In some sports, summer is the peak of the season, while for many athletes, summer means the off-season. Summer breaks, holidays, and recovery from a demanding season are underway. Quality rest and recovery are essential prerequisites for a successful season. However, what does that rest actually involve?
Athletes often completely stop mental training during the off-season.
They put away all techniques and exercises “in a little drawer” because there are no competitions, races, or games. When the season starts, they either have to begin from scratch or they don’t continue with psychological preparation at all. However, mental training is exactly what its name suggests – training. Its purpose is to improve athletic performance, and it is most effective when practiced regularly, consistently, and on time. For this reason, mental training should not be discontinued during the off-season.
Rest
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t or aren’t allowed to take a break.
Just like with physical and technical-tactical training, breaks are necessary to allow both the body and mind to rest. Many athletes make the mistake of not taking any time off at all. That’s not ideal either, as complete rest and a temporary distance from sport are essential to prevent burnout.
However, once you begin physical preparations again, it’s advisable also to restart your psychological preparation.
Athletes often receive training programs from their coaches to complete on their own during the off-season in order to return physically prepared for intense pre-season work. In the same way, some mental training exercises should be continued even when there are no organized training sessions.
For example, breathing exercises and visualization are excellent tools for staying (or becoming) mentally ready.
Introduction to Mental Training
It’s important to note that the off-season is an excellent time to begin mental training.
This period provides us with enough time and space to explore and practice various techniques that can help us perform better on the field when competitions begin and pressure starts to build.
What we often don’t have time for once the season starts, we finally have a chance to “catch up on” during the off-season.
Good preparation is the key to success. Just as athletes prepare their bodies, they should also prepare their minds.
Again, this doesn’t mean that breaks aren’t welcome from time to time – it simply means that mental training, like any other form of training, is most effective when breaks are well-planned and not too long.
Off-season training provides the foundation for a successful new season, and the same rules apply to mental training.
