Workouts that create Calm when there is a Storm

In the middle to latter part of  workouts or competitions, if you find yourself losing focus start attacking and refocusing on your goal. Keep thinking of the pain during the workout as short term. Tiredness is a short term feeling compared to the hours that you do training and working out. When you know during a race that the opposition is usually better than you, don't worry about it or have negative thoughts but instead use a mind workout to get the best out of yourself and your performance.

 If you can stay with your opposition for as long as possible you will have a better chance of doing well as they can motivate you. Control your thoughts to concentrate on your technique; be relaxed from head to toe, including facial expression, bottom jaw, shoulders down, chest up, abdominals in, hips held high, push off the ball of the foot and relax the arms. If you focus on your arms and legs and get them to move efficiently it will distract from the fatigue at the end of the race. In the final part of the workout or competition in the last few seconds whether it is 30 seconds or 3 seconds, use your will power to give 100% of what energy and mental strength you have left. Say to yourself I'm going to run as fast as I can and give 100% too achieve the best workout you possibly can on that day. Balance your body and mind in your workouts. Remember that 60% of a competition is mental preparation. So don’t just concentrate on workouts for the body, workout your mind.

Keep your eye on your goal perhaps it's the prize, or your time is important, you're finishing place or the prize in your category that you want to do well in. Keep thinking positive thoughts and don't allow yourself to have one negative thought. This can be helped by visualizing your run into the final stretch of a race being fast, strong and powerful with perfect technique and style, and all of this with an air of confidence and self-belief. Having confidence is the key, so remind yourself of all the training sessions you have done before in training. Think of the hill Workouts, the workouts in the gym, the sprint drills, the technique practices and the long endurance runs.  All of this will remind you that you deserve to have the best competition workouts ever. Practice doesn't make it perfect but it does make it permanent. So when it comes to doing your speed drills and technique training why not create excellence, it's not an act but a habit. Athletes we learn that we become what we repeatedly do.

Workouts improve flexibility and range of movement. Workouts increase strength, improve cardiovascular function and thus burn calories. Workouts reduce stress levels and provide a feeling of well-being. Particular workouts like Pilate’s Yoga, warm-ups and cool down exercises improve flexibility and freedom of joint movement. Workouts create calmness and a great sense of achievement. Workouts increase self confidence and boost endorphin levels which in turn make you feel good and have been known to help reduce feelings of depression. By participating in regular workouts this can improve your lung capacity which can help people suffering with asthma and breathing problems.

Athletics Ireland supports all levels of participation in sport. There are local athletic clubs all over Ireland who offer Fit  4 Life Group sessions offering something for everyone.  This is for people wishing to improve their lifestyle meet new friends and improve on their personal best performance.

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