Why Should Non-athletes Care About Sports Psychology?

Physical activity requires effort both physically and mentally. It helps children grow up in a healthy way and adults to stay in shape, both in terms of body and mind. However, it can be difficult to find motivation, and this is where sports psychology comes in.

You do not have to be an Olympic medalist like  Michael Phelps  to understand that “ you can not set a limit on anything. The more you dream, the further you get. ”

Whether you do it to feel better about yourself, because you like it or because you need it, exercise is important throughout your life.

Why learn about sports psychology?

Learning about sports psychology seems understandable when it comes to professional athletes, but these tools can be used in other parts of life as well. You will soon understand how valuable they can be, even if you do not play any type of sport.

But first we must distinguish between inner and outer  motivation. Then we will be able to apply the various concepts in a more efficient way.

Inner motivation

Internal motivation, according to Sànchez-Oliva et al (2010, University of Extremadura),  can be defined as the commitment of the person’s own initiative in an activity. In other words, you do it only for the satisfaction one feels by participating in an activity.

Similarly, in “Training Children in Soccer” (2000, Paidotribo), Sans and Frattarola suggest that intrinsic and internal motivation are helpful in improving performance. When motivation comes from within us, it satisfies the urge to chase a goal.

Logically, one needs specific knowledge to know when and how to encourage inner motivation in people. What touches them? What are their interests? That way, you can adapt the task to what they need.

External motivation

Now, let’s go back to Sànchez-Oliva et al (2010) to describe external motivation.

This type of motivation arises when the person seeks a type of benefit that will help with personal growth. However, the reason they perform the activity is that they want to achieve an external reward, such as avoiding guilt.

For example,  some people practice sports because they are influenced by other people. Performance, attitude and motivation vary among players and coaches.

All of these factors have a dramatic effect on the improvement of athletic skill. That’s what Cruz Feliu explains in Psychological Advice to Coaches: Experience in Children’s Basketball  (1994).

This type of motivation  comes from outside a person, imposed by other people. These can be friends, family members, team players, coaches, etc.

10 reasons to use sports psychology in daily life

Psychologist and personal trainer Johathan Garcìa-Allen has 10 reasons why you should use sports psychology in your daily life. See what they are and discover the benefits of them below.

Ideal mental state

Sports psychology allows you to achieve an ideal mental state. In addition to being in shape, you also need mental preparation to exert yourself physically, especially when competing. This is known in the field of psychology as the optimal level of function.

Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement improves self-confidence. It is also a basic principle in learning psychological techniques and skills.

Goal

You can use sports psychology to achieve your goals. With proper planning and realistic goals, it is much easier to take the steps you need to achieve them. This also  gives you confidence and self-esteem.

Group collaboration

Group collaboration is an advantage in a team or group sport because it helps the groups to work better together. If the team is united, it will get better. It improves athletic performance and reduces internal problems. 

Self-instruction

Self-instruction can increase your motivation and improve your abilities. According to Garcìa-Allen, it can help you get rid of habits. It is also ideal for improving mental focus, focusing on your goal, improving performance, and for dealing with the fatigue that exercise brings.

Visualization

Another good reason to implement sports psychology in your life is  visualization.  Exercising your mindset helps you with all kinds of anxiety and can actually make you healthier. 

Stress management

Playing sports is an excellent way to deal with stress. While the actual competitive part involves stressful situations,  an active lifestyle is much healthier overall.

It helps you to perform your “must do” tasks in a more efficient way and it is stress relieving. It helps you to respond better to complex situations and to achieve goals in all parts of your life.

Improved focus

Sports psychology is an excellent way to improve your focus and your performance. All you need is proper emotional regulation, strong concentration and optimal learning. Only then will you be able to overcome the most difficult parts involved with sports.

More productive emotions

Physical activity also fosters more productive emotions. This is because your mental state is a crucial factor in how your competition performance is.

Therefore, it is important to produce productive emotions that will help you do your best. To achieve this, you must stay away from anger, disappointment and fear. Instead, you need to let positivity take over your mindset during physical activity.

Improvement assistance

Sports psychology can support athletes when they are on the road to recovery from an injury. It is very important that athletes accept the injury and the fact that they are put on the sidelines. Professionals do a lot of motivational work when it comes to this. The result is faster recovery, both physically and psychologically.

Work for sports psychology

Note that it takes a lot of work to incorporate sports psychology into your daily life. But it is helpful if you want to do your best, whether you are a professional or a “weekend warrior”. That said, proper physical training is also necessary to achieve your athletic goals.

Although physical skills are very important, you will not get far if they are not accompanied by emotional, technical, strategic and psychological training. 

Mental flexibility focused in the right direction is also a very important part of athletic interest, which is why sports psychology is so practical.