Mental Coaching: 8 PSYCHOLOGICAL TIPS FOR GETTING A GREAT WORKOUT!!

Sure you can prep yourself physically for a workout, through drills, exercises, etc,  but what about preparing yourself mentally to go to that next step?  Can you be your own fitness coach and improve your fitness through Sports Psychology?   I call this "Mental Coaching"....  Mental Coaching is how to implement sports psychology to increase your fitness.  It can help you BREAK THROUGH MENTAL BARRIERS that may be keeping you from starting a workout routine or from INCREASING your workout exertion level.  Mental Coaching can help you reach your athletic and fitness POTENTIAL!!!  Very simple steps, yet very effective at the same time!  
So, I came up with a list of 8 psychological  tips to help you break through your mental barriers and to improve your fitness... After the list of tips, I have posted a link to an article on how our thoughts and 'self talk' can influence our performance...
1.  Accept the challenge!  We are all ready to become stronger...  but it's up to you to accept the challenge of bumping up your level.  ARE YOU READY?????


2.  Shoot for a little more than last time!  Did you workout 20 min last time?  Could you do 30 today?  Did you push yourself at 250 Watts on the Indoor Cycle?  Can you go 300 today?  Even for a few seconds to a few minutes of added intensity will create CHANGE!!!


3.  Make your GOAL specific!!  Saying you want to just be 'faster' at your run or swim is too general.  Make it more specific.  Research shows that if you set a specific goal, you are more motivated to complete the tast.  A specific goal would be something like this:  if you want to run a 5K faster, could you shave 30 seconds off?  How could you accomplish that?  How long would it take you to safely achieve this goal?  3 weeks, 2 weeks, more, less???


4.  Visualization!!  Many athletes use visualization as part of their training.  Those that use this technique often report that it does improve their performance as well as their AWARENESS of their performance.   Visualize yourself using proper technique and you will likely implement it.  It is a MIND AND BODY CONNECTION!!


5.  FOCUS!!  What do you want to focus on during today's workout?  This week's workout?  Is it RPM while you are on the bike while going up a hill?  Is it 20 sec. running sprints with a 40 sec. recovery? Focus on one skill, or drill, and work on it until YOU are satisfied...  


6.  Take PRIDE in your successes!!  Don't be ashamed or shy about announcing when you see improvement in your workout!  Be proud of your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem to you... any step forward is a big step forward!!


7.  By good equipement!  Not only will good equipment benefit your form and therefore benefit your performance, but you get a psychological boost out of the proper equipment.  Nice running shoes, compression clothing, Spinning shoes, etc.  You feel ready, you LOOK ready... you ARE READY!!


8.  Don't give up the fight!!  Nothing in this life is easy.  Maybe you don't feel like working out, but you do it anyway.  Keep the fight up.  Don't get discouraged.  Don't roll over and lay down...  Once you stope the fight for what YOU DO WANT, what you DON'T want will win...  Let's get what WE WANT and be willing to fight for it!  :)  The the victor goes the spoils!  


Here is an interesting article worth reading on how your thoughts effect your fitness abilities!  http://www.topnews.in/health/how-your-thoughts-self-talk-are-linked-your-performance-212213


If you have any other tips or ideas, please feel free to post them!  Have you tried any of these?  Did they work for you?