Mental Recovery in Training

Most of us understand and value the importance of recovery in our training routine. We train hard some days and bring down the intensity on other days. We take a full day or 2 off of training each week. It is critical to our performance that we implement recovery in our physical training. We must submit ourselves to stress and recovery in order to perform at our peak and improve our toughness.

The importance of recovery in the physical aspect of our training also holds true in the mental aspect of our training. As we train for competition physically it is important that we also train mentally and it is equally important that we recover mentally. If we only increase our mental stress during our training camp and never integrate mental recovery we will not go into battle 100% peaked.

This area of training stress & recovery often gets overlooked. We simply keep training hard, focusing, practicing and concentrating without implementing mental recovery. We may start to experience poor concentration, chronic mental fatigue, negative thinking and much more if we do not make time for mental recovery. Just as when we overtrain our bodies and end up feeling chronic fatigue, experiencing injuries and sleeping problems, we can overtrain our minds.

We cannot just focus on one thing for extended periods of time without negative consequences. We needs breaks, periods of rest and recovery. Putting our minds and bodies through stress is essential to developing toughness and performing at our peak. Stress is energy expenditure, it provides us with a challenge. Recovery is our energy recapture, it provides us with growth. We must break down muscles in physical training and build them back up in recovery and the same holds true for the mental piece of training.

So what are mental stress & recovery?

According to a book I highly recommend "The New Toughness Training For Sports" by James Loehr the following are considered mental stress:

• Focusing
• Mental practicing, thinking
• Visualizing, imaging
• Analyzing
• Rehearsing tactics & strategies
• Problem solving
• Concentrating

And the following are what Loehr considers mental recovery:

• Mind wandering
• Feelings of mental relief
• Increased calmness
• Brain activity slowing down
• Increased sense of slowing down mentally
• Increase fantasy
• Increase spontaneous imagery
• Decrease focus
• Increase creativity

The key to training our mental recovery is making time for it during appropriate times. The last thing we want is our mind wandering during competition. We need to make sure and build mental recovery into our training. We need to take time to cross train, watch funny movies, and participate in activities unrelated to our sport. For a boxer you might take a bike ride or play a game of basketball. For a tennis player you might choose to go play golf. No matter what you choose to do be sure to make time for mental recovery...you need to recharge your batteries, allow your mind time to rest & relax and give yourself free time to rebuild mentally. If we are constantly thinking, talking and engaging in our sport we will prolong the stress cycle and risk poor performance in battle.

As I gear up for the 2010 Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament, this is a concept I am very aware of. Fighting, as with all sports, is more mental than anything, so if I don't make time for mental recovery I run the risk of not performing at my peak. I must train my mind and body by submitting them both to stress & discomfort and I must also train my recovery. I must use my time between rounds to recovery and regroup, I must use my time between training sessions to relax and unwind. Going into battle with a balanced level of stress & recovery will lead to performing at my best!

So when you think about your training routine be sure to integrate recovery both mental and physical. You want to avoid being out of balance. You don't want to expend loads more stress than your recapture and you also don't want to spend loads more time in recovery than in stress. The coaches at Warrior Fighting Sports & Fitness understand this delicate and critical balance. They will work with you to put you on a path towards peak performance. Whether you are recreational or competitive introducing stress & recovery into all areas of your life is key to success and happiness.