Five Mindfulness Techniques to Transform Your Game

“You want me to do what?’ I asked the yoga-pants clad instructor standing in front of my beginner class attempting to explain the concept of meditation. “I want you to quiet your mind, focus on your breathing, and listen to my voice as we explore our inner thoughts,” she repeated. Two minutes later I was sound asleep, waking only to the sound of the gong signaling that it was time for me to leave the studio. A great nap, but a meditation failure nonetheless.

When someone hears the word “mindfulness” the scenario above usually comes to mind, followed by sheer panic with the realization they have to be alone with their own thoughts... I know, scary, right?! At least it was for me! While this type of class-led meditation practice can be very useful in honing your mindfulness skill set, there are so many other implementations of mindfulness one can use to become self-aware and be able to self-regulate emotions both on and off the competitive field.

We, as athletes, have been told to avoid negative self-talk because it leads to negative thoughts and on to negative actions. Mindfulness allows athletes to worry less about avoiding negative thoughts and to think more about figuring out how to accept them, overcome them, and perform better under pressure. 

Many athletes utilize mindfulness practices to assist them in achieving a “flow state.” Flow is the ability to perform at an elite level, with minimal emotional deregulations, at a consistent rate. This requires long periods of focus with limited distractions and many hours of practice…. Sound familiar? Hint: mindfulness training!

Now, how do you achieve long periods of focus with limited distractions and many hours of practice, you might ask? Many coaches and players understand the benefit of mental preparation, but few know exactly how to prepare. Below are a few mindfulness practices that can help you achieve your optimal flow state as an athlete:

1. Decentering

Have you ever felt completely consumed by your emotions when you were on the field (court, course, pool, track or balance beam?) Maybe you missed a goal on an easy breakaway, and you are overcome with anger at yourself and your ability (or inability) to play your sport. Decentering is a positive way to release yourself from your negative thoughts and emotions in a high-stress situation. It is the ability to say, “I keep telling myself that I am not good enough, but I don’t have to believe every thought that pops in my head, because they aren’t necessarily true.” One way to practice decentering is by addressing the negative thought (i.e. “I acknowledge that I believe I am not good enough”), envisioning a release of the negative thought (i.e. “I don’t truly believe I am not good enough, it is just what I am feeling in this moment.”), and then completely focusing on an environmental or biological rhythm (i.e. your breathing in and out). The more you practice, the more it trains your mind to automatically release negative information you KNOW deep down is not true.

2. Imagery

Mindfulness isn’t just about the thoughts you have or the words you use to describe yourself. A mental picture of the way you play can also affect your flow. If you have a picture in your head of you missing a free throw, you can bet that you will miss a similar free throw in your game! Imagery re-connects your mind and your muscle memory, signaling that you know what you are doing, and you have done it 100 times before. Try listening to a relaxing song 15 minutes before your next game and envision yourself playing a point, or running a play, or swimming 50 yards. Imagine yourself excelling, hitting all the right cues, completely annihilating the competition. Once you get out there in regular competition, your brain will think, “wait, I’ve done this before” and your body will take over from there.

3. Yoga

While having the ability to completely clear your mind is the optimal goal for most meditation gurus, there are other ways to practice mindfulness that may be better suited for us as athletes. Yoga, for example, is a mindfulness practice that better mirrors how an athlete might be feeling in a game. Whether it be a hot vinyasa flow or a slow, methodical yin class, focusing on one specific element can help you stay in tune with your body, become aware of any nagging thoughts, and regulate your emotions. Next time you are in downward dog, try focusing on the way the mat feels underneath your hands and don’t let your mind wander. Once you accomplish this technique in a relaxed, stress-less environment, it is easier to implement during a game when the crowd is cheering, your teammates are counting on you and you are starting to doubt your abilities. Focusing on one specific sense (i.e. touch, smell, sight) can help re-focus your mind on the positive and train your body to rely on muscle memory. If you don’t want to go into a studio, remember there is always the demonstrations on the internet!

4. Task-Setting

In tennis we have a saying, “one shot at a time”. A tennis match can start to become overwhelming when you think about how many points, how many games, and how many sets you have left in order to win. It is a long process and looking at the finish line can increase your nerves tenfold… Trust me, I’ve been there!  In any sport, if you are so worried about the ultimate results, you can’t remain focused on the task-at-hand. When task-setting, it is much more manageable when you start small. Focusing on a larger task, rather than on the individual steps leading to the finish line, this deflects your focus from the present moment, and in turn takes you out of flow.

5. Self-talk

This is a skill that most athletes have discussed with their coaches, parents, therapists, etc., but it’s very difficult to successfully put it into action. While it takes many hours of positive self-talk to encourage ourselves to trust in our abilities, it only takes a moment of negative self-talk to crash down what we have worked so hard to build up. A practice of self-talk that is really powerful is the use of cue words. Phrases like “Stay positive”, “Keep fighting”, and “You’ve got this” can all have incredible effects on your mood, focus and nerves. Pick one cue and use it anytime you start to feel out of your flow and you need to refocus your thoughts. Remember, stay positive and keep fighting!

In order to be the best, you have to practice and play like the best. Olympic gold-medal-winning gymnast Shannon Miller said, “The physical aspect of the sport can only take you so far…the mental aspect has to kick in.” The above techniques, if practiced correctly, can be called upon at any moment to help you achieve your optimal flow in order to excel in your sport. When it gets tough, think back to a time you used one of these tools and found success. Build on the positive. And always remember the age-old sports proverb: Sports are 10% physical and 90% mental. You’ve got this!

Caroline H. Weppner is a first-year master's student in the Catholic University's Psychological Science program and the graduate assistant coach for both the men's and women's Catholic University tennis teams. A 2016 graduate of LSU with a bachelor's degree in mass communication and minors in business administration and psychology, she competed one season on the women's tennis team, being named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. A native of Baton Rouge, LA., Weppner played numerous sports growing up, including select basketball and select travel soccer. In high school, Weppner was ranked as high as No. 91 in the nation and the No. 2-ranked player in the state of Louisiana. She was a six-time individual region champion, five-time individual state champion and led her team to four consecutive 2A state championship titles. Weppner specializes in performance and team cohesion, particularly as it pertains to sports and the military, and is also working as a graduate research assistant with the Anxiety, Mindfulness, & Psychotherapy Integration research Lab on Catholic U.'s campus.