Self Care the Forgotten Performance Factor

Hi Everyone, thanks for checking out this week’s newsletter. Below you'll find:

• Performance Concept of the week

  • Self-Care the Forgotten Performance Factor: Supporting Your Athlete’s Mental Performance & Health

• Action plan

• Resource of the week

• Things to Explore

• Got Questions?

Performance Concept of the Week

In the busy grind culture that sports can be with all the training, travel, competitions, games and more, self-care is often overlooked as a factor in performance. It then becomes something we look at when it is too late.

For parents of competitive or high-performance athletes, understanding and supporting self-care can profoundly impact your athlete’s physical health, mental resilience, and emotional stability.

What is Self-Care?

Self-care involves deliberate actions taken to maintain physical, mental, and emotional health. It’s not just a buzzword; it’s a strategy that prevents burnout, enhances recovery, and leads to sustained performance and personal growth.

Self Care Strategies of the World’s Best

The images above highlight how some of the world’s best such as Simone Biles, Russell Wilson, Tom Brady, and LeBron James prioritize self-care as an essential part of their success. Even look at what Connor MacGregor says what the learned from Lebron. Investing in physical, mental, and emotional well-being is a non-negotiable for peak performance, with some spending significant resources on maintaining their health and longevity.

Benefits of Self-Care for Athletes

Self-care offers numerous benefits that extend beyond the playing field:

• Improved Physical Performance and Recovery: Regular rest, proper nutrition, and adequate hydration keep the body in peak condition.

• Enhanced Mental Focus and Concentration: Mindful practices, such as visualization, self-talk, goal-setting, and much more, improve mental sharpness.

• Better Emotional Regulation and Stress Management: Activities like journaling or speaking with a trusted mentor help athletes navigate emotions and get “unstuck”.

• Increased Enjoyment of Sports: When athletes feel balanced, they are more likely to find joy in their pursuits.

• Reduced Risk of Burnout and Injuries: Self-care acts as a buffer against overtraining and emotional exhaustion.

• Long-Term Success: A self-care routine equips athletes with tools to thrive both in sports and life.

The Three Types of Self-Care

1. Physical Self-Care: Includes sleep, nutrition, hydration, and active recovery, mobility, techniques such as stretching, and foam rolling, etc.

2. Mental Self-Care: Encompasses mindfulness, mental skills training, and maintaining a growth mindset.

3. Emotional Self-Care: Focuses on managing stress, expressing emotions, and maintaining positive relationships.

The Role of Adversity in Self-Care

Athletes inevitably face adversity—injuries, losses, or personal setbacks. These moments make self-care even more essential. Encouraging your athlete to use challenges as opportunities to prioritize their well-being fosters resilience and mental toughness.

How You Can Support Your Athlete’s Self-Care

As a parent, you play a vital role in reinforcing the importance of self-care. Here’s how you can help:

1. Encourage Balance: Remind them that rest is as important as hard work.

2. Provide Resources: Offer tools like journals, access to a mental performance coach, or time for activities they enjoy outside of sport.

3. Celebrate Effort Over Outcomes: Praise their dedication to self-care and preparation, regardless of results.

4. Be a Listener: Create a safe space for them to share their feelings without judgment.

5. Model Self-Care: Show your athlete that self-care is not selfish by demonstrating it in your own life.

Summary

Self-care is more than a trend—it’s a necessity for high-performance athletes. By supporting your athlete in cultivating their self-care habits, you’re not only contributing to their success in sports but also in life. A healthy athlete is a happy athlete, and a happy athlete is a successful one.

Action Plan

This week, sit down with your athlete and help them create a self-care plan. Include specific actions under physical, mental, and emotional categories. Commit to keeping an open dialogue with your athlete on a regular basis and ask them what else you can do to support the self-care!

Agree with your athlete to do a once a week “checkin” on self-care!

Resource of the Week

Check out the TrueSport article on Self-Care for Better Sport Performance. It offers practical tips for athletes to integrate self-care into their routines.

Things to Explore

• Read: Our Reading Library

• Download: Resource Guide Series

• View: Previous Weekly Performance Concepts

Got Questions?

Do you have a question, or want to know more about a topic. Let our team of experts help you. Ask your question here by clicking the button below. We will post answers to questions within future newsletters.

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