"Optimize Your Inner Speech: How Subvocalizing Can Enhance Your Sports Performance"

 "Optimize Your Inner Speech: How Subvocalizing Can Enhance Your Sports Performance"

As an athlete, you are well aware of the importance of staying focused during a game or competition. The ability to concentrate on your performance and block out any distractions is crucial to achieving success. However, it's easier said than done. Your mind can wander, and thoughts of doubt, fear, or frustration can creep in, affecting your performance. This is where subvocalizing your processes comes in.

Subvocalizing means silently speaking to yourself, using your inner voice. It's a technique used by many athletes to keep their mind filled with productive thoughts, so there's no room for unnecessary or negative thoughts. It's like filling a glass with water. If the glass is completely full, there's no space for anything else. Similarly, if your mind is full of productive self-talk, there's no room for negative thoughts and distractions.

Subvocalizing your processes involves breaking down your performance into small steps and verbally reminding yourself of each step as you perform it. For example, if you're a basketball player, you might subvocalize “drive” “look” “shoot”  as you perform each action. By doing this, you keep your mind focused on the task at hand, and you're less likely to get distracted by external factors like the crowd or your opponent.

Another benefit of subvocalizing your processes is that it helps you get into the zone more easily. The zone is a state of mind where you're completely absorbed in your performance, and everything seems to flow effortlessly. By keeping your mind focused on your processes, you're more likely to enter this state of mind and stay there for longer periods. It's like a mental shortcut that helps you get into the zone more quickly and consistently.

Cognitive motor training is a great way to develop this skill when you're not participating in your sport. It involves performing specific drills that require you to stick to a process to be successful. At first, it may seem mundane or unnecessary, but as you get into more complex drills, you'll instantly see the value of subvocalizing your process. You'll find that it helps you stay focused, reduces anxiety, and improves your overall performance.

When using this technique, it's important to keep the subvocalization concise and brief. One-word cues like "look," "see," and "go" are good examples. You don't want to fill your mind with long, complicated sentences that could distract you from your performance.

Overall subvocalizing your processes is an effective way to optimize your sports performance. It helps you stay focused, reduces anxiety, and keeps your mind filled with productive self-talk. By breaking down your performance into small steps and reminding yourself of each step as you perform it, you're less likely to get distracted by external factors. With cognitive motor training, you can develop this skill and improve your overall performance. So, the next time you're on the court or field, try subvocalizing your processes and see the difference it makes.