Question for Athletes

[Raptorsin7]

I have an intramural basketball game coming up on thursday, and it's the playoffs so i really want to win and dominate. What are your tips for getting in the zone in sports and playing at your absolute best. I definitely have a lot of fear and resistance in sports, and i usually end up being very streaky. Ill have times where i play really well, and i have times when i just suck and do nothing.

How can i dominate.

My plan is to do 90 minutes in the float tank, meditate, and listen to some pump up music before hand. I want to get michael jordan level psychotic for this game...

[DrewNows]

yay this is a fun topic. Take in the whole experience, there's hardly any reason to "think" much so be quick to brush away any patterns that attract too much attention, like judgement/frustration/fear

All energy/emotion is your friend so put them all on your side for the duration of the dance (game). The zone is there, always, it's you. Expectation and fears can be laughed at, if not ignored, and if something feels off, go back to the breath, feel the calmness as you reunite with the energy 

Edited December 5, 2019 by DrewNows

[TrynaBeTurquoise]

How bout actually conditioning your body for it and working on basketball skills?  All stuff you put out is the icing on the cake when it comes to dominating basketball. Definitely has nothing to do with self actualization. 

[Raptorsin7]

@TrynaBeTurquoise I have had games where i'm absolutely unstoppable. Then i have games where i can't score a point and i give up on the game. The night and day difference between some of my games is insane. It's literally all mental. Peak performance is about getting yourself to be your best in the moment. I'm not asking how can i go beat lebron james in 1 on1. I'm asking what can i do to be the best version of my self on thursday. 

[TrynaBeTurquoise]

25 minutes ago, Raptorsin7 said:

@TrynaBeTurquoise I have had games where i'm absolutely unstoppable. Then i have games where i can't score a point and i give up on the game. The night and day difference between some of my games is insane. It's literally all mental. Peak performance is about getting yourself to be your best in the moment. I'm not asking how can i go beat lebron james in 1 on1. I'm asking what can i do to be the best version of my self on thursday. 

First off, you're asking how to perform better at basketball. You need to practice basketball skills. Thats your foundation. Its far from all mental. The mental for basketball, or any team sport, is layered on top of skills, which are neuromuscular then physical conditioning, then understanding of plays and chemistry with teammates. Thats your problem as to why you are inconsistent at basketball, because your plan first and foremost is to meditate and float tank, ask for quick fixes on a forum last minute before your playoffs.

Secondly, do you not see the selfishness in this? Why do you have to 'dominate'? The goal is to do whatever it takes to help your team win, not get glory for yourself. Even if that means making the right pass and playing good defense and not scoring at all. You are not the player I would want on my team. Its not a pick up game. Put your ego aside. 

[Raptorsin7]

@TrynaBeTurquoise Fair point. 

But you haven't addressed my point about being your best on game day. Everything is cause and effect. There's clearly something i'm doing when i'm playing well compared to what i'm doing when i check out of games. I'm just not aware of the triggers. 

I am the best player on the team. I want to win. If one of my teammates is scoring every play, do you think i'm going to take the ball from him? If i score 0 points and we dominate then that's perfect. But we almost lost to 2 trash tier teams and I did not have a good game. 

I wouldn't want to play on your team either. The feeling is mutual.

[DrewNows]

18 minutes ago, Raptorsin7 said:

There's clearly something i'm doing when i'm playing well compared to what i'm doing when i check out of games.

Perhaps it's something you aren't doing when you're playing well

Full on absorption baby, why most under-perform under pressure is they can't release that pressure, the energy is blocked within, not flowing through so they end up letting it out in bursts and it gets real messy  

how to truly be complacent with yourself and everyone else out on the court? 

Edited December 5, 2019 by DrewNows

[Raptorsin7]

@DrewNows This guy gets it.

30 minutes ago, DrewNows said:

how to truly be complacent with yourself and everyone else out on the court?

That is the issue. I am not truly letting go on the court. I always feel resistance. Not sure how to let go completely though.

[LfcCharlie4]

@Raptorsin7

Don't set up too many expectations, especially if you're the best player. 

One play at a time, only the now matters, you've missed/ made 100 shots this game? Who cares? 

All that matters is this play now, and what you need to do in this moment. 

That's what helped me in my sport, taking it one play at a time, I'm from the UK so our basketball was nowhere near US levels but school/ local basketball was always fun for me, however I was never really good or tall enough to take it any further, but it's an awesome sport. 

Good luck man and know within yourself you're capable of smashing it. 

[LfcCharlie4]

@TrynaBeTurquoise I'd also argue that yes Skills are obviously essential but what separates the great from the good is the mental side of the game. 

In football in the UK, we always see incredibly talented young players, however those that truly become World Class, have elite mentalities and incredible consistency, no use having all the ability and putting in 1/10 good performances. 

Don't underestimate the mental side of competitive sports, but of course I'm not denying foundational skills are essential but I thought that would be a given. 

[Consept]

What is your mental state when a) youre playing really well and b)when youre not playing well?

 

[DrewNows]

11 hours ago, Raptorsin7 said:

That is the issue. I am not truly letting go on the court. I always feel resistance. Not sure how to let go completely though.

Yeh...there’s no ‘how to’ ?

so I think it’s best to relax and trust whatever happens is meant to happen, stay open to learning from it 

in my experience the more I try to control an outcome or plan a meditative state rather than setting a simple intention, the more struggle arises lol 

As @LfcCharlie4 says, there’s only now so make every moment as enjoyable as possible 

[Raptorsin7]

@DrewNows Alright. I think focus will be important. I'll let you guys know how the game goes.

[NoSelfSelf]

@Raptorsin7 Have a who gives a fuck attitude for end goal(detachment from the outcome)

To enter the zone

1.Motivation (your involment) have an effort that is optimal to the situation not more not less

2.Focus-concentrating on the moment here helps mindfulness meditation

3.Self confidence-you cant build confidence you can only believe in yourself and build skill

4.Not caring if you make a mistake

[DrewNows]

@Raptorsin7 @NoSelfSelf hell yeah, reminder: it ain’t about you so enjoy all the synchronicity, while in the zone I’m enjoying every beautiful play no matter what team does it ?

”check youself b4 you wreck yoself” 

Edited December 5, 2019 by DrewNows

[TrynaBeTurquoise]

10 hours ago, LfcCharlie4 said:

@TrynaBeTurquoise I'd also argue that yes Skills are obviously essential but what separates the great from the good is the mental side of the game. 

In football in the UK, we always see incredibly talented young players, however those that truly become World Class, have elite mentalities and incredible consistency, no use having all the ability and putting in 1/10 good performances. 

Don't underestimate the mental side of competitive sports, but of course I'm not denying foundational skills are essential but I thought that would be a given. 

No doubt, my point is the people in professional sports, take the NBA for example, are not the guys with the most mastery over their mental skills. There are so many immature man-boys. They are there because they are top notch athletes who have practiced the game and developed extraordinary skillsets (some more than others). Thats the foundation. What separates the average to good NBA player from the best of the best is the mental. One is a prerequisite for the other in the case of sports. You foster both at the same time but the mental, or presence in big moments, getting in the zone will do you no good if you don't have the foundational skills and physical capacity. 

[Forestluv]

@Raptorsin7 Follow your intuition and let the flow state flow. Love being in the present moment. You got this ? ? 

[EddieEddie1995]

@TrynaBeTurquoise Of course practice is fundamental. There is a difference when you are thinking what is your next step going to be , and every negative belief and pressure  that you have(should i do that or not do that, what if i miss the shot etc)while playing the game  and its completely different when you are in the flow/zone, you don't think, you just  act whats the best in the moment . The best players are the best because they know how to get in the zone mixed with practice and talent   ofc 

@Raptorsin7 I usually do visualizations and affirmations day before the game . Before the game starts i try not to think, I focus on my breath I trust what I can do and let carried over by the game 

[Key Elements]

@Raptorsin7 great topic. I hope you'll do well in your basketball game. Is it today? Because today is Thursday, or is it next Thursday? My experience with sports, as best as I could describe it, goes something like this:

I learned how to do two kinds of backflips on a bar when I was in first grade. I could still do the backflips because basically I mastered it. I've been doing it since first grade. It comes naturally to me. Each time I do it, I just let myself go, without fear. I'm completely at peace when I do this. It just goes from point A to point B straight without any emotions or trouble. I'm completely in the "meditative flow" without thinking about it or having second thoughts about it.

See, I learned these moves when I was little. If I didn't know these moves, and tried to learn them now as an adult, it will look like this:

I'll probably keep falling on my head or on my back repeatedly, and it will hurt much more, or I'll get injured easily since I'm an adult.

So, I would say, try to get into that "flow state" of mastery. I'm still trying to master something else. You know, strategizing, organizing, and mastering speeches and socializing for business. As I go further along my life purpose/startup, it becomes clearer to what this is. I didn't even know exactly what networking is until I kept going and meetup with ppl! You all of a sudden discover something and have an ah-ha moment, and your line becomes straighter. I'm like, "ah-ha, so this is how I plan to do it." I'm sure strategizing and communicating with your teammates while you all are playing is the same thing. Same idea.

[DrewNows]

@Key Elements cool.

Would you say mastering the basics of a particular skill results in a download, hardwiring the mind, like riding a bicycle

then flow is honing or settling into a relaxed state (backseat driving), able to bask in the awareness and make spontaneous/creative adjustments, improvements, and intuitive foreshadows without hesitation/second thought?