Enhance Your Performance

Why You Should Start Meditating to Improve Athletic Performance

By Ashton Grenon|Updated on June 27, 2023 (originally published on March 2, 2022)

When you first hear the word “meditation,” what do you think? Whatever it is that may have popped into your head, imagine that before an athletic event, whether it be a practice or a game. The idea of making use of meditation prior to a sporting competition has become more common within the last few years. NBA superstar Lebron James has been a forerunner in the charge through his advertising deal with the app Calm.

Within this article, you will develop a better understanding of just how impactful meditation can be for a student-athlete.

Reduced Stress
To begin, meditation has been proven to lower stress levels within individuals. This directly affects the stress hormone, cortisol. All athletes out there can relate to the fact that performing under some stress can be good, but too much stress can be disastrous. By taking some time out of your pregame routine to meditate, you will find yourself in a calmer and clearer state of mind. Furthermore, reducing your stress levels will lead to more balanced and normal breathing patterns, which will help your oxygen levels throughout the game. All of this comes together to improve your performance under tense, game-time situations.

Accelerating Recovery Time
When it comes to being an athlete, a lot of attention is focused on physical training and becoming more “athletic.” While yes, physical training is beneficial, it can also lead to a lot of unresolved stress on the body, especially if the body is overworked. Meditation helps relax the muscles that have undergone a stress overload. It has also been proven that meditation helps speed up the process of getting over a common cold or other illness.

Envisioning
Every athlete has goals that they want to achieve. Whether it be short-term or long-term, meditation (specifically visual in this case) can help the athlete put (envision) themselves in the position that they strive to be in. This type of meditation, accompanied with breathing exercises, can lead to improvements in an athlete's overall attitude and conditioning.

The next time you hear the word “meditation,” think of it as a necessary part of your pregame routine as opposed to a leisure activity. As the saying goes, don't knock it before you try it.

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