Mental training gained visibility in Poland when Adam Małysz pointed to its role in his string of victories. Since then, awareness of the importance of this type of preparation in an overall training plan has become more widespread.
What Exactly Does Mental Training Involve?
Modern athlete preparation does not limit itself to physical, technical and tactical training under an experienced coach. Professionals focus on a comprehensive approach that also includes work with a physiotherapist, nutritionist and often a doctor.
What Makes Athletes the Best?
In today’s sport, top athletes compete at the limits of their biological capacity — both preparation and the competition moment are planned according to precise indicators. All the more so, the decisive factor in achieving the planned result becomes the psychological sphere. This is where mental training comes in.
Mental training is a set of methods and techniques allowing deliberate influence on psychological processes — emotion, motivation, concentration, self-confidence — in order to optimise behaviour in training and competition situations. Its fundamental tools include:
- Visualisation — mentally rehearsing a performance or action before execution
- Relaxation and breathing techniques — controlling arousal and stress levels
- Concentration and focus training — blocking out distractions during competition
- Goal setting — structuring short and long-term objectives
- Building self-confidence — developing belief in one’s own abilities
The Role of Coaching in Sport
Coaching in sport is a process of working with an athlete (or team) that supports the development of potential, achieving goals and overcoming internal barriers. The coach — unlike the traditional trainer — does not give instructions or direct. Instead, through the right questions and active listening, they guide the person to find their own answers and solutions.
In the sports context, coaching focuses on:
- Identifying what really motivates the athlete
- Working through performance barriers and failures
- Building resilience to pressure
- Developing leadership and team responsibility
- Work-life-sport balance
Mental Training and Coaching Beyond Sport
It is a fact that tools which not long ago served only sporting champions can now be used in business and personal life as well. Anyone who exercises — even recreationally — can benefit from mental training and coaching. They open new possibilities in daily training and lead to experiencing full harmony, not just in sport.
Author: Bartosz Raś — Coach and Mental Trainer, FitMixer Kraków
Originator, founder and mentor of Personal Training Center FitMixer
Sandra Szychowska is a certified personal trainer and physiotherapist at FitMixer, speaking Polish, English and German (PL/EN/DE).
Licensed Strenght Conditioning Trainer, a graduate of the Academy of Physical Education in Krakow at
