TE
that helps develop self-discipline rather than feeling deprived .
They Get comfortable being uncomfortable
( mental toughness )
Athletes get comfortable being uncomfortable . They anticipate the pain of a hard workout and embrace the fact that it will be a struggle at points . The military calls it embracing the suck . Very different from most of us who freak out or shut down at any sign of unpleasantness . “ A lot of people panic when they experience any discomfort in their bodies ,” “ Elite athletes ” do the exact opposite — they program themselves not to be rattled . You can see that on painthreshold tests , professionals become accustomed to the pain , and even while their bodies are in distress , their minds are not . You can learn to do that just as you do any other aspect of training .” How ? You don ’ t fear the hurt . Instead of backing off when breathlessness takes hold during a sprint , tell yourself , relax , I ’ m going to be okay , this is not too hard for me , or I can do this . Then take your speed up one notch . Your body already knows it can handle the challenge . You ’ ve just got to prove it to your brain . Triathletes call it the “ pain cave ” or the “ lactic acid bear .” They subject themselves to it and don ’ t see it as something to avoid , but something to enter into , embrace and see how long they can stay there . Over time they get better at staying in the pain cave for longer and longer periods . Several studies have shown that elite athletes report significantly less discomfort than amateur or new athletes under the same conditions . The body indeed responds to what the mind tells it .
They use Visualization
According to a study in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology , hockey , track and field , and volleyball athletes who envisioned themselves playing their sport with confidence and control also exhibited the highest levels of mental toughness . They did not crumble under pressure or give up if a competition got tough . Take five minutes a day outside the gym to imagine yourself overcoming an obstacle in your workout . Picture yourself pushing a certain weight on a bench-press , feel your chest muscles engage , your core tighten , and hear the sound of the bar as you put it back on the
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