Publish at May 23 2023 Updated May 23 2023
Faster, higher, farther. The Olympic motto aptly represents what lies at the heart of every athlete, regardless of their level of competition. Although few will make it to the top of international events, all try to surpass themselves. This is a noble and inspiring goal, but one that requires significant discipline. Indeed, a progression in any sport relies on physical training, nutrition and mental preparation.
This last element is usually omitted by the general public who believe that everything relies on the bodily conditions of an athlete. Yet all Olympians have often repeated that a huge part of their success has rested on the ability to prepare for this major competition. It is indeed most of the time the element that will play and make the difference between a first and a seventh place finish in a competition.
Tennis demonstrates this regularly. Take two top 10 players in the world without a major injury in a match. The one who comes out on top will not ipso facto be the one with the greater physical ability. In particular, it will be the one who is able to keep the momentum going on the decisive points, to seize the opportunities when he dominates or, on the contrary, to resist when the opponent starts to play brilliantly. The first one who gives up and doesn't believe in his chances will quickly go to the locker room.
The psychological factors behind performance are well known:
It's enough a blockage in one or more of these spheres and performance will decline. In this, practicing a sport and learning at school are very similar. As much a soccer player, amateur or professional, as a student will be in a delicate situation from the moment their motivation is lost or they no longer have confidence to succeed. In both cases, it will be equally beneficial to prepare mentally whether it is to avoid these lows or to get out of them.
The sports world is already well aware of the benefits of mental preparation. Most Olympic teams have at least one "mental coach" or more to help athletes get to an international competition and execute their best performances, whether or not they result in a medal. This psychological training is offered even at lower levels to increase confidence, decrease anxiety and reduce fear of failure. Young athletes would do well to use it here even if they tend to avoid it.
What is mental preparation? It offers tools that the athlete will use in the days, hours and minutes before a competition. To do this, there are different ways:
Mental imagery is therefore intended to be a tool of choice for trainers with athletes. Nevertheless, some use other methods such as mindfulness meditation or breathing techniques to calm anxiety. These approaches aren't just applicable to the sports world. The school world can definitely borrow some of these techniques to help students believe in their potential and pass their assessments.
On the Internet, more and more preparers are offering their services in the school field, both for learners and teachers who can sometimes also lose their confidence. Mental preparation would then be a good way to put oneself in a better state of mind perceptible in both the verbal and non-verbal.
In the end, does it work? The multiple testimonies of medal-winning Olympians suggest that, yes, it has non-negligible virtues. The sports world has not questioned for decades this preparation that has become as important as physical training.
Scientifically, studies also tend to show that the effects are positive. This systematic review of research done in combat sports confirms this with one caveat: there is a lack of analysis to affirm this across the board. A similar reality in other sports and also in the school setting since the idea of mental preparation is rather recent there.
Nevertheless, there is no evidence that it has any negative impact. Therefore, athletes, students and teachers are not taking any risks by preparing mentally.
Photo: Jacob Diehl / Unsplash
References:
Cohn, Patrick. "Help Teens Embrace Mental Coaching." Youth Sports Psychology. Last updated September 21, 2022. https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/helping-sport-kids-embrace-mental-training/.
David, Pierre. "Entrainement Mental Du Sportif: Comment éliminer Les Barrières." L'Académie De La Haute Performance. Last updated March 9, 2023. https://lacademie-de-la-haute-performance.com/entrainement-mental-du-sportif/.
Hodges, Coleman. "How Much Does Mental Training Affect Athletic Performance at the Highest Level?" SwimSwam. Last updated June 15, 2022. https://swimswam.com/how-much-does-mental-training-affect-athletic-performance-at-the-highest-level/.
"Mental Preparation In Sport: Why Is It Important?" Psychologist. Last updated March 21, 2023. https://www.psychologue.net/articles/la-preparation-mentale-dans-le-sport-pourquoi-est-elle-importante.
"Mental Training Skills for Athletes." Success Starts Within. Last updated March 30, 2023. https://www.successstartswithin.com/blog/mental-training-skills-every-athlete-needs-to-learn.
"Why Performance Comes Through Training, Mindset, and Nutrition." Sport Mental Nutrition. Last updated December 20, 2022. https://sportmentalnutrition.fr/pourquoi-la-performance-passe-par-lentrainement-le-mental-et-la-nutrition/.
"Mental Preparation For Sport: How To Approach It?" Julien Quaglierini. Last updated September 25, 2022. https://julienquaglierini.com/2020/11/preparation-mentale-du-sportif/.
"Mental Preparation For Students And Teachers In Bayonne." Melissa Huarte - Mental Preparer. Accessed May 19, 2023. https://www.mhuarte-preparationmentale.com/l-enseignement.
"What Psychological Factors In Sports Serve To Improve Performance?" Our Thoughts. Last updated December 27, 2022. https://nospensees.fr/quels-facteurs-psychologiques-dans-le-sport-servent-a-ameliorer-le-rendement/.
Vidal Andreato, Leonardo, Maryon Gotardo dos Santos, and Alexandro Andrade. "What do we know about the effects of mental training applied to combat sports? A systematic review." ScienceDirect. Last updated November 2022. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1469029222001352.
Access exclusive services for free
Subscribe and receive newsletters on:
In addition, index your favorite resources in your own folders and find your history of consultation.
Subscribe to the newsletterYou might also like:
Aquifer is a name that doesn't figure in the list of buzzwords on the climate issue. But it is vital for thousands of people. This article introduces one of the world's largest aquifers, the Guarani aquifer, which belongs to four South American countries, and how these countries have collaborated to create an agreement for its responsible use.
To be or not to be... in the classroom [Thesis]
Coming to class "as a robot"... the stakes of the meeting of the digital and physical world by means of a telepresence robot. Thesis by Dorothée Furnon.
Tomorrow, avatars of teachers and students?
The question of avatars may seem to be located only in the field of video games. As the dream of metavers continues, the subject of our digital twins emerges. What will they be used for? In education, what would be the benefits of an avatar classroom and teacher?
When self-confidence loosens tongues
How to learn, practice and finally speak a language when you suffer from a sickly shyness? By having confidence in yourself! Presentation of some tips and tricks to stop speaking a foreign language in public!
In Search of the World's Richest Language
Which language is the most lexically rich in the world? Which language can boast the largest vocabulary? Put yourself in the shoes of a linguist and go in search of the richest language!
