Sport Mental Performance

Open WOD 15.5 Tips | Mental Performance

March 27, 2015 by Mentality WOD 2 Comments

For each WOD of the 2015 Open I will make a few tips and suggest some Mentality WOD posts to help you perform your best. These 5 weeks are a huge physical and mental challenge, and you have to be adaptable, prepared and confident to get the most out of yourself.

For each of the Open workouts remind yourself why you’re there, be grateful for your abilities and opportunities, surround yourself with amazing support, focus on what you can control and put it all out there.

1. Use mantras, and positive talk the entire warm-up. Once you walk in the gym, you’ll want to be confident and set yourself up for success. I’d also suggest you warm up to an even heavier thruster than you’re going to use (knock out a few reps) so that the weight in the WOD feels lighter.

Potential Prep Thoughts: “I love getting to the dark place, because I know that’s where the magic happens.”

“I’ve finished way harder and heavier combinations before, I know I can push through this.”

“I want to get uncomfortable, and stay there, that’s where my mental strength will shine.”

“I love this workout, the more pain…the better I do.”

“At least I only have to work my ass off for a short amount of time.”

“Breath steady, move fast.” – “My legs can handle anything.” – “I’m gonna leave every single bit out there.”

2. Have a plan, but know that you can adapt and be flexible mid-WOD if your plan doesn’t happen exactly how you want it to. This is the idea of trusting your body, your plan, your coaches and your ability to mentally recover quickly. If you are going to break it up, write down your goal reps right in front of you so that you know what you’re aiming for. It is always a good strategy to do little descending rep sets like for 27s (8+7+6+6) etc. – If you break up the first, and second sets into 3 or 4 sets, you’ll likely be able to attack bigger chunks as you get to the 15s and 9s. More on having a plan, but staying adaptable.

3. Be stoked that the reps, and calories are going DOWN as you push through the WOD. Once you get back to the rower for the set of 21, you can remind yourself that once you get 18 calories, you’re already half way done (72 reps out of 144). Now that’s freaking awesome and you can really get yourself to commit to moving as efficiently and quickly as possible. Also, counting down (instead of up) always helps.

4. Have a consistent break routine. You want to keep your breaks and transitions short…obviously. But, I always see people stumbling around the bar, looking everywhere and hanging their heads. Don’t do that. Decide if you’re going to stay right over the bar, take 1-5 breaths then get back on it. Or, if you’re going to take two steps away, deep breath, two steps back in and go. Whatever it is, stick to it and you’ll keep yourself calmer, more consistent and steady.

This WOD is all about your mental ability to stick to what helps you succeed and to push. You can do both movements, it’s all about who is willing to get uncomfortable and stay uncomfortable. Know that the greater the challenge, the greater the reward. The stronger your why, the stronger your will. Chip away and get to that place where you want to stop, but will yourself to fight through.

Open WOD 15.4 Tips | Mental Performance

March 20, 2015 by Dawn 2 Comments

For all of the Open workouts remind yourself why you’re there, be grateful for your abilities and opportunities, surround yourself with amazing support, focus on what you can control and put it all out there.

Before the WOD

1. Get rid of negative thoughts and talk. Whatever category you find yourself in for this workout (scaled, masters, etc) accept the work you GET to do and go for it. You are wasting valuable energy when you talk or think about how upset you are about the scaling options or how advanced the movements are. If you are able to do ANY of the variations of this workout, then give it your all and see what you can learn about yourself. You choose to do The Open, don’t take it for granted.

2. Talk with your judge. Make sure your judge knows how you want him or her to count, what sign he or she are going to give you to tell you that your reps are done, or if you got “no-repped”. Ask your judge to count loudly and clearly and to let you know how many reps you have left. Because this rep scheme can get a little confusing (especially when you’re working your ass off), make sure you communicate with your judge BEFORE the workout and be clear with exactly how you wanted to be signed to or talked to.

3. Go into the WOD with tons of positive thoughts about why and how you’re going to use your strengths to do your best. Pump yourself up with how you’ve lifted way heavier cleans before, how you’ve worked your gymnastics and pressing a ton this year and how this shorter workout is going to be a great chance to use the mental skills you’ve been practicing.

During the WOD

1. There is no extra time for staying flustered or negative in this WOD. It’s a short one, so you’ll want to use every bit of mental optimism and strength that you have. The moment you feel yourself physically fatigue, or think something negative, use a physical cue (stomping the ground, clapping your hands, nodding your head) or a word to snap out of it and come right back to HELPFUL thoughts.

2. Keep your thoughts on your movement and how to make sure you’re as efficient as possible. Thoughts about the outcome will takeaway from your ability to perform. Know that you want to focus on your big kip and press out in the HSPU and your legs and quick hips on the Cleans. Talk with your coach or training partners about what cues will help YOU so that you can keep coaching yourself as the workout goes on.

Go smash it, have a blast and tag me #mentalityWOD on Insta, or @mentalitywod on Twitter with pictures or questions.

Open WOD 15.3 Tips | Mental Performance

March 13, 2015 by Dawn Leave a Comment

1. Get focused.The more objects and people you bring into your vision, the more likely you’ll become distracted from your plan and goals.

a) Before the workout keep your eyes, and your stare in your control. So, during the warm-up begin to zero in on your space and equipment, your game plan, and how you’re going to push.

b) During the workout, keep your eyes where they need to be for each movement – don’t look at the crowd or at your competitor during any movement, instead limit your glances at the clock to transitions between movements or quick breaks. You can’t afford to be looking all around during this workout, each movement requires your 100% focus. Find a focal spot at each station so you can glue your eyes there once you get to it. This will serve as a reminder to set your eyes, then begin your cues for the movement.

2. Use cue words. Have short and sweet reminders that you’re going to use for each movement. These words are cues for what you want to focus on to make sure you’re getting solid, clean, efficient reps.

Examples: For muscle ups: “big kip, big press” For wall balls: “heels down, explode up” For double-unders: “steady jump, stay relaxed” – For all of these movements it will be helpful for you to tell yourself “I’m on a roll now, I’m in a zone, I’m in a great rhythm, this feels strong and steady”.

More advanced athletes will be able to use movement cues as well as mantras in an effective way.

3. Have a “no-rep” or a “mess up” routine. Obviously you want to visualize, and plan for success in each workout, but know that the athlete who is able to adapt the quickest is often the one who comes out on top. Meaning, if you mess up or stumble for with any of the MUs, WBs or DUs (which might happen because you’ll be doing so damn many of them) know how you’re going to respond and stick to a routine. Maybe it’s 2 deep breaths, a smile and a positive thought. Maybe it’s shaking out your shoulders, bringing the rope handles to touch in front of you and then you get going again. Keep your breaks consistent and as short as possible by knowing what you’re going to do during them and knowing how you’re going to quickly respond. It’s important that you can prepare for different variables and situations, so that you aren’t annoyed or flustered if they happen.

If you are feeling discouraged about this WOD, you may surprise yourself when you clear your mind of doubtful thoughts, complaints and bitterness:

Tag me @mentality_wod on instagram with your workouts!

CrossFit Open WOD 15.2 Tips | Mental Performance

March 6, 2015 by Dawn 7 Comments

For 15.2 you’ll be rewarded for pacing and pushing. Meaning you’ll want that solid combination of keeping yourself calm as long as possible, and then really turning it up when it’s time. Think about steadily increasing your pace as you go through each round, you want to get quicker and take less time between sets and reps as the rounds go on. If you get distracted or get caught up missing reps, then you’ll waste valuable time. Here are my top tips and posts to help you out.

1. Body Language Tips – Do not put your hands on your legs and spend time slumped over (even though you’re tired). Do not stare at your hands if they begin hurting. Do not show your frustration, fatigue or discomfort with your facial expressions or movements. – Instead, keep your face and grip relaxed to conserve energy, keep your shoulders back , your head up and stay in control of where your eyes are focused.

2. Breathing Tips – a) When you walk up to the barbell and the rig take a centering breath before you grab it and go. Most missed reps or errors will happen when you rush and don’t take the time to get in a good position so that you can go right into a steady rhythm. b) Keep your breath slow and consistent/steady through the OHS c) Whenever you break up any reps, stick to 1-5 breaths before you get going again, commit to your predetermined amount of resting breaths and stick with that as long as possible through the workout.

3. Self-Talk Tips – a) Decide what you’re going to tell yourself when it really starts to suck and you have less than :30 to finish your reps. How are you going to keep pushing to that dark place? How are you going to stick with the reps when everything is hurting? Know what thoughts you’re going to use in order to keep moving. b) Have a plan for what you’re going to think about during your rest periods. For the first few rounds, this may be over a minute or so which is plenty of time for your thoughts to get negative and doubtful, if you let them. Instead, concentrate on thoughts that help you feel like you can accomplish anything.

Lastly, remember that the athletes that kick ass in Open workouts aren’t at the top because they are perfect.They have consistently strong performances because they react quickly to setbacks and mishaps. If you get no-repped, trip, or drop the bar early, how quickly can you recover?

Stop, shake it off, come back to your movement cues and positive talk then get back to moving. Taking a quick second to center yourself will actually help your performance.

I’ll leave you with one quote for 15.2 – “The greater the struggle, the greater the reward”

CrossFit Open WOD 15.1 Tips | Mental Performance

February 27, 2015 by Dawn 4 Comments

For each WOD of the 2015 Open, I will make a few tips and suggest some Mentality WOD posts that will help you. These 5 weeks are a huge physical and mental challenge, and you have to be adaptable, prepared and confident to get the most out of yourself.

For all of The Open workouts, remind yourself why you’re there, be grateful for your abilities and opportunities, surround yourself with amazing support, focus on what you can control and put it all out there. Also, read what not to do.

For 15.1 and 15.1a I am going to give you 4 mental performance suggestions, and 4 other posts to read that will help you perform your best.

For the first part 15.1 break the reps down to 5 at a time. Try counting down “5,4,3,2,1” then repeat “5,4,3,2,1” – even if you are going unbroken, counting this way will help you stay positive and help you feel like you’re charging through the reps. This is a perfect rep scheme for this way of counting. This will help you take little chunks at a time, instead of focusing on how many more minutes you have, you will always just have 5 or less reps to go. The higher the reps (like toes to bar) the more important it is to break them down into sets both physically and mentally. You’ll want to be intentional with what you’re telling yourself about where you are in the WOD
Know what you’re going to tell yourself when it starts to get really shitty. Don’t just wait until that point and then freak out, or get negative. Know what mantras, quotes, or words you’re going to use to get yourself to keep moving. Use something that is powerful to you, and that has helped you in the past. You’ll want to know what your “self-talk strategy” is going to be before you start, so that when you’re struggling and panting you can go right to it
This workout presents a lot of opportunities to hang your head, look at your ripped hands, and take longer breaks than you may want to. Give yourself 1-5 deep breaths between movements and try to stick to that as long as possible (just like Rich Froning did). Make sure your body language is working FOR you, instead of against you and challenge yourself to keep your head and eyes up, shoulders back, and don’t look at anything that’s hurting you
You’re going to have some transition time from 15.1 to 15.1a while you change the weights. This is where you’ll want to think of all of your calming thoughts. Slow your breathing as much as possible and smile while you’re getting ready for the next part. Take a minute to gather yourself and make sure your weights are correct (with your judge) before you start your attempts. Then, when it’s about 5-10 seconds before your lift you can get fired up. Don’t take your eyes off the bar and give yourself plenty of space and time to hit the lift

What NOT To Do During Competitions, Events or Games

February 25, 2015 by Dawn 13 Comments

During a CrossFit Event, or any other sporting event, you must work on your mental game as much as anything. If you can control your mindset, you can set yourself up for success no matter what the event is.

What NOT To Do During Competitions

1. Don’t take anything for granted

2. Don’t boast

3. Don’t go through it alone

4. Don’t talk about what you can’t control (what the workout will be, who’s going to score what, who’s going to make it)

5. Don’t bitch about everything (the WOD, the format, the weather, etc.)

6. Don’t focus on your soreness, injury, weakness or pain

7. Don’t doubt yourself

8. Don’t get caught up in what others are doing

9. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment by saying you “have” to, “need” to, or “must”

10. Don’t not eat, or eat a bunch of crap

11. Don’t forget that you chose to do this and it’s a gift

12. Don’t let setbacks keep you down

13. Don’t get down on yourself if you’re still new to this

14. Don’t let the pain and fatigue control you

15. Don’t forget what’s most important, and those are the basics like sleep, nutrition and mindset

Coaching Tip: Working With New Athletes

February 11, 2015 by Dawn 1 Comment

Coaching Tip: Occasionally, I will post tips specifically for the coaches out there. If you’re not a coach, you will still be able to use them to improve as an athlete, teammate or training partner.

Do you want to help your athletes with their self-talk? Do you want to make sure your clients know how to use their mentality to push through workouts? As coaches, it’s imperative that we teach mental skills, as well as physical ones.

New athletes may not know what to say to themselves during workouts. They might not know what thoughts or cues are going to help them, and which ones are going to hold them back.

Here’s how you can help new athletes understand how to use self-talk.

First, educate them: Help athletes understand there are different things you can say to yourself to help you push through workouts: thinking about form, counting reps (chipping away), mantras, etc. – these options are all better than negative self-talk
Second, suggest to the new athletes that they “self-talk takes notes” after each workout for the first two weeks. Have them write down which thoughts (or coaching cues) helped them during the workout, and also write down which ones were negative. This helps the athletes build awareness about the power of their mind and self-talk. It also helps the athletes understand which thoughts to continue to use in their training.

Be Careful How You Use This Word

November 19, 2014 by Dawn 3 Comments

The word “only” can be used in an optimistic, helpful way, and it can be used in a pessimistic, unhelpful manner. If you’re in the middle of a workout, and you’re trying to give it your all, you gotta be really careful with what you’re saying to yourself. Your words can help you move faster and more efficiently, or they can slow you down and hold you back.

There’s one word that I hear athletes use a LOT during training. Be careful how you use the word “only” in your workouts, and your life (obviously).

Here’s what I mean

In the middle of a 5 rounds for time WOD you can say “I’ve only done two rounds” – negative OR “I only have three rounds left” – positive, more helpful

During a strength session you can say “I only lifted 5 more pounds than last week” – negative OR “I only have 10 more pounds to go to hit my goal” – positive, more helpful

Make sure that you’re listening to what you’re saying, and understand how your words are making you feel. Of course you’ll want to continue to improve your weaknesses, but you can do this in an optimistic way. Focus on the positive, so that you can continue to progress and enjoy the process.

Coaches Mess Up Too

October 29, 2014 by Dawn 2 Comments

Coaches may program a workout that takes longer than expected, and people may feel rushed, or not make it through it.

Coaches might suggest a weight that is too heavy, and athletes have to make adjustments mid-WOD, or might get discouraged that they can’t even do it.

Coaches might suggest a modification that doesn’t work out.

Coaches can even say coaching cues that don’t make sense or are wrong all together.

As an athlete, understand that your coach is human who can also make “mistakes” or slip up. Hopefully your coaches are trying their best to get to know you, and help you improve. This will come with some “trial and error”, so realize that your coach might need to try a certain method, program, or weight, in order to see what your strengths or weaknesses are. Ask questions, and be open with your coach, but understand that mistakes will happen.

As a coach, let your athletes know that you messed up, or programed something that didn’t quite turn out how you wanted it to. It’s okay. You can simply be open and honest. If you see an athlete getting down or frustrated because he or she can’t do what you suggested, make sure to address the situation ASAP. Let the athletes know that you’re always learning too (about them and about what’s best for them) and that sometimes, you have to try things, in order to know what works and what doesn’t.

Now, if your coach is constantly programming something that you can’t do, or, if you’re regularly frustrated or injured, then that’s a different story. Make sure to let your coaches know your concerns or questions if you feel that you aren’t being led correctly.

Even the best coaches, who have been doing this a long ass time can make errors. The thing is, if you want to grow and improve as a coach, it’s important to use and teach new coaching techniques, programs, movements and modifications. If you mess up here and there, it’s probably because you’re implementing something different, or working with someone new. That’s a good thing.

Sport Mental Performance

What NOT To Do During Competitions

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