What does focusing on your mindset during training mean?

Does it mean falling into a “magical thinking” approach to training where, by simply “wanting it” enough, you are able to quickly climb the ranks and achieve your wildest dreams of fitness success?

Does it mean having a “growth mindset” where you view every setback as a challenge and believe that your capacity to improve forever is limited only by the hard work that you put in?

Not really. It’s no secret that we kind of hate magical thinking around here. And, while growth mindset has shown real effects in (replicated) studies, some of the more extreme interpretations of the phenomenon seem to toe the line of the kind of magical thinking that we don’t like a whole lot.

But, athletes must have intent when they train. They must understand exactly what they’re working on, and be relentlessly focused on observing their experience and learning both tacitly and explicitly how they can improve their pacing, their movement quality, their self-talk, etc. throughout their sessions.

Some athletes can have a somewhat entitled attitude based upon the amount of work that they put in to training. It’s not enough to simply put in the work to compete at a certain level or be adept at various challenging movements.

You must put in focused work, understand the difference between play, practice and competition, and develop the capacity for self-reflection that allows for constant improvement and learning from every session that you do.

Check out the full conversation with Jon, Todd & Luke to learn:

  • The difference between play, practice and performance in training – and why having the wrong intent for your training session can derail your results
  • How to find the balance between giving prescription and intent from a coach vs allowing athletes to learn on their own – and how this may change quite a bit for the same athlete over time
  • The role of “deliberate practice” in mixed modal sport – and why there may be a difference between skill acquisition in music or chess vs the combined skill acquisition and physiological adaptation of fitness

Listen below – or in the podcast player of your choice.

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