MINDFULNESS AND MINDFULNESS

Body scan exercises ("Body Scan")

Mindfulness applied to sports seeks to train the ability to be present. A fundamental technique is "body scanning", which involves directing attention sequentially through different parts of the body to notice physical sensations without trying to change them.

This helps the athlete reconnect with his or her actual physical state and detect areas of tension that might go unnoticed due to stress.

A track cyclist might perform a quick scan before a pursuit race.

Starting with his feet on the pedals, moving up his legs, feeling the contact with the saddle, the curvature of his back and finally the grip on the handlebars.

As you go through this mental journey, you are not necessarily looking to relax, but to check your "instrument". You might notice, "I feel a lot of pressure on my shoulders."

Instead of judging it as a bad thing ("I'm too tense"), simply take note and adjust your posture slightly, keeping your mind anchored in the physical sensations of the moment rather than in anticipation of the starting gun.

Focus on the present moment without judgment

The essence of mindfulness in competition is the acceptance of thoughts and emotions as they arise, without labeling them as positive or negative.

The goal is not to have a blank mind, but to observe internal events as transitory events and gently return focus to the present task.

This prevents an intrusive thought from spiraling into a distraction. Imagine a tennis player who commits a double fault at a critical moment. An automatic thought might be, "What a disaster, I'm going to lose the set!".

Mindfulness practice allows her to notice that thought ("I'm having the thought that I'm going to lose") without merging with it.

Instead of getting angry, he acknowledges the frustration, breathes, and redirects his attention to the feel of the ball in his hand and where he wants to direct the next serve.

This ability to "reset" and return to the "here and now" is what sets mentally resilient athletes apart.

Summary

Mindfulness trains the ability to be present through techniques such as body scanning. Directing attention sequentially to physical sensations allows us to detect hidden areas of tension without trying to forcefully change them.

The key is to accept thoughts and emotions without judging them as positive or negative. The goal is not to leave the mind blank, but to observe internal events as transitory and transient.

This practice prevents spirals of distraction in the face of critical errors. Noticing frustration without merging with it allows the athlete to redirect his or her attention to the immediate task, differentiating mentally resilient competitors.