Getting in the Zone in Some Sports is Easier
Virtually every athlete and coach in the world has heard of being “in the zone” and many athletes have experienced it personally. In most sports and events, athletes have a relatively long period of time in which they can work into getting into the zone. In many sports, athletes have 30 minutes to an hour and a half to get into the zone. It is not uncommon for athletes in sports like this to take a few minutes of competition time to get in the zone and then can continue to compete while in the zone.
Getting in the Zone in Gymnastics Must Be Virtually Instantaneous
Gymnastics is one of those sports where there is literally so little actual competition time that gymnasts must get into the zone either before competing or immediately upon starting to compete. This is extremely difficult and as a result, most gymnasts are not in the zone when they compete. In fact, most gymnastics coaches do not even train their gymnasts how to get in the zone and most gymnasts do not even try to get in the zone during competition.
To Get In the Zone, First You Must Understand What It’s Like To Be There
Characteristics of being in the Gymnastics Zone:
- You feel relaxed and a sense of calm
- You feel mentally alert and focused
- You feel highly confident in your self
- You feel energized
- You are having fun and enjoying yourself
- You have positive expectations and feel optimistic
- You are loose and relaxed physically
- You are in control of yourself and your performance
- You perform your skills and routines without conscious thought
- Your skills and routines are performed automatically from the habits of your training
The Process of Learning to Get in the Gymnastics Zone is Long and Complicated
Before a gymnast can compete in the zone, there is a certain level of skill and routine training and preparation that is required. It is impossible to compete in the zone with routines that have not been completely mastered and habituated. There are a number of psychological processes and training that is required to learn how to get in the zone. Once a gymnast first learns how to get in the zone, then they must learn to get in the zone on demand and on command. And then gymnasts must learn to be able to get in and maintain the zone at the highest levels of gymnastics competition. A long and complicated process, but one that pays the dividends of performing in the ideal mental state.
NOTE: This website is named after being in the zone while competing in gymnastics.
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