I’ve often used positive self talk to get me through tough workouts and practices but not as a conscious training tool or in a “reward the work not the finish” point of view, so I’m going to pay more attention to the words in using in the moment and how I can adjust them.
Incidentally, I much prefer to ask athletes how they felt about their race rather than their finish result. One, because I think empty praise of a finish result is lazy but also because I think that athletes should be more focused on how the race went rather than the finish. I suspect this is closely related to what you’re discussing here.
Also, don’t beat yourself up about whether multiple plunges versus 5min sustained submersion “counts”. In water that cold, had you forced yourself to stay in for 5min would almost certainly have resulted in hospitalization due to deep hypothermia. You wouldn’t have easily re-warmed in the trailer.
Michael, I'd be interested in hearing how you adjust what you say to yourself!
Regarding athletes and their results, yes it's related. And maybe instead of asking them "how did you feel about the race?" would a more challenging question be "What are you telling yourself, now that the race is over?"
As for the cold dip, I actually didn't beat myself up about the 'fail.' I felt good about the effort because I knew it was one of the hardest physical things I've ever done.
Oh! That’s a much better question. Thanks Griff. I’ve felt that the question I’ve been asking wasn’t quite as deep as I wanted, I like this suggestion.
Right on. I could tell from the article that it was a solid achievement but wasn’t sure you didn’t still think “I should have been able to…”. There’s hard, and turns there’s the stuff that’ll will kill us. :)
You're welcome, Michael. I'm wondering now if it might be a good question for a coach to ask when someone is celebrating or frustrated after a practice session.
I’ve often used positive self talk to get me through tough workouts and practices but not as a conscious training tool or in a “reward the work not the finish” point of view, so I’m going to pay more attention to the words in using in the moment and how I can adjust them.
Incidentally, I much prefer to ask athletes how they felt about their race rather than their finish result. One, because I think empty praise of a finish result is lazy but also because I think that athletes should be more focused on how the race went rather than the finish. I suspect this is closely related to what you’re discussing here.
Also, don’t beat yourself up about whether multiple plunges versus 5min sustained submersion “counts”. In water that cold, had you forced yourself to stay in for 5min would almost certainly have resulted in hospitalization due to deep hypothermia. You wouldn’t have easily re-warmed in the trailer.
Michael, I'd be interested in hearing how you adjust what you say to yourself!
Regarding athletes and their results, yes it's related. And maybe instead of asking them "how did you feel about the race?" would a more challenging question be "What are you telling yourself, now that the race is over?"
As for the cold dip, I actually didn't beat myself up about the 'fail.' I felt good about the effort because I knew it was one of the hardest physical things I've ever done.
Oh! That’s a much better question. Thanks Griff. I’ve felt that the question I’ve been asking wasn’t quite as deep as I wanted, I like this suggestion.
Right on. I could tell from the article that it was a solid achievement but wasn’t sure you didn’t still think “I should have been able to…”. There’s hard, and turns there’s the stuff that’ll will kill us. :)
You're welcome, Michael. I'm wondering now if it might be a good question for a coach to ask when someone is celebrating or frustrated after a practice session.