When asked how much of sports is mental, coaches said it’s 35%, 50%, up to 80%, according to Penn Athletics sports psychologic Joel Fish. This is why to succeed in sports, an athlete has to develop his mental skills. Meditation can help in this aspect. It has been found to help improve concentration, in addition to reducing stress and enhancing self-awareness, states an article in Sports Psychology Today.
Meditation also needs to be regularly practiced to maximize its mental and emotional benefits. A University of Miami study has found that “meditation not only provides protection from a natural decline in attention during high-demand times but that the more you practice, the greater the protection is.” The study, which was published in The Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, found “considerable mental resilience, with higher scores” in the participating athletes who meditated compared to those who didn’t.
When Canadian researchers Terry Orlick and John Partington studied what separated athletes who won at the 1984 Olympics from those who didn’t, the one factor that stood out was mental preparation. Inspirational speaker, coach, and former professional surfer Matt Griggs recommend meditation, particularly Kelee meditation, for those who are training for surfing. He finds that “the more that people practice this meditation, the more they don’t make mistakes.”
