When it comes to playing sports, the mental game is as, if not more, important than the physical one. And plenty of research has shown that mindfulness and athletic performance are inextricably linked—in a good way. 

In order to perform physically, the mind needs to be in the right state. Only then can it accurately receive signals from the body and the environment, as well as send signals to the body.⁣⁣  And this is particularly important when playing golf for example. 

Being able to be fully present to receive information means being able to acknowledge—but not attach to—outside information. Negative thoughts, performance fears, self-criticism, noise, even an achy Achilles are all signals that can crowd the brain. They can pull their focus and attention away from delivering 100 percent to the task at hand. And that can happen, whether it’s the next corner kick on the soccer field or hitting your driver on each hole of a golf course. 

Of course being a golfer myself I know too well how important the mental side of this game is when playing. We often say golf is all in the head!

Mindful Yoga: The Link Between Mindfulness and Athletic Performance⁣

But practicing mindfulness, particularly mindful yoga, ⁣can help improve an athlete’s mental game. How? By fostering a nonjudgemental performance attitude. Mindfulness encourages athletes to develop their moment-to-moment awareness. It can train their brain to accept the existence of thoughts and emotions without being overwhelmed by them.

What’s more: It can re-establish the mind-body connection. Doing so will help you become aware of important body sensations while performing. And practicing mindfulness doesn’t have to mean sitting still. In fact, yet another study highlighting how mindfulness benefits athletic performance has recently come out. And it suggests that practicing yoga could offer an athletic advantage. The Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise published the systemic review this past March. It found that practicing yoga helped athletes reduce their performance anxiety by 65 percent. They also reported their overall athletic performance improved by nearly 8 percent.

And for athletes and golf players in particular, yoga may be a more beneficial mindfulness practice than either cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or meditation as it’s an active intervention. This review even suggests yoga should be a standard in athletic training programs for its power to help regulate the mind of performance athletes. And I agree hence I keep telling my fellow golfers to practice yoga in order to improve their performance.

Connecting Mind, Breath, and Movement

I teach yoga, I know the power of yoga, the magic that happens when we connect the mind to the breath, the breath to the movement, the mind to the body. That awareness makes it easier for us to learn new movements, know how to make adjustments, and down-regulate our nervous system into a flow state.

Bottom line: More efficient movement patterns come from inner awareness of being able to perceive and create ease. So if you’re looking for something to give you an edge over your competition , I suggest starting now!

For private yoga classes to help you improve your performance, just contact send me a message. I look forward  to meeting you on the mat.

Namaste

Christel

ps: this photo of me was taken during the BMW PGA Championship this month at Wentworth Golf Club (Virginia Water, UK) whilst I was marshalling for the tournament.