10 training strategies to improve the attention, concentration and performance of athletes

Training the athlete into strategies to improve attention and concentration is important to have a good performance in competition. Every day sports psychology gains more land because It is impossible for the body to be disconnected from the mind, That is, it is already known that both make up the two sides of the same currency and it is useless to have a perfectly trained body if our mind plays a bad pass in the moments of tension.

Athletes who wish to perform at the highest level should know the appropriate techniques and have control over their mind. This implies that the athlete does a review of himself and evaluates his system of beliefs, values ​​and their qualities at the individual level, in order to know with certainty both strengths and weaknesses.

An example of mental strength at the psychological level is the ability to have a flexible mind and be able to adapt to different circumstances, implement self -control and always feel curious.

Strategies to improve attention and concentration

Among the strategies to improve attention and concentration are the following:

1. Plan training: It is important to define training when dealing with a sports season. Among the characteristics that must be met include the measurable, specific, relevant and limited objectives in time.
2. Attention: it is fundamental in the learning process. If this is not appropriate, performance can be hindered. As a athlete, you must know what the stimuli and the answers that must be met are.
3. Organization of sports exercises: this also contributes to improving attention and adapting to each situation. The idea is that the practice can be executed in different attentional foci, both internal and external, at a broad, and internal and external level at a narrow level, being able to travel from one to the other.
4. In the competition: this must be accepted; Preparation is required to act, adopt a mental state of flow and apply the techniques that have trained.
5. The fear should be lost: that is, the nerves must be left aside.
6. Control activation level: since it directly affects performance. The athlete must learn to identify which sources of stress are in context.
7. Remember the technique: this is fundamental.
8. Use keywords: o resort to internal dialogue.
9. Concentrate at the present moment: and make use of breathing techniques.
10. Make visualization: as you imagine, you are going to act.

All these sections are crucial before and during the competition, but after it you must also follow certain guidelines or strategies, such as:

• Avoid judging actions as good or bad;
• Observe actions as appropriate or inappropriate;
• If inappropriate action is executed, this means that you are closer to doing so in an adequate way.
• Practice and practice.

Other strategies to improve attention

Athletes must observe the strength in the midst of adversity; that is, Faced with a crisis, a potential is hidden that, if it is known to manage, will better practice. Obstacles should not be considered as paralyzing factors. Therefore, instead of paralyzing and regretting, the athlete must be flexible and realize that skills can be trained and adversities can become strengths.

Another psychological factor that is influential in the performance of the athlete is frustration. But, in these cases errors should be considered as opportunities for learning. There will always be a place, called a comfort zone, in which the athlete will feel safe, however, leaving there will help you overcome fears and can improve all its potentialities.

In life, very stressful situations will also be presented; For this the best option is resilience. In sports practice psychological pressure can be constant, But this can be handled through resilience, with maturity, a positive attitude and a high sense of commitment.

Everything that is learned in sports life will serve for life in general, then, the way in which the challenges will be in front of the challenges will solve the crises, understanding them as growth scenarios.

Sports practices can be perfected throughout life, such as emotional intelligence. Therefore, among the keys to success is commitment, trust, directed attention, positive visualizations, mental preparation, constant learning and distractions control.

Above all, You should enjoy the passion that means the practice of the activity that has been chosen, since passion can be classified as a mental state that will help grow and develop as a person.

Bibliography

• Mañas, i., Del Águila, J., Franco, c., Gil, m. D., & Gil, C. (2017). Mindfulness and sports performance. Psychology, Society & Education, 6(1), 41-53.
• Rojas, n. G. (2007). Implications of self -efficacy in sports performance. Psychological thought, 3(9).
• Ruiz Pérez, L. M. (1999). Sports performance, optimization and excellence in sport. Sports Psychology Magazine, 8(2), 0235-248.
• Viru, a., & Viru, M. (2003). Analysis and control of sports performance(Vol. 24). Editorial Paidotribo.