Practice Prior To The Race
We often stress the importance of practice when it comes to improving your performance in a race. But what does that practice actually entail? In this blog post, we'll be exploring the many benefits and best ways to go about practicing for a race.
Practicing for a race involves more than just running—it also includes mental preparation. This can mean visualization, goal setting and relaxation techniques. The point is that it helps you mentally prepare for the future event. But how do we actually get better at these things? How do we know if they're even working?
We use a "practice-to-performance" (P2P) model to help us understand how to practice for races better. It's essentially a framework that makes use of "retrospective feedback. " That is, by looking back at our race, we can see what aspects we could have done better. This makes sense in that the things we do earlier in a race are likely to be the best things to do.
This process is also very similar to "active rehearsal." We don't want to just passively imagine the race in our head, but instead, we can actively practice for the race using mental imagery. This is beneficial because it allows us to get used to the race environment and protocol. Thus, we are able to be better-prepared for the actual event.
The P2P model consists of three steps: preparation, performance and post-performance.
The first step of the P2P model is preparation. In this step, you take time to prepare mentally for the race. This will include things like mental visualization, goal setting and relaxation exercises. Once you are prepared, the next step is performance. With this, you take action so that the race goes as smoothly as possible. Common things to do include pacing yourself and maintaining a good hydration schedule. The final step is post-performance. Here, you reflect on your race performance to develop strategies for improvement.
Through this process, it's possible to take as much time as you wish before your race. Many will choose to focus on visualization of their race and focus on their goals, but this is not necessary in order to practice effectively prior to the event. You should do whatever works best for you.
One thing to keep in mind is that practicing does not mean pre-race jitters are bad. Studies have shown that pre-race jitters can lead to an improvement of performance, as well as increase arousal, anxiety and fear of failure. Thus, pre-race jitters may actually help us perform better. The key here is to use your self-talk to properly handle the "negative" effects of the stressors.
Practicing for a race is an important part of your preparation. Before you take action in the race, you need to make sure that you have prepared yourself mentally. This will lead to an improved performance in the race itself. Practice can take many forms, such as visualization, goal setting and relaxation exercises. The key to practice is to make sure that you are practicing in the right way.
Do you have any tips for how to practice effectively? I'd love to hear what you have to say!
As always, thanks for reading! If you have any questions or comments about this blog post, leave a reply below and I'll get back to you. And, as always, feel free to share this blog post with your friends on social media.
-Jon
Sources: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25309996 https://www3.ndsu.edu/news/stories/ndsu_psychologist_reveals_motivation_for_success_at_the_oculus__398311 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25062238 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25552090 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25186378 https://www3.ndsu.edu/news/stories/ndsu_psychologist_reveals_motivation_for_success_at_the_oculus__398311
Image Sources: https://s-media-cache-ak0 . pinimg .
Conclusion: In this part, I covered the benefits of practice and how to practice effectively.
Proper Practice Is Key To A Successful Race: In this blog post, I covered the importance of proper practice before a big race. This included tips for how to practice effectively, as well as examples of common techniques used in practice.
Preparation Matters Most: Preparation is the most important part of proper practice for a big race.