour cross trainer challenge and learning how strong the mind actually is.

The world of track and field believed breaking the 4 minute mile mark was an insurmountable human barrier an impossible obstacle that could not be breached a physically impossible feat, but Roger Bannister persisted and eventually he broke the world record and made the impossible, possible.

The craziest part shortly after Roger shattered the myth of the 4 minute mile other runners around the world began to break the 4 minute mile barrier and just one week after his historic performance Roger Bannister and two others ran a few minute mile.

Did the athletes just suddenly become physically superior enough to accomplish this, no they just believed it was possible and their physical performance followed on.

On a recent visit to Germany I chatted to double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes she was 34 years at the time and not supposed to win past her peak.

She gave everything and won then again 5 nights later she won 1500m, she told me once she won it was easy, her mindset had changed.

She told me in Athens there was 10 portable toilets in a row she always used the first one it was her superstition to use the first one, When she went to use toilet it was occupied they called for start the 1500m she was panicking but still had to wait as it was in her head, she barely made the start from this so the mind is a powerful thing I believed competition is 90% mental and 10% physical.

So come Sunday April 5 I hope some of my practices will stand the leaders from hope and dream to the finish line.