Meditation and sport: a win-win combination
Meditation floaty?
Meditation and mindfulness may have a vague image. But that is unjustified, because they are both extremely practical and effective ways to improve your sports performance and feel mentally fitter. More and more athletes are aware of this!
Dutch athletes such as Kiki Bertens and Sjef van den Berg have told in interviews how much they benefit from meditation. International athletes such as Serena Williams, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kobe Bryant also use meditation to relax, stay calm under pressure, work on their mindset and achieve their goals.
Mental training
Meditation is often seen as a way to relax, but it's much more than that. It's a form of mental training that strengthens the mind, similar to how physical exercises make your body stronger and more flexible.
By meditating, you train your mind for greater focus, patience, emotional stability, resilience, and mental flexibility, even under pressure. These are important properties for athletes and non-athletes alike.
Oranjekeeper Bart Verbruggen also does mental training and meditation: “I think meditation is a big word. At certain times, it can be good to take a few easy breaths. That can help. ” (Source: nu.nl)
By meditating regularly, like Bart, you learn to “breathe calmly”. Your focus is on your breath, so you experience more calm and less stress, are better able to deal with challenges and can visualize in a more targeted manner.
Benefits of meditation in your training
What are the benefits of meditating before and after exercise?
- Improved focus and concentration
By meditating regularly, you train your mind to ignore distractions and focus your attention on one thing at a time. This is similar to training a muscle that becomes stronger and more efficient with regular exercise.
- Emotional stability
Meditation helps regulate emotions. It teaches you to let go of stress, anxiety, and negative thoughts, increasing your emotional resilience. This is essential for athletes who need to perform under pressure and stay calm in stressful situations.
- Mental flexibility
Meditation promotes mental flexibility. This means that your mind is better able to change perspective and adapt to new situations. This way, you can face unexpected challenges and recover more quickly from setbacks. - Faster recovery
By meditating regularly, you can recover faster after intense training and competitions. It helps to lower stress levels and promotes physical healing. - Fewer injuries
Meditation and mindfulness ensure that you come into better contact with your body. This allows you to detect signs of fatigue and pain more quickly and prevent injuries. - Better dealing with stress
Athletes often experience a lot of pressure, whether it's an important match or daily training sessions. Meditation helps you stay calm and deal well with stress. - Improved sleep quality:
A good night's sleep is crucial for sports performance. Meditation can help you sleep better, which in turn leads to better performance while exercising. - Visualization and targeting
Many athletes use meditation to visualize their goals and mentally prepare for their performance. This process is called “mental rehearsal” and can actually help you perform better.
Meditating is like exercising
Just like you have to train to become good at a sport, this also applies to meditation. You are not immediately a top scorer in a top team; you have to work hard and train regularly for that. The same goes for meditation. It takes practice and consistency to really experience its benefits. Step by step, you develop more and more mental strength.
Fortunately, meditation is not complicated and is therefore also very suitable for beginners. Even if you have never meditated before, you can take the first step very easily. In the Meditation Moments app For example, there are many tools to help you start meditating, such as breathing exercises, programs, soothing music and guided meditations.
