Mindfulness and sport? Yes, indeed. It’s a very powerful combination, especially in
the United States of America where mindfulness has had a presence in
sport---numerous sports---for several years now. Here in Australia, where I
live, mindfulness is just beginning to make its presence felt in sport, but it
will happen. Indeed, it already is.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs at work---practising mindfulness
Here are ten very good reasons why sport and
mindfulness ought to go together. One: mindfulness improves concentration and
the capacity to focus and pay attention to the moment. Two: mindfulness
improves mental resilience. Three: mindfulness reduces distractedness. Four: mindfulness
helps a person to empty themself of self-concern. Five: mindfulness fosters and
promotes cooperation and team work. Six: mindfulness enhances self-confidence.
Seven: mindfulness leads to a more stable and steady mind. Eight: mindfulness
improves one’s ability to cope with and release stress---in positive ways.
Nine: mindfulness fosters ethical behaviour. Ten: mindfulness enhances esteem.
All of that is FACT. And all of those things are good for sport and for those
who engage in it.
Last Sunday the South Sydney Rabbitohs won the NRL Grand Final against the Canterbury Bulldogs, 30-6, to
claim their first premiership in 43 years.
The team totally deserved their historic win.
They worked hard, and performed exceptionally well on the field throughout the
season. It has now been revealed that the team also had a special training
program that included, among other things, ‘mind resilience training.’ The
latter included, in substantial part, mindfulness practice. Yes, for the last five months the players meditated as a group for
twenty minutes, three times a week.
The approach, a combination of breathing, mind and body exercises, was devised by consumer psychologist Derek Leddie and Dr Samantha Graham, who has a PhD in learning and communication.
For more information please read this article from the Sydney Morning Herald.
The approach, a combination of breathing, mind and body exercises, was devised by consumer psychologist Derek Leddie and Dr Samantha Graham, who has a PhD in learning and communication.
For more information please read this article from the Sydney Morning Herald.
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Here is one of the great things about mindfulness; you can start the practice of Mindfulness even if your club doesn’t have a Mindfulness Coach like those teams. Mindfulness is fairly basic but like any practice takes time and must be done regularly.So think of Mindfulness as a mental state of being actively aware and attentive to the present.
ReplyDeleteSant Kirpal Singh
Good post.
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