Sometimes it seems that the more progress we make in the physical development of athletes the farther we get away from the importance of the mind and the recognition of the mind/body connection. If you’ve read any of my earlier blogs you know that I’m a big believer in the mind/body connection and my teaching is based on the fact that all physical movement and physical skills originate in the mind. Your ability to execute and repeat your mechanics is 100% due to your ability to eliminate any resistance and mental clutter from your mind to allow your body to execute the skills you’ve learned. Without knowing it however today’s athletes routinely fill their mind with mental clutter inadvertently creating inconsistent performance.I was thinking about this the other day when I was watching Matt Garza of the Tampa Bay Rays pitch. During the game they showed what Matt does to prepare for his start. Sitting alone Matt has his head plugged into his iPod with loud music cranked up to get him “pumped up” for his start. Now I would never argue about Matt’s ability or say that he doesn’t posses lights out stuff. The problem with Matt is throughout his career he has demonstrated that his performance isn’t as consistent as the great pitchers in the game today. One day he’ll have no hit type performances (like he did a couple weeks ago) and other days he’ll resemble a AAA level pitcher.
Watching his pre-game routine made me think back to my own career. Back in college I too listened to loud music to get me “pumped up”. I had the belief that success in baseball was directly related to my level of effort. That if I got fired up, went out and tried hard, and wanted it more then my opponent that I would achieve the success I desired. Unfortunately I experienced the same inconsistent performance that Matt Garza has. I didn’t understand what the proper mechanics were or how to prepare my mind to enhance my performance. It wasn’t until I started to study the mind and the mind/body connection that I realized how powerful silence really is.
In today’s fast paced society where we have the opportunity to be constantly stimulated athletes don’t spend very much time (or any time at all) in silence. Today’s athlete can wake up in the morning, turn the tv on, eat breakfast, shower, jump in the car, turn the radio on, and basically go through their entire day without ever experiencing a moment of silence. If they are in a position where they might be forced to be silent they can plug their into their phones or iPods and distract themselves even further. The problem is, this constant stimulation doesn’t allow our mind to quiet itself and allow the free flow of information from our subconscious mind to our body which is necessary for repeatable, consistent performance.
If you look back in history samurai's would go into deep, silent, meditation before battle. These warriors were masters of movement and understood that a quiet mind was a necessity for them to execute their skills efficiently. Personally, as I got farther along in my career I began to employ silence and meditation into my pre-game ritual. The results I experienced were amazing. Executing my mechanics became easier and almost effortless. I had much more control over my emotions and I stayed on more of an even keel mentally and emotionally.
I would encourage you to begin to use silence in your pre-game routine. Put away your iPod and don’t think about getting “pumped up” for the game. Instead think about putting yourself in the best position possible to consistently execute your mechanics. Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Many times this can be done in your car in the parking lot before the game. Close your eyes and just listen to yourself breath for 10-15 minutes. Control your breath by utilizing slow, deep breaths. If your mind begins to wander just gently bring your focus back to your breathing. At first your mind may object by creating it’s own mental clutter. Understand that this is all very normal, you are just becoming aware of the clutter and resistance that you were never aware of before. Over time your mind will begin to quiet itself and the resistance that has been preventing you from achieving your desired level of performance will begin to disappear. You will begin to notice not only improved performance but more consistent performance as well. Do yourself a favor, eliminate some of the stimulation, and quiet your mind. You will be shocked at how this simple mental technique will improve your physical performance.
