Are you an athlete looking for the edge? Would you like to be more focussed and present when you play? Be inspired by these 8 professional athletes who meditate.
Meditation existed on the fringes for a long time. Practiced by taoists, buddhists, yogis, and spiritual seekers it was considered ‘alternative’ by the masses, and so ignored and misunderstood by the athletic community.
Martial Artists (Samurai) were some of the first athletes to practice meditation and consider it a viable means to enhance performance, as well as ones life. Then, it spread farther and wider thanks to those curious, bold and innovative athletes who adopted the practice.
Today, there are few who haven’t heard of the benefits of meditation. Athletes in every sport use it to focus, manage their state, improve recovery and develop a deeper connection with their craft.
If you’re an athlete and would like to give meditation a try, here’s the inspiration you’re looking for.
8 professional athletes who meditate
1. Novak Djokovic (Serbian tennis star). With 21 Grand Slam men’s singles titles and 90 ATP singles titles under his belt, Novak Djokovic has had an illustrious career to date. Known for incredible displays of skill and athleticism he embraced meditation as a way to keep calm under pressure.
Novak says: “I do [meditation and yoga] out of a need to have an optimal state of mind and peace and calm, and at the same time happiness and joy. Everybody has their ways to reach that state of consciousness where you’re in a good mood and you feel love towards yourself, towards people around you, towards the planet.”
2. Russell Wilson (Denver Broncos Quarterback). Super Bowl Champion (XLVIII) and Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2020), Russell Wilson is no stranger to the highs and lows of professional sport. In his 2020 TED Talk he states, “Positivity doesn’t always work… you’ve got to learn how to shift into neutral.”
One of his secrets to success has been ‘neutral thinking’ and learning how to do things right here and right now. Another is meditation and mindfulness practice. “We talk about being in the moment and increasing chaos throughout practice, so when I go into the game, everything is relaxed.” says Wilson.
3. Jamie Anderson (Snowboarder). An American snowboarder who won the gold medal in the inaugural Women’s Slopestyle Event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia and repeated the feat at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, making her the first female snowboarder to win more than one Olympic gold medal.
Jamie Anderson is known for her cool, spiritual nature and relies on a pre-competition ritual of yoga, meditation, and journaling to calm her nerves.
4. Laura Kenny (British track and road Cyclist). With six Olympic medals, having won both the team pursuit and the omnium at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and madison at the 2020 Olympics, along with a silver medal from the team pursuit at the 2020 Olympics, she is both the most successful female cyclist, and the most successful British female athlete, in Olympic history.
5. Kerri Walsh (Beach volleyball player). A three-time Olympic gold medalist, and a one-time Olympic bronze medalist, Kerri Walsh is the beach volleyball leader in career victories as of 2016 having won 135 international and domestic tournaments.
Meditation doesn’t come easy for Walsh, but she believes it’s incredibly important: “Meditation, to me, is the one thing in the world I wish everyone did.”
6. Laird Hamilton (Big wave surfer). Legendary big wave surfer and waterman, Laird Hamilton has spent his life at one with the ocean. An innovator as much as an athlete, he continues to push the boundaries of what man can achieve on the water.
Breathwork has become a staple of Laird’s training routine. In an interview with Lewis Howes (EP212), he states: “The thing you realise is your spirit, or your soul, is connected to your breath… and then obviously, it’s mandatory for life. Breath is the way we get oxygen, oxygen is essential for living. It’s all about breathing. We know through cardiovascular activities and any kind of exertion, it’s all about breathing. Breathing is your fuel, that’s your energy, that’s your power.”
7. Dorian Yates (Bodybuilding legend). A 6-Time Mr. Olympia winner who changed the face of bodybuilding. With a contest weight of approx. 260-265 lbs Dorian Yates was an intense competitor who brought mass and density like nobody before. Today, his training has evolved beyond the weight room to include yoga, hiking and meditation.
Dorian says on the benefits of meditation: “I’ve slowed everything down and I’ve got that peace and that calmness to look at the situation. I feel more in touch with the true self, the higher self.”
8. Kobe Bryant (NBA great). Kobe may have passed but he continues to inspire athletes the world over. An NBA legend who pushed the boundaries of performance he cultivated a winning mindset called the Mamba Mentality.
Meditation and presence of mind were central to this philosophy. Kobe said: “I meditate every day. I do it in the mornings and I do it for about 10-15 minutes. I think it’s important because it sets me up for the rest of the day. It’s like having an anchor. If I don’t do it I feel like I’m constantly chasing the day, as opposed to being able to be controlled and dictate the day. Not that you’re calling the shots in what comes forward but the fact that I am set and ready for whatever may come my way.”
No matter our sport or hobbies, we can all benefit from the deep focus and presence of mind that meditation brings. It relaxes us, quiets the inner voice and allows us to get in the zone much easier.
Make it a part of your training routine and you’ll soon see the improvements in performance.
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