OTHER NO- BRAINER BOOSTS

Science shows these simple tricks can also help you achieve peak performance

Talk yourself up

What you say to yourself significantly affects your performance, according to a study in the International Journal of Sports Physiology

and Performance. Motivational self-talk (phrases such as ‘let’s go’ and ‘you can do this’) led to a faster 10K time trial than when self-talk was neutral. While subjects worked harder, physiologically speaking, in the faster trial, their rate of perceived exertion was unchanged – suggesting the positive pep talk allowed them to push harder without feeling the extra effort.

Say your name

Research in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found using your name in self-talk works better than saying ‘I’. The study authors believe it creates distance between you and the situation, reducing anxiety. Or try saying ‘you’ rather than ‘I’ in your go-to race-day mantra.

Standing counts

Got the start-line jitters? Pull your shoulders back, puff out your chest and look skyward. Research at Harvard Business School in the US found that when subjects adopted a ‘power pose’ – an expansive, space-consuming posture – levels of the stress hormone cortisol decreased by around 20 per cent, while testosterone, the ‘dominance’ hormone, increased by a similar amount. The researchers found that these hormonal changes improved people’s ability to cope with stressful situations.