Maintaining motivation throughout the season
Issue: Volume 27 Number 4
‘Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing.’
Dr Harriet Braiker, clinical psychologist
It can be challenging for coaches and athletes alike to stay motivated over a long season. It can be even more challenging to maintain motivation after the major event you have been working towards, like nationals or your local club championship, has been and gone. When you have planned and worked for a long time towards one specific event it can be hard to maintain impetus for training when it is all finally over and done with. The following information should help you and your athletes to stay motivated and train hard when you are back to reality!
Education
Educate your athletes about the typical phases of motivation and how it may change throughout the season. If your athletes know what to expect, they can plan and be prepared for changes in motivation and can address problems before they get out of hand. Although this may change according to your sport, common phases of motivation include:
- Beginning of the season - after a break, athletes are usually refreshed and motivation levels are usually naturally high and will drive your athletes during the build-up in training. As the training intensity increases their initial enthusiasm may wane, especially if other demands creep into their schedules. Life balance needs to be maintained, in conjunction with a continuing reinforcement of athletes’ goals.
- Hard training - during a hard training phase (heavy training loads, lots of conditioning work) motivation can decrease significantly. Muscle soreness, fatigue, overloading or external demands can erode motivation further. Athletes need to be sure that they maintain adequate nutrition and hydration, as well as working on positive thinking and focusing on the benefits of their training. Coaches can assist by making training varied rather than repetitive. If you have to do lots of repetitive work, then consider changing training venues or incorporating some games into your training.
- Second wind - once the heavy training starts to pay off and athletes can see some positive gains (and when you move into a lighter training phase), they often experience increased motivation for training as they feel a sense of accomplishment.
- Prior to competition - as the big event draws closer, motivation levels usually increase even further. Sometimes athletes even have to be restrained from training too much as a result of their motivation to do well. Motivation is usually very high right before a major competition. Tapering often further enhances motivation as athletes start to feel the positive effects of their hard work.
- Post-competition - often the period immediately following the major competition is one of very low motivation. This may be apparent regardless of how your athletes have done in the competition. If the next big event is a long way off, it can be hard to get motivated to continue to train hard. Athletes should be given an appropriate break after major events (according to their periodised plan), and then should be provided with new training programs and regimes. As previously mentioned, a fresh start can be motivating. However, after a major event it is often necessary to revise athletes’ progress to date and revisit their goals in order to plan for the future. Once athletes can see how far they have come, and what they are working towards again, motivation usually returns.
Motivational tips for athletes
- Get enough sleep . Your body has been working hard and is probably fatigued. Make sure you get at least eight hours sleep each night to help you rest and recuperate. It is a lot easier to feel motivated when you also feel fresh and well rested.
- Use cross-training . This helps keep boredom and staleness at bay and keeps you active.
- Spend time in nature . Whether out in the wilderness, by the lake, or in your own backyard, it can be very uplifting to spend time outdoors. Go for a walk, have a picnic, play in the park, lie in the grass and read a book.
- Learn to meditate . Spend quiet time by yourself thinking through problems, calming your mind, and imaging successful performance. It is very good for you to spend some time clearing your mind and relaxing your mind and body.
- Listen to music, or do yoga . This is another way to clear your mind and relax.
- Feed your mind . Do things that stimulate your creativity, problem-solving ability, or sense of humour. Do things that interest and challenge you.
- Hydrate and eat right . It is still vital to ensure that you are receiving appropriate food and hydration.
- Have time for yourself . Make sure you have time to do the things you love, as well as training, work, study and so on.
- Stop procrastinating! It can be helpful, now that major competition is over, to get on with some of the jobs you have been avoiding. This not only helps you to get organised, but it also gives you a sense of accomplishment. This may be especially useful if you did not do as well at the major competition as you would have liked.
- Try something new . This is the time to enrol in a night class or try a new sport you have been interested in.
- Revisit your goals . Look at where you are headed with your sport — what are your new goals? What is next on the horizon? Give yourself something new to start working towards, and do some performance profiling to see what you need to address in training.
- Use imagery . See yourself at your next major event feeling great and performing brilliantly.
