Ease the Transition back onto the ice with these 3 Mental Training Strategies

As you navigate this uncharted territory, unable to train on the ice, you may notice doubt and fear start to occupy your mind. These are completely understandable feelings to experience right now and it is ok to let yourself feel these. What we don’t want is for those emotions to consume you and get in the way of using this time wisely. Here are 3 strategies to help ease the transition back onto the ice:

Expanding Comfort Zone

You are already forced to push the boundaries of your comfort zone, which is the best way to build your confidence. You are having to find new ways to learn and train and this is expanding your comfort zone. Make sure you bring attention to how well you are coping with doing things in a new way. Listen for any resistance that might come up for you around doing this and recognize how you are creating a new normal.

Often the change you fear is something you have built up in your mind as being much scarier than it really is. Once you try, I am willing to bet you are pleasantly surprised how easy it was to accomplish. Recognize and pat yourself on the back for trying a new way of doing things. In expanding your comfort zone, you are building your confidence as well.

Yearly Goal Setting

Although none of us know when things will get back to normal, it is good to have a plan for when they do. Fear is often mitigated by feeling prepared and ready. I am sure you have already started to think about about your goals for next season. Goals need action steps to make them reality. A long list of goals will feel more manageable when broken down into chunks. I like to chunk the yearly goals into quarters.

We have just started into the 2nd quarter of the 2020/2021 season. You can set goals and action steps for this quarter, one’s that reflect all the great off-ice work you can do from home. A great goal for this time is to maintain the feeling of your jumps and trust your body’s muscle memory. You can engage in regular virtual fitness class and mental training, like visualization, to help during this time.

Visualization

Visualization is the best tool you can consistently use to maintain the technique and feeling on your elements. Research has shown that the mind does not know the difference between physically or mentally practicing. Use this time to remind yourself of how your elements feel, by visualizing yourself completing them successfully 3 times in a row. Practice seeing yourself through your own eyes, feeling the positive emotion of excitement and happiness as you accomplish your goal. Incorporate your 4 senses to create a compelling vision. Visualize yourself in your rink. Hear the sounds, see the sights, experience the feelings you would feel and smell the smells of the arena. Practice before bed 3-5 days per week for 2-5 minutes. 

If you are looking for resources to use during this time away from regular routine, here is a link to a Confidence Building Worksheet. Use this worksheet to identify the KEY CHARACTERISTICS of your confident self so you can CHOOSE to use them going into your next competition.

Get the worksheet –> https://rebekah-dixon.mykajabi.com/pl/141210