Get enough sleep, eat healthy, embrace the grind.

You’ve heard it all. 

The concept of physical wellness may seem like a gimme; after all, it’s no secret that taking care of your body correlates with stronger performance on the field and in life.  Yet the endless tales of seven hours of sleep, extra reps before the season, and rise and grind don’t tell the full story; in fact, they corrupt it in some ways. 

Physical Wellness..What is it?

“When we talk about physical wellness and how it relates to sport psychology, we define physical wellness as any potential action taken to keep your body fueled, healthy, and strong so that it can function optimally,” Dr. Justin Anderson, who is the founder of Premier Sport Psychology. “It’s prioritizing the behaviors that promote physical health, your body, which in turn ultimately helps your mind as well.”

You’ll notice Anderson didn’t mention early morning lifting or running an extra mile after practice; that’s because there’s a key difference between physical wellness and physical training.

“A lot of athletes focus on the importance of training, which is obviously important and well understood. However, somewhat less talked about or understood is that in order to achieve peak performance with any consistency, we also need peak recovery,” Anderson says.  “If you’re not giving your body an opportunity to recovery optimally after all the reps and hard work outs, it’s not going to absorb that training stress the way that it should, and it can set you back.”

The bottom line? Training sessions are only as good as the wellness and recovery that takes place between them.

The what is your opponent doing when you’re resting and four hours of sleep to get up and lift maxims leave out the fact that to be at your best, you need quality sleep, strong nutrition, and effective recovery. 

Sleep Hygiene..Why You Need it

You’ve probably read of professional athletes waking up ridiculously early to lift and start their daily routine, forgoing recommended hours of sleep. While that may have worked for them, that’s not necessarily the best practice…whether you’re an athlete or not. 

The old-school mantra of I’ll sleep when I’m dead is gone, or it should be if you live by it.  If you want high performance on the field, court, or rink, sleep is a must. 

The Nitty Gritty..What You Need

Anderson recommends that individuals of all ages get at least eight hours of sleep (nine for teenagers). For athletes, even more is better.

“Research is showing that athletes should be getting even more sleep given the demands of sport,” Anderson says. “A lot of athletes are (and should be) getting 9-10 hours.”

Numbers are great, but the greatest fault often lies in a routine sleep schedule. 

“The other thing that is often neglected is consistency with a sleep schedule,” Anderson says. “If your bedtime is inconsistent, your biorhythms get out of whack, and you’re more likely to be sluggish during your waking hours, along with a whole host of other negative consequences.”

Consistency helps wane those consequences. Having a set time when you go to bed and when you wake up (on both weekdays and weekends) teaches your body when it’s time to wind down and when it’s time get going, allowing you to reap the benefits of strong sleep and avoid the consequences of sleeplessness.

Sleep in itself is critical, but getting to that point is just as important and requires strong sleep hygiene. This includes things such as sleeping in a cool space, avoiding spicy foods before bedtime, and putting your phone away an hour before going to bed. 

“Many sleep experts are telling our athletes to limit their screen time right before bed, especially if they are having a hard time falling asleep. The light can trick the mind into believing that it’s time to get up rather than wind down,” Anderson says.

Anderson also recommends that athletes create a more comfortable sleeping environment by using blackout curtains to block out ambient light, and earplugs or brown noise makers (there are apps for that) if external noises are troubling their sleep. In addition, he advises creating a cooler environment, which can be critical for effective sleep. Anderson suggests sleeping in an environment that is at or below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Excessive warmth and sweating can lead to restlessness and disrupt sleep; it’s best to address the problem before it arises.

Athletes know that sleep is important, and the benefits gained make a commitment to your sleep routine worth the effort.

“If you’re coming off a night where you slept at 70%, there’s a good chance that your training session could be 70% that day,” Anderson says. “By getting good sleep, you’re going to train better, think more clearly, make better decisions and have stronger mental strength.” 

Nutrients..Being Smart

Strong sleep is a major player in athletes who have strong physical wellness..but it isn’t the only one. Like gas in a car, athletes must fuel their bodies with nourishing and nutrient-heavy food.

That can sometimes be easier said than done, especially for high school and college student-athletes. While a slushy might be satisfying after a big game, it offers nothing to aid an athlete’s recovery or prepare her for her next practice or competition.  Cheat meals aren’t taboo, but should be part of an otherwise balanced diet.

Athletes with strong physical wellness fill their bodies with nutrient-dense foods. That slushy may have the same number of calories as a grilled chicken sandwich with rice and spinach, but it’s clear which option is going to give the athletes the resources their bodies need to perform.   

“Over the years, we’ve seen a of different fads out there such as intermittent fasting and Paleo, all may be helpful for some people, but at the end of the day, a vast majority of athletes just need good, high-quality nutrients to do its job,” Anderson says.

Hydration is another key indicator of strong physical wellness…not just hydrating during practice or a game, but throughout the course of each and every day. 

“Treat hydration just like your pregame routine,” Premier’s Dr. Adam Gallenberg says. “It may not feel like it at first, but by continuing to hydrate all day every day, it will become second nature.”

“At the end of the day, you need to ask yourself, am I being intentional about what I’m putting into my body?” Gallenberg added.

Being Proactive and Preventing Injuries and Burnout

There’s a connotation out there that more reps in the offseason equal better performance at gametime. That can be true, but be mindful of diminishing returns.  Extremes are not good and lead to injury and burnout. 

Many athletes will kick it into gear and train twice as hard in the weeks prior to their season starting. In reality, the opposite should be taking place. 

Going into the season with a fresh and rested approach is especially critical prior to intense training such as spring camp or tryout week. During those times, high-quality physical wellness is a must for athletes hoping to have a successful season. 

“Being extra diligent about nutrition, hydration, and sleep is especially important during intense training periods,” Anderson says. “Without that, we’re going to become more stressed, which makes our bodies more prone to injury.”

The Bottom Line

The concept of stepping away from the bench press or track to focus on physical wellness can be difficult for athletes. After all, the message of embracing the grind has become commonplace in today’s culture and athletes may feel like they’re depriving themselves if they ‘go the extra mile.’

That isn’t the case. Truth be told, going the extra mile means taking care of your body, knowing when to step away for a bit, and getting a proper night’s rest on a consistent basis. 

Doing these things will naturally increase your threshold for performance.  A late night at the gym that results in 70% sleep quality, followed by a poor breakfast, will give you a lower threshold for peak performance than capping your training early, getting an evening’s rest and nine hours’ sleep, and eating a nutrient-rich breakfast.

The road to peak performance doesn’t come through embracing the grind, it comes from minding the grind and taking care of yourself.  You can’t have peak performance without peak recovery and physical wellness. 

“There’s this perception that anything that you can do to get ahead of your competition is going to make you better.  That is such a recipe for injury and burnout.  It’s not sustainable.”

Tips for Increased Physical Wellness

• Make your bed your sanctuary.  The last few years have made it easy for us to complete work and homework from the comfort of our beds.  That isn’t a good thing.  “Our beds should be for resting” Anderson says.  “Our brains get conditioned easily and if our brain doesn’t know it’s time to sleep, we can have a more difficult time winding down.  As difficult as it may be at times, try to find other spaces around the house, apartment, or dorm room for activities such as homework, work, and movie-watching.”
• Create a bedtime routine. Commonplace for children, yet many young adults stray from this as they age. Anderson recommends making consistent bedtime habits such as taking a shower, brushing your teeth, or meditation that can help prepare your mind and body for sleep.
• Stay away from alcohol and caffeine before bedtime. While many assume  that alcohol helps them sleep, it actually hinders sleep quality, given that it is a depressant. Anderson also recommends staying away from intense workouts before bedtime, given that they stimulate the brain in a way that prohibits quality sleep.
• Go beyond macros when constructing your diet.  Athletes are well-trained in the number and proportion of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates required to reach their strength and conditioning goals, but be mindful of the nutrient content of your meals.  Adding spinach to your protein shakes, green vegetables to your meals, and a balance of fruit, healthy grains, and seeds to your daily diet will move you further toward your performance goals than hitting your macros alone.

This article is part five of a five-part series from Premier’s Research and Analytics division on unlocking personal performance potential.  Read part 1 here.  Read part 2 here.  Read part 3 here.  Read part 4 here.

There’s truly nothing more fulfilling than being part of a team that functions as a well-oiled machine. We all know that the value of being on a team transcends wins and losses; between all the long bus rides and team gatherings are adversity-defying moments, character-building experiences, and budding friendships, all of which can serve as puzzle pieces that shape an athlete’s life for decades to come.

The dynamics of a team can truly shape lives…a vehicle for culture, growth, and learning.

Yet in a puzzle, no one piece looks the same…but they all play a critical role in creating a rock-solid final product. The same can be said for the dynamic of a team.

It’s important for athletes to understand the dynamic of their team…their relationship with teammates and coaches, if they feel that their voice is heard, and that their worth is valued as a human being…not just an athlete.

All of that and plenty more is measured by team support.

Team Support, What is it? 

Think of team support like a village; each person in the village presents an opportunity to support an athlete both on and off the field.

“Team support includes the community in which you surround yourself within a team environment,” Premier’s McKenzie Bromback says. “It measures how (those people in your team environment) contribute to your overall mental health and wellness but also performance. Team support can come from teammates, but also from coaches, parents, athletic trainers, and anyone who’s within the community of your team or athletic organization.”

Team support looks different for each person in that community; a trainer could provide physical and emotional support for an athlete with a difficult injury while a senior captain could provide emotional and mental support for a freshman on the college soccer team who has moved from across the country.

Whether it’s a coach staying after practice to work on a jump shot with a player or a parent consoling an athlete after a heartbreaking loss, team support presents itself in different ways…and comes from different people.

“One thing that is incredibly important to know about team support is that not everyone is going to give you the same kind of support,” Bromback says. “Maybe you don’t feel super comfortable being vulnerable about your emotions and mental health to a coach, but maybe there’s another coach or captain of the team that you feel comfortable having that conversation with.”

It’s critical that there’s someone in an organization for athletes to chat with about mental health and emotions; yet just because one coach isn’t that person doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re not contributing to an athlete’s support system in a different way.

“On the other hand, that athlete may know that they can get great constructive feedback from that certain coach and that feedback can support their athletic performance,” Bromback says. “Understanding how different people in your team’s community can give you support in different ways is critical.”

A delicious three-course meal isn’t complete with just a Caesar salad and breadstick; it needs eloquent dressing, a delicious steak, roasted potatoes, some fresh fruit, and a scrumptious slice of chocolate cake to make it complete.

Are all the items tasty by themselves? For sure. Yet they truly complete the best possible experience when they’re placed together as a meal.

Team support is the same; an athlete needs support from all different angles and areas of life to be successful in a team setting.

Team Support in Action for an Athlete

An athlete’s level of team support can be showcased through positive and negative experiences, here are a few examples and hypotheticals to help gauge what both positive and negative team support can look like…they might just resonate with you.

The Good

• Athletes with strong team support feel as if their voice is valued and heard by teammates and coaches, regardless of whether they’re an All-Conference starter or a bench player that receives minimal playing time.  For example, third-string quarterback Richie may spend most of his time on the bench but feels confident going to his coaches and starting quarterback when he notices a unique defensive scheme that their opponent is running because he knows they value his thoughts and will take them into consideration.
• Winning is fun, but athletes are first and foremost human beings, regardless of outcomes. Athletes who feel strong team support know that they’ll always be valued as more than an athlete, even during competition. Perhaps Susie is going through a difficult situation at home and has a tough game on the field. Her teammates and coaches know this and instead of focusing on the outcome of her performance, they prioritize her human needs, checking in with her and providing emotional support.  This rings true in difficult situations but also applies to positive and neutral ones as well. Even if Jackie is a three-time national champion, her worth as a human being should always be at the forefront of her identity to her teammates and coaches. Athletes are human.
• Being a part of a team provides opportunities for meaningful relationships. Athletes who experience excellent team support feel a strong connection to their teammates, coaches, and can communicate openly with them because of it. Perhaps Dana is confused about certain play during practice and wants to understand it better. Because she has formed a strong connection as an athlete and human with those in her environment, she’s comfortable admitting that she needs a little extra help and clarification.

The Bad

• Being the new person in an environment is never easy…it’s even more difficult when you’re not welcomed into the group in a way that acknowledges that you’re new. Athletes with little team support feel a disconnect between themselves and their teammates and coaches. This could originate from a negative experience or lack of inclusivity from the beginning.Doug is a junior in college and just transferred to a new school to play on the tennis team. Instead of welcoming him to the team, inviting him to team gatherings, and getting him up to speed, Doug’s teammates assume he is fine and carry on with business as they did last year. In addition, Doug’s new coach chews him out on the first day of practice before evening getting to know him as a person.Given the sequence of events, Doug now feels like he’s on an island compared to his teammates and is intimidated to go to his coach for advice because of the negative experience.
• Again, winning is fun, but it shouldn’t determine how an athlete is perceived as a human by his or her teammates and coaches. Athletes with little team support often feel as if their worth and value on the team is based primarily on results.Lindsey had a great start to her track season but has struggled to maintain those results throughout the course of the year. As her results have declined, she’s noticed that her teammates are talking to her less and that her coach doesn’t provide compliments or feedback to her like they were earlier in the season. For Lindsey, this creates the perception that because she is struggling in competition, her value and worth on the team is less important than other runners who are succeeding.

Tips for Athletes to Improve Team Support

No one person is responsible for meeting every single need that comprises high-quality team support. It takes a village of resources and relationships to foster team support that allows an athlete to flourish.

Yet by helping fill one piece of the puzzle, you can help your entire team environment work towards strong team support for all parties involved. Here are a few ways how.

• DO model the type of culture that you want to be a part of…regardless of your role on the team. “How you act in a team setting is really important for athletes,” Bromback says. “I tell my athletes that if you want to be a part of great culture and have great team support, you need to model that in your own behavior.”That could mean a senior leader taking time to provide advice to new freshmen on the team, or even helping them navigate life outside of practice. It could be a freshman showing up and working hard at practice while also asking questions to upper class student-athletes. Athletes and Student-Athletes don’t have to be assigned captains to demonstrate positive leadership, both vocally and by example
• DON’T be afraid to talk and learn from individuals who are new to the team or differ from you. Healthy team environments are often composed of individuals from all walks of life but succeed because team members work together in a constructive way through a common goal of creating a successful, healthy, and collaborative environment.
• DO create a list of things that are within your control, and things that are not. “You can’t control how your coach behaves, but you do have control over how you act,” Bromback says.A staple in many corners of sport and life, controlling the controllables can be especially impactful for team support. You may not be able to control a coach benching you or a teammate acting poorly, but you can control how you respond to those experiences, and choose behaviors that enable or enhance team support.
• DON’T feel like your entire worth to the team is based on playing time or results on the field. A strong team culture takes everyone and even those who don’t touch the field as often can play a vital role in helping a team improve.
• DO check in on teammates as humans, not just athletes. A simple conversation of ‘hey how are you doing today?’ can go a long way in helping a teammate realize that their true self is valued on the team. 

• DO provide compliments and ideas to teammates during practice, games, and off the field. A simple compliment can go a long way in building confidence and embodying self-worth.

This article is part four of a five-part series from Premier’s Research and Analytics division on unlocking personal performance potential.  Stay tuned for part five.  Read part 1 here.  Read part 2 here.  Read part 3 here.

We all want to find ways to increase our mental game to compete our best on game day. And while we can’t always control outcomes, we can control how we prepare and what tools we use to get in the right mind space before and during competition. 

Finding that sweet spot requires a performance mindset. 

What is a Performance Mindset?

A performance mindset is a way of seeing performance as a collection of small, controllable steps and skills, and prioritizing those which are necessary to succeed.

Think of a performance mindset like putting gas in your car the night before a long drive.  The task of filling up the tank is essential to having a successful road trip.  Forget to fill it up?  Chances are, your drive won’t be too fun. 

Those tools are like the gas going into your car.  While a car can’t perform properly without gas, athletes can’t practice and compete at their best without using certain skills, tools, and practices to prepare for competition. 

Those skills require great intention.  Athletes with a strong performance mindset are deliberate, going into practice and competition with realistic process-based goals.  They find meaningful ways to stay in the present moment, rather than falling into the pattern of just going through the motions. 

“Someone with a minimal performance mindset isn’t really thinking about what they want to get out of their practice or game.” Anderson says. “They’re often just showing up and going through the motions.  When this happens, they are leaving their training to chance.  They aren’t being intentional and likely don’t reach their potential or gain the most out of that experience.”

Preparing with Purpose, Collected while Competing

Maybe you’ve heard the phrase ‘games aren’t won the day of.’ And while a strong performance mindset isn’t a direct indicator of outcome, the same concept applies: your best performance comes from taking steps prior to competition. 

Athletes with a strong performance mindset know that it’s important to take care of themselves the day before a big game or match; setting aside time for mental preparation, engaging in honest self-reflection before and after competitions, and setting measurable short-term goals that focus on the process (not the outcome).

Sound obvious? Maybe. Yet through our team’s research, data shows that taking tangible steps like these truly bolsters an athlete’s mindset going into competition. The same can be said for gameday; athletes with a strong performance mindset may take time to themselves to collect their thoughts, use breathing techniques, or meditate before competing.

Tangible practices and routines like the ones mentioned above are critical, yet focus is a grounding staple of a strong performance mindset. 

Not just focus, but having the awareness to focus on what is important in each and every moment.  Premier’s sport psychologists and certified mental performance consultants often teach the acronym W.I.N. for ‘What’s Important Now?’ to help athletes with this before and during competition.

“Let’s say you have an athlete who has a big competition the next day, what’s important now is getting good rest by getting sufficient time in bed, hydrating, maybe doing a little bit of movement prep or visualization.  What’s not important is worrying about the outcome, being fearful about whether or not I can sleep tonight, or simply trying to distract myself all night by staying on social media or video games. Letting the mind wander and just relaxing through breath work or a good book/podcast can be more effective,” Anderson says.

The same can be said for athletes during competition, regardless of whether they’re a key player or a contributor off the bench. 

“If you’re in the middle of a basketball game, what’s important now is often just doing the behaviors that will lead to more success.  For example, it’s getting your back on defense, running your lane on a fast break, or simply keeping your focus on the present moment versus thinking about your stats or what just happened.   Overall, it’s all about what’s important in that present moment,” Anderson says. “If you’re on the bench and not happy about limited playing time, what’s important now might be not reacting to that frustration, but being the best possible teammate on the bench, supporting your friends, and closely observing the game.  Often, this gets players in a much better mindset than being frustrated by an uncontrollable variable like playing time”.

Growing your Performance Mindset 

Preparing for practice and competition by visualizing how to respond to anticipated challenges, creating meaningful goals, and taking time to collect your thoughts are just a few ways to grow your performance mindset. Based on data from Premier’s research and analytics team, here are some more ways that you can elevate your performance mindset.

• DO set process-based goals instead of outcome-based ones. We cannot always control wins and losses, even if we play extremely well.  We can control how we prepare, how hard we work, how well we focus, and how we respond to adversity. 

• DON’T visualize perfection. Visualization is a common tool associated with performance mindset that can help athletes find a sense of calmness and focus…and most importantly, to increase their readiness for those moments when adversity occurs.  However, many athletes imagine themselves scoring the winning goal or hitting a grand slam. When those don’t happen athletes can feel discouraged and helpless. It’s okay to come to terms with all possible realistic outcomes…even the bad ones. 

• DO set short-term goals…and write them down! Individuals with a strong growth mindset set attainable goals that allow them to measure growth and success. Long-term, outcome-based goals can often result in feelings of failure and stagnation. Short-term, process-based goals instill confidence in athletes and open their eyes to things they may not have originally noticed. Writing these goals down creates accountability that can increase goal attainment.

• DON’T be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone…that’s how growth takes place!  You’ll learn more about yourself as an athlete and person and doing so is oftentimes an achievable goal in itself. 

• DO use refocusing techniques to help center yourself in moments of distress during competition. Many athletes will do this with breathing exercises or verbal/visual cues to help them rest and be present in the moment. 
• DO reflect and be honest with yourself. Premier Sport Psychologists recommend using WWW (What went well) and WWI (What’s worth improving) reflection tool for processing past competitions. When doing so, never use outcomes as one of the two; instead, focus on controllable skills and tools that will help you grow moving forward. Here’s an example:
  • WWW: “I did a really good job refocusing and resetting my mind after missing that penalty kick today.”
  • WWI: “I ate a gas station burrito for breakfast instead of something nutritious. I’m going to try and be intentional about what I eat before my next big competition.”

This article is part three of a five-part series from Premier’s Research and Analytics division on unlocking personal performance potential.  Stay tuned for part four.  Read part 1 here.  Read part 2 here.