Get Your Head in the Game!

Photo by Tom Caravaglia

What makes an Olympian or an Artist an elite athlete? Most certainly it is their physicality, but what makes one more amazing than another? When we are measuring “winning” in 1/100ths of a second, (think Michael Phelps or Usaine Bolt winning a race by a few hundredths of a second) it is their focus before and during an event that is the game changer. Watch an athlete right before their event. How do they warm up their bodies? How do they train their minds? Physical training is done- now it is time to compete. Having your mind in the game is the game changer. Mental clarity, focus, and imagining yourself a winner is what can give you or the elite athlete an edge in competition or performance.

Joseph Pilates wrote in his book Return to Life Through Contrology (in 1945!) “One of the major results of Contrology is gaining the mastery of your mind over the complete control of your body”. Brilliant! Many of us watched Michael Phelps prepare for a race with headphones on and his robe over his head; Usaine Bolt jogged around yet was relaxed and goofing around. On the starting block, he was focused. Dancers stand in the wings and run through their choreography to connect their bodies to their minds. The spiritual aspect occurs while they are on the stage performing and often get lost in the moment- they are in their zone and have complete mastery of mind and body.

When you are at the gym and you are in your “zone” you are balancing your mind, body, and spirit harmoniously and achieving the maximum output and control that you are capable of. When you are tired or distracted, how hard is it to find that place and then you have a bad run, a less than optimal workout? Yet, how high do you feel when you connect all three? How about that big presentation you have to give or the interview for that coveted position you have been wanting? By exercising our bodies, breathing deeply, and focusing our attention on a task, we can all find the perfect balance of mind, body, and spirit.

How did this MoveCoLab Tip work for you? Email us your results at info@movecolab.com!