I interviewed Joe Alleva, Physiatrist and competitive Jiu Jitsu athlete to discuss the mental and physical challenges of being an older athlete. As a doctor and competitive athlete, both Joe and I understand the difficulty of balancing physical fitness and career. Joe opens up about his difficulties with his mental game in sport explaining that he always feels confident in practice but notices the drop in his confidence when it comes to competition time.
This lack of confidence, specifically in competition, is extremely common for all athletes. I always recommend athletes operate under a structured routine to decrease nerves and increase confidence. Since our unconscious mind is the driver of our lives, we must follow a consistent plan to keep our mind and body focused for competition days.
Many older athletes experience this lack of confidence in competition due to the realization that their body isn’t what it used to be. As you age the competitors’ approach must be a little different. Training is about working smarter, not harder. Having self-awareness of your mental and physical capacity is critical in preventing injury and building confidence. The body and mind play off of each other so what affects your physical game certainly affects your mental game and vice versa.
Training smarter and being aware of what your body can and can’t do is a powerful way to combat the negative impact an injury may have on you. Injuries can be devastating, potentially leading to a loss of identity or the development of depression and anxiety. But by simply acknowledging the relationship between your mind and body you are building the mental toughness required to come out of an injury or any other potential roadblocks stronger than you were before.