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The Power of Positive Self-Talk
When Kindness Leads to Greatness
The idea of speaking kindly to yourself isn’t anything new, but it’s worth revisiting now and again to remind us of how we complete training and racing successfully.
Endurance events are pretty unique and they get more unique the longer they go on. Most amateur athletes will essentially be against themselves and their own weight of expectation – developed through training and their perception of what makes an event a success.
As a result, the way we talk to ourselves during a race is very important.
What is self-talk?
Self-talk is defined as ‘what people say to themselves either silently in their head or aloud, automatically or strategically, to stimulate, direct, react, and evaluate events and actions’ (Hatzigeorgiadis, Zourbanos, Latinjak, & Theodorakis, 2014).
What are the effects of positive self-talk?
Research has shown self-talk to be an effective tool to enhance performance through rewiring the brain – effectively replacing potential negative talk with positive talk. A group of recreational cyclists who improved their cycling time to exhaustion by 18% when they were coached to use positive self-talk (Blanchfield, Hardy, de Morree, Staiano, & Marcora, 2014).
Put into practice, it could be as simple as replacing “my legs are really hurting” with “you’re almost there”.
There are a lot more intricacies of this which I won’t go into, however the results of positive self-talk have generally been shown to improve endurance performance.
How do you implement positive self-talk?
There are many tactics of retraining your internal monologue with positives over negatives and creating mantras to race by. This usually creates awareness around the strength of positivity and using our internal chatter to our advantage.
My personal theory on positive self-talk: it’s more than just the race
I think it all starts with training. Anxiety, expectation and potential negativity builds up from here and is waiting as soon as we enter the training block or start the race.
If we look at the purpose of the training as a means to an end, i.e. hitting your personal best, then we create a bar at which we feel we have to meet. We allow no place for our bar to move, therefore the pressure builds. It doesn’t allow for life events, illness or things beyond our control to be accounted for.
If we take the training seriously, which we should, but accept that it’s the best we can do ‘in that moment’ – then we automatically create a positive situation around exercise and the results become a by-product.
This positive self-talk for me doesn’t apply to a single race or training session, it’s the approach, kindness and awareness of one’s self during the whole journey.
Final thoughts
The next time you go into a training session and don’t hit the perfect pace, or if you replace a hard run with a shake out because half way into the warm up you feel terrible, don’t be hard on yourself – instead, be kind and reflect kindly. Carry the positives and any numerical misfires become possibilities and not limitations.
Fun - HONESTY - Simplicity - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work
ENGINE
8 min AMRAPS with some different dance moves for Engine this week!
GYMNASTICS
We will go upside down again, but this time with HSPU, followed by pull-up progressions. We will finish with some strength work.
HYROX
This week, we hit Half a Hyrox broken down into intervals, with rest!
MOBILITY
Mobility is Back! We will improve on the positions we need fixing from end-of-year testing. Simple hip & ankle mobility & glute stability/activation were big. With overhead stability being much needed, we will start to focus on this.
PURE STRENGTH
On Monday in Pure Strength, we have banded deadlifts and some Bulgarian split squats. On Wednesday, we hit the banded bench press and progress the loading on this and the banded row.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in Weightlifting we are focused on the Hang Snatch, with some snatch balance, a Heavy Snatch complex and some Pulls.
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Monday Ride
A skills and fitness based ride at the BikeDXB track in Dubai. Some simply structured intervals to enhance cycling ability.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
Wednesday - Brick Session
A brick session consisting of 60mins of cycling with 20 - 30mins of running. Great for all levels of triathlete.
Start time: 05:59 am
Location : BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. This run is currently gearing run fitness towards the incoming half marathons. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Long Ride
Saturday long ride is usually 100km long or around 3 - 3.5hrs. It's a ride catered for moderate to advanced cyclists. Please reach out to rf@innerfight.com if you have any questions.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location : BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
Sunday - DCS Half Marathon
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Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Mobility and Tempo
AM Session:
Please note there is no Morning session this week.
PM Session: This evening we will have our Tempo Run, which will be 8 mins at 7/10 and 3 mins recovery.
x3. Aim to keep a 7/10 effort on each block of work.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. The session today will be 800m repeats that build in pace.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you. The session is 100m efforts through the park with a 300m recovery.
Friday
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be looking to dial into
2mins @ 8RPE, followed 9mins @ 6RPE. Repeating the sequence 3x gives you plenty of opportunity to find your rhythm.
Sunday
Time: 06:00
Session: Dubai Creek
Location: TBC
This week we will be at the DCS 10km and half marathon race. Warm-up location and details will be shared in WhatsApp.
This week at Innerfight, we start working on those overhead squat positions, followed by lunging and rowing in the workout.
On Tuesday, we have some clean and jerk barbell cycling, a pair of short, sharp, classic CrossFit-style workouts, and then some assault
bike intervals. We are back squatting heavily on Wednesday before some tough single leg in the workout. Thursday, we have a nice
gymnastics skill session followed by a partner workout, and on Friday, we finish the week with a Long Therapy WOD!
Monday:
Strength:
Over Head Squats
Conditioning:
Every 4 mins x 5 Complete
10 DB Overhead Alt Reverse Lunges (50/35)
20/15 cal Row
10 DB Overhead Alt Reverse Lunges (50/35)
Tuesday:
Strength:
Complex Power Clean + Push Press + Push Jerk
Conditioning:
15-12-9
Chest to Bar
Power Clean (60/40)
rest 3 mins
21-15-9
Pull Ups
Push Press (45/35kg)
Wednesday:
Strength:
Back Squat
Conditioning:
In a 4 Minute Window with 2mins rest x 4
1 Lap Car Park KB Farmers Carry
10 KB Box Stepovers
15 Burpee to Target
AMRAP
Goblet Squats
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Double Unders
B) Toes to Bar
C) Russian KB Swings
Conditioning:
21 min AMRAP with a Partner
6 Wall walks
30 Deadlift (60/40)
30 Cal Ass bike
30 Cal Ski
Friday:
Strength:
A) Ring Rows
B) Wall Balls + Goblet Wall Sit
Conditioning:
30min AMRAP - 4 movements that when put together make an epic workout!
The idea of speaking kindly to yourself isn’t anything new, but it’s worth revisiting now and again to remind us of how we complete training and racing successfully.
Endurance events are pretty unique and they get more unique the longer they go on. Most amateur athletes will essentially be against themselves and their own weight of expectation – developed through training and their perception of what makes an event a success.
As a result, the way we talk to ourselves during a race is very important.
What is self-talk?
Self-talk is defined as ‘what people say to themselves either silently in their head or aloud, automatically or strategically, to stimulate, direct, react, and evaluate events and actions’ (Hatzigeorgiadis, Zourbanos, Latinjak, & Theodorakis, 2014).
What are the effects of positive self-talk?
Research has shown self-talk to be an effective tool to enhance performance through rewiring the brain – effectively replacing potential negative talk with positive talk. A group of recreational cyclists who improved their cycling time to exhaustion by 18% when they were coached to use positive self-talk (Blanchfield, Hardy, de Morree, Staiano, & Marcora, 2014).
Put into practice, it could be as simple as replacing “my legs are really hurting” with “you’re almost there”.
There are a lot more intricacies of this which I won’t go into, however the results of positive self-talk have generally been shown to improve endurance performance.
How do you implement positive self-talk?
There are many tactics of retraining your internal monologue with positives over negatives and creating mantras to race by. This usually creates awareness around the strength of positivity and using our internal chatter to our advantage.
My personal theory on positive self-talk: it’s more than just the race
I think it all starts with training. Anxiety, expectation and potential negativity builds up from here and is waiting as soon as we enter the training block or start the race.
If we look at the purpose of the training as a means to an end, i.e. hitting your personal best, then we create a bar at which we feel we have to meet. We allow no place for our bar to move, therefore the pressure builds. It doesn’t allow for life events, illness or things beyond our control to be accounted for.
If we take the training seriously, which we should, but accept that it’s the best we can do ‘in that moment’ – then we automatically create a positive situation around exercise and the results become a by-product.
This positive self-talk for me doesn’t apply to a single race or training session, it’s the approach, kindness and awareness of one’s self during the whole journey.
Final thoughts
The next time you go into a training session and don’t hit the perfect pace, or if you replace a hard run with a shake out because half way into the warm up you feel terrible, don’t be hard on yourself – instead, be kind and reflect kindly. Carry the positives and any numerical misfires become possibilities and not limitations.
Fun - HONESTY - Simplicity - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work
Monday Ride
A skills and fitness based ride at the BikeDXB track in Dubai. Some simply structured intervals to enhance cycling ability.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
Wednesday - Brick Session
A brick session consisting of 60mins of cycling with 20 - 30mins of running. Great for all levels of triathlete.
Start time: 05:59 am
Location : BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. This run is currently gearing run fitness towards the incoming half marathons. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Long Ride
Saturday long ride is usually 100km long or around 3 - 3.5hrs. It's a ride catered for moderate to advanced cyclists. Please reach out to rf@innerfight.com if you have any questions.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location : BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
Sunday - DCS Half Marathon
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Mobility and Tempo
AM Session:
Please note there is no Morning session this week.
PM Session: This evening we will have our Tempo Run, which will be 8 mins at 7/10 and 3 mins recovery.
x3. Aim to keep a 7/10 effort on each block of work.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. The session today will be 800m repeats that build in pace.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you. The session is 100m efforts through the park with a 300m recovery.
Friday
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be looking to dial into
2mins @ 8RPE, followed 9mins @ 6RPE. Repeating the sequence 3x gives you plenty of opportunity to find your rhythm.
Sunday
Time: 06:00
Session: Dubai Creek
Location: TBC
This week we will be at the DCS 10km and half marathon race. Warm-up location and details will be shared in WhatsApp.
This week at Innerfight, we start working on those overhead squat positions, followed by lunging and rowing in the workout.
On Tuesday, we have some clean and jerk barbell cycling, a pair of short, sharp, classic CrossFit-style workouts, and then some assault
bike intervals. We are back squatting heavily on Wednesday before some tough single leg in the workout. Thursday, we have a nice
gymnastics skill session followed by a partner workout, and on Friday, we finish the week with a Long Therapy WOD!
Monday:
Strength:
Over Head Squats
Conditioning:
Every 4 mins x 5 Complete
10 DB Overhead Alt Reverse Lunges (50/35)
20/15 cal Row
10 DB Overhead Alt Reverse Lunges (50/35)
Tuesday:
Strength:
Complex Power Clean + Push Press + Push Jerk
Conditioning:
15-12-9
Chest to Bar
Power Clean (60/40)
rest 3 mins
21-15-9
Pull Ups
Push Press (45/35kg)
Wednesday:
Strength:
Back Squat
Conditioning:
In a 4 Minute Window with 2mins rest x 4
1 Lap Car Park KB Farmers Carry
10 KB Box Stepovers
15 Burpee to Target
AMRAP
Goblet Squats
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Double Unders
B) Toes to Bar
C) Russian KB Swings
Conditioning:
21 min AMRAP with a Partner
6 Wall walks
30 Deadlift (60/40)
30 Cal Ass bike
30 Cal Ski
Friday:
Strength:
A) Ring Rows
B) Wall Balls + Goblet Wall Sit
Conditioning:
30min AMRAP - 4 movements that when put together make an epic workout!
ENGINE
8 min AMRAPS with some different dance moves for Engine this week!
GYMNASTICS
We will go upside down again, but this time with HSPU, followed by pull-up progressions. We will finish with some strength work.
HYROX
This week, we hit Half a Hyrox broken down into intervals, with rest!
MOBILITY
Mobility is Back! We will improve on the positions we need fixing from end-of-year testing. Simple hip & ankle mobility & glute stability/activation were big. With overhead stability being much needed, we will start to focus on this.
PURE STRENGTH
On Monday in Pure Strength, we have banded deadlifts and some Bulgarian split squats. On Wednesday, we hit the banded bench press and progress the loading on this and the banded row.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in Weightlifting we are focused on the Hang Snatch, with some snatch balance, a Heavy Snatch complex and some Pulls.
The idea of speaking kindly to yourself isn’t anything new, but it’s worth revisiting now and again to remind us of how we complete training and racing successfully.
Endurance events are pretty unique and they get more unique the longer they go on. Most amateur athletes will essentially be against themselves and their own weight of expectation – developed through training and their perception of what makes an event a success.
As a result, the way we talk to ourselves during a race is very important.
What is self-talk?
Self-talk is defined as ‘what people say to themselves either silently in their head or aloud, automatically or strategically, to stimulate, direct, react, and evaluate events and actions’ (Hatzigeorgiadis, Zourbanos, Latinjak, & Theodorakis, 2014).
What are the effects of positive self-talk?
Research has shown self-talk to be an effective tool to enhance performance through rewiring the brain – effectively replacing potential negative talk with positive talk. A group of recreational cyclists who improved their cycling time to exhaustion by 18% when they were coached to use positive self-talk (Blanchfield, Hardy, de Morree, Staiano, & Marcora, 2014).
Put into practice, it could be as simple as replacing “my legs are really hurting” with “you’re almost there”.
There are a lot more intricacies of this which I won’t go into, however the results of positive self-talk have generally been shown to improve endurance performance.
How do you implement positive self-talk?
There are many tactics of retraining your internal monologue with positives over negatives and creating mantras to race by. This usually creates awareness around the strength of positivity and using our internal chatter to our advantage.
My personal theory on positive self-talk: it’s more than just the race
I think it all starts with training. Anxiety, expectation and potential negativity builds up from here and is waiting as soon as we enter the training block or start the race.
If we look at the purpose of the training as a means to an end, i.e. hitting your personal best, then we create a bar at which we feel we have to meet. We allow no place for our bar to move, therefore the pressure builds. It doesn’t allow for life events, illness or things beyond our control to be accounted for.
If we take the training seriously, which we should, but accept that it’s the best we can do ‘in that moment’ – then we automatically create a positive situation around exercise and the results become a by-product.
This positive self-talk for me doesn’t apply to a single race or training session, it’s the approach, kindness and awareness of one’s self during the whole journey.
Final thoughts
The next time you go into a training session and don’t hit the perfect pace, or if you replace a hard run with a shake out because half way into the warm up you feel terrible, don’t be hard on yourself – instead, be kind and reflect kindly. Carry the positives and any numerical misfires become possibilities and not limitations.
Fun - HONESTY - Simplicity - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Mobility and Tempo
AM Session:
Please note there is no Morning session this week.
PM Session: This evening we will have our Tempo Run, which will be 8 mins at 7/10 and 3 mins recovery.
x3. Aim to keep a 7/10 effort on each block of work.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. The session today will be 800m repeats that build in pace.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you. The session is 100m efforts through the park with a 300m recovery.
Friday
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be looking to dial into
2mins @ 8RPE, followed 9mins @ 6RPE. Repeating the sequence 3x gives you plenty of opportunity to find your rhythm.
Sunday
Time: 06:00
Session: Dubai Creek
Location: TBC
This week we will be at the DCS 10km and half marathon race. Warm-up location and details will be shared in WhatsApp.
This week at Innerfight, we start working on those overhead squat positions, followed by lunging and rowing in the workout.
On Tuesday, we have some clean and jerk barbell cycling, a pair of short, sharp, classic CrossFit-style workouts, and then some assault
bike intervals. We are back squatting heavily on Wednesday before some tough single leg in the workout. Thursday, we have a nice
gymnastics skill session followed by a partner workout, and on Friday, we finish the week with a Long Therapy WOD!
Monday:
Strength:
Over Head Squats
Conditioning:
Every 4 mins x 5 Complete
10 DB Overhead Alt Reverse Lunges (50/35)
20/15 cal Row
10 DB Overhead Alt Reverse Lunges (50/35)
Tuesday:
Strength:
Complex Power Clean + Push Press + Push Jerk
Conditioning:
15-12-9
Chest to Bar
Power Clean (60/40)
rest 3 mins
21-15-9
Pull Ups
Push Press (45/35kg)
Wednesday:
Strength:
Back Squat
Conditioning:
In a 4 Minute Window with 2mins rest x 4
1 Lap Car Park KB Farmers Carry
10 KB Box Stepovers
15 Burpee to Target
AMRAP
Goblet Squats
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Double Unders
B) Toes to Bar
C) Russian KB Swings
Conditioning:
21 min AMRAP with a Partner
6 Wall walks
30 Deadlift (60/40)
30 Cal Ass bike
30 Cal Ski
Friday:
Strength:
A) Ring Rows
B) Wall Balls + Goblet Wall Sit
Conditioning:
30min AMRAP - 4 movements that when put together make an epic workout!
ENGINE
8 min AMRAPS with some different dance moves for Engine this week!
GYMNASTICS
We will go upside down again, but this time with HSPU, followed by pull-up progressions. We will finish with some strength work.
HYROX
This week, we hit Half a Hyrox broken down into intervals, with rest!
MOBILITY
Mobility is Back! We will improve on the positions we need fixing from end-of-year testing. Simple hip & ankle mobility & glute stability/activation were big. With overhead stability being much needed, we will start to focus on this.
PURE STRENGTH
On Monday in Pure Strength, we have banded deadlifts and some Bulgarian split squats. On Wednesday, we hit the banded bench press and progress the loading on this and the banded row.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in Weightlifting we are focused on the Hang Snatch, with some snatch balance, a Heavy Snatch complex and some Pulls.
Monday Ride
A skills and fitness based ride at the BikeDXB track in Dubai. Some simply structured intervals to enhance cycling ability.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
Wednesday - Brick Session
A brick session consisting of 60mins of cycling with 20 - 30mins of running. Great for all levels of triathlete.
Start time: 05:59 am
Location : BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. This run is currently gearing run fitness towards the incoming half marathons. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Long Ride
Saturday long ride is usually 100km long or around 3 - 3.5hrs. It's a ride catered for moderate to advanced cyclists. Please reach out to rf@innerfight.com if you have any questions.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location : BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
Sunday - DCS Half Marathon
The idea of speaking kindly to yourself isn’t anything new, but it’s worth revisiting now and again to remind us of how we complete training and racing successfully.
Endurance events are pretty unique and they get more unique the longer they go on. Most amateur athletes will essentially be against themselves and their own weight of expectation – developed through training and their perception of what makes an event a success.
As a result, the way we talk to ourselves during a race is very important.
What is self-talk?
Self-talk is defined as ‘what people say to themselves either silently in their head or aloud, automatically or strategically, to stimulate, direct, react, and evaluate events and actions’ (Hatzigeorgiadis, Zourbanos, Latinjak, & Theodorakis, 2014).
What are the effects of positive self-talk?
Research has shown self-talk to be an effective tool to enhance performance through rewiring the brain – effectively replacing potential negative talk with positive talk. A group of recreational cyclists who improved their cycling time to exhaustion by 18% when they were coached to use positive self-talk (Blanchfield, Hardy, de Morree, Staiano, & Marcora, 2014).
Put into practice, it could be as simple as replacing “my legs are really hurting” with “you’re almost there”.
There are a lot more intricacies of this which I won’t go into, however the results of positive self-talk have generally been shown to improve endurance performance.
How do you implement positive self-talk?
There are many tactics of retraining your internal monologue with positives over negatives and creating mantras to race by. This usually creates awareness around the strength of positivity and using our internal chatter to our advantage.
My personal theory on positive self-talk: it’s more than just the race
I think it all starts with training. Anxiety, expectation and potential negativity builds up from here and is waiting as soon as we enter the training block or start the race.
If we look at the purpose of the training as a means to an end, i.e. hitting your personal best, then we create a bar at which we feel we have to meet. We allow no place for our bar to move, therefore the pressure builds. It doesn’t allow for life events, illness or things beyond our control to be accounted for.
If we take the training seriously, which we should, but accept that it’s the best we can do ‘in that moment’ – then we automatically create a positive situation around exercise and the results become a by-product.
This positive self-talk for me doesn’t apply to a single race or training session, it’s the approach, kindness and awareness of one’s self during the whole journey.
Final thoughts
The next time you go into a training session and don’t hit the perfect pace, or if you replace a hard run with a shake out because half way into the warm up you feel terrible, don’t be hard on yourself – instead, be kind and reflect kindly. Carry the positives and any numerical misfires become possibilities and not limitations.
Fun - HONESTY - Simplicity - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work
The idea of speaking kindly to yourself isn’t anything new, but it’s worth revisiting now and again to remind us of how we complete training and racing successfully.
Endurance events are pretty unique and they get more unique the longer they go on. Most amateur athletes will essentially be against themselves and their own weight of expectation – developed through training and their perception of what makes an event a success.
As a result, the way we talk to ourselves during a race is very important.
What is self-talk?
Self-talk is defined as ‘what people say to themselves either silently in their head or aloud, automatically or strategically, to stimulate, direct, react, and evaluate events and actions’ (Hatzigeorgiadis, Zourbanos, Latinjak, & Theodorakis, 2014).
What are the effects of positive self-talk?
Research has shown self-talk to be an effective tool to enhance performance through rewiring the brain – effectively replacing potential negative talk with positive talk. A group of recreational cyclists who improved their cycling time to exhaustion by 18% when they were coached to use positive self-talk (Blanchfield, Hardy, de Morree, Staiano, & Marcora, 2014).
Put into practice, it could be as simple as replacing “my legs are really hurting” with “you’re almost there”.
There are a lot more intricacies of this which I won’t go into, however the results of positive self-talk have generally been shown to improve endurance performance.
How do you implement positive self-talk?
There are many tactics of retraining your internal monologue with positives over negatives and creating mantras to race by. This usually creates awareness around the strength of positivity and using our internal chatter to our advantage.
My personal theory on positive self-talk: it’s more than just the race
I think it all starts with training. Anxiety, expectation and potential negativity builds up from here and is waiting as soon as we enter the training block or start the race.
If we look at the purpose of the training as a means to an end, i.e. hitting your personal best, then we create a bar at which we feel we have to meet. We allow no place for our bar to move, therefore the pressure builds. It doesn’t allow for life events, illness or things beyond our control to be accounted for.
If we take the training seriously, which we should, but accept that it’s the best we can do ‘in that moment’ – then we automatically create a positive situation around exercise and the results become a by-product.
This positive self-talk for me doesn’t apply to a single race or training session, it’s the approach, kindness and awareness of one’s self during the whole journey.
Final thoughts
The next time you go into a training session and don’t hit the perfect pace, or if you replace a hard run with a shake out because half way into the warm up you feel terrible, don’t be hard on yourself – instead, be kind and reflect kindly. Carry the positives and any numerical misfires become possibilities and not limitations.
Fun - HONESTY - Simplicity - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work
One-Hour Workout: Revving Your Swim Engine
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