Mental toughness is regarded as a key performance asset for athletes. It is understood by those in competitive sports as the ‘ability to sustain attention on the task at hand while under pressure, as well as in the face of distraction’. Athletes are frequently offered the opportunity to acclimate themselves to sources of external distraction, but what about internal distraction? As a yogi I’ve had a meditation practice for a while. For someone who didn’t do much of it before …
Imbalances. Weaknesses. Unilateral work. We’re used to hearing and seeing these words from coaches and in programming. It’s a crucial part of setting foundations for strength – and avoiding injury. If for example, we find a single arm push press or Bulgarian split squat harder/easier on one side, it’s generally natural that we tune into that and work to ‘close the gap’ between right and left – both to contribute to performance in the gym and to avoid the effects …
Misconceptions of Yoga Here’s the thing. Stereotypical misconceptions of yoga still exist – I base this on what I hear in podcasts, conversations with friends, and certainly by some strength and conditioning coaches, many of whom I respect. To a degree, I can’t blame them – a lot of what we see on Instagram is pretty pictures of freakishly bendy women and it’s like we physically cringe in pain at the thought of attempting to contort ourselves in the same …
I love to lift weights. I love to sweat and find that ‘second wind’ in a workout, proving time and time again to myself that I can meet and sometimes surpass my own expectations. Why Do We Do It? Whether you’re a competitor or not, we’ve all experienced the clarity and confidence that comes from lifting a heavy barbell or nailing a workout in the gym. “Balance” is another word thrown around a lot – this …
