Survival of the Fittest

THIS WEEKEND, I’m playing rugby for the first time in what feels like ages. And having been training again for not even a month and a half yet (after a loooong break from the gym … and the track … and the field), I’m not feeling as physically prepared as would be ideal. Stupid motivation — why couldn’t you have come knocking at the beginning of December?!

But I know that with continued devotion to my program, my physical conditioning will come back (seriously, hurry UP already). Till then, it’s probably more important than ever that I tackle my mental game again, too, so I compiled the following READ TO WIN Book List. (Cue trumpet fanfare.)

I have a lot of reading to do before tomorrow morning.

Thinking Body, Dancing Mind: TaoSports for Extraordinary Performance in Athletics, Business, and Life by Chungliang Al Huang and Jerry Lynch — This book is a reread for me and came highly recommended by my former USA U-23 and club rugby coach Barb Fugate. I’m positive her pregame visualization and guided imagery sessions have played a part in the many victories she’s got under her belt. And oh right, the authors! They cover such topics as perfectionism and fear of success — solid gold info for many athletes, including myself.

In Pursuit of Excellence: How to Win in Sport and Life Through Mental Training by Terry Orlick, PhD (Human Kinetics, 2000) — Orlick has spent decades coaching Olympic athletes on mental skills, so he knows his stuff. But I think maybe the most amazing part of this book is that my edition (pictured — albeit rather wonkily — at left) has a photo of a jewel-encrusted, nonspecific championship ring, Super Bowl style, on its cover. Find out more on Orlick’s methods at www.zoneofexcellence.ca.

The New Toughness Training for Sports by James E. Loehr, EdD (Plume, 1995) — Yet another dude who has worked with high-profile Olympic athletes, Loehr offers tons of bulleted advice and puts you to work molding yourself into a “fearless warrior.” At first glance I thought the info was presented in too workbook-y a fashion for my tastes, but once I dug in, I felt Loehr’s grit coming off the pages. (Or oh god, was that dirt?!) Best quote? “Emotions respond much as muscles do. The ones you stimulate the most become the strongest and most accessible.”

Mental Training for Peak Performance: Top Athletes Reveal the Mind Exercises They Use to Excel by Steven Ungerleider, PhD (Rodale, 2005) — There’s a chapter on tapping into the power of dreams that I want to hit, and I see advice in there from 1968 Boston Marathon winner Amby Burfoot (Burfoot also writes the Footloose blog at Runner’s World). Another interesting part of Ungerleider’s book is that the third and final section is divided into sport-specific mental practice, so there’s a section on cycling, running, swimming and weight training, to name a few.

The Mental Edge: Maximize Your Sports Potential With the Mind-Body Connection by Kenneth Baum (Perigee, 1999) — Baum has worked with a range of athletes who’ve found success with his program. He covers defining your desire, visualization techniques, identifying and conquering obstacles, and committing to action.

Mind/Body Fitness by Tom Seabourne, PhD (YMAA, 2001) — Seabourne, a sports psychologist, was also a national tae kwon do champ. He teaches martial arts breathing as part of his sound-mind strategy. More at www.tomseabourne.com. Hands down best part of his Web site is the picture at right. Who doesn’t smile during shirtless biceps curls? (Also, do people still do biceps curls? I had no idea!)

I’D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS on the topic of mental toughness. For instance:

• What are your favorite mental fitness books or other resources? What’s missing from my list?

• Do you use visualization and guided imagery before competition? If so, what techniques work best for you?

• If something goes wrong during a game/match/workout session, how do you right your mind?

If you don’t know much about mental training but would like to learn, these Experience Life articles can lay out the basics.

“Train Your Brain” from November 2006 — Covers breathing, affirming talk, and visualization and guided imagery.

“Mind-Body Synergy,” also from November 2006 — On the benefits of developing a strong mind-body connection.

“See It, Believe It” from January/February 2006 — How visioning works (really-really works)!

“Find Your Focus” from May 2005 — On staying amped for and during your fitness routine.

(disgusting image at top ganked from www.fitbuff.com)

As the famed (and eminently quotable) football coach Lou Holtz once said, “When all is said and done, more is said than done.”

Too true, Lou. Sometimes I feel like all I do is think, talk and write about fitness.

But for the past week and a half, even amid more-confluent-than-usual edit deadlines and general busyness, I made my own fitness a priority.

So yeah, I’m “just doing it.” On my way again, official training program in hand. Knock on wood, but I think I’ve gone from a loooong, slow ramp-up to being excited to work out hard again, often. And that feels really satisfying.

What I wasn’t quite prepared for, however, was the disgust I would feel with the current state of my body. And trust me, I know that’s not at all where I should be coming from — I’m chanting every feel-good mantra I can think of, namely, “Start where I am, start where I am, start where I am.” But I was horrified the other night when I replaced my first set’s squat weight in favor of something a bit more … petite.

What I said aloud was, “Totally fine, probably a blessing in disguise. I can start from the ground up and work on perfect form.” What I said inside was, “Aaaaaaaaaaaaah! I’d already started out with less weight than I used to warm up with!”

During cardio, I felt like I wasn’t entirely in charge of my own body. Or, more accurately, that I wasn’t in charge of my own body in its entirety. Every so often, I would feel … not exactly a jiggle, but perhaps a little wiggle. Whatever it was, it was definitely other, and I couldn’t help but be horrified.

I recall the intimidation of the starting point from other times I’ve reintroduced my bod to a regular fitness regimen after a break, and a month from now, I know I’ll be in a healthier place — physically and emotionally.

But it’s all about how to get to a month from now, isn’t it? Avoiding the essentially pessimistic “back in the day” mindset, a la Al Bundy (pictured above). Figuring out how to make fitness, in some form, a nonnegotiable part of your daily routine.

Sometimes it may take an additional boost to avoid a backslide. And sometimes, just sometimes, you have to get that boost on the cheap.

Last week, Experience Life’s associate editor, Kaeti, asked me for some help researching how those with specific fitness goals are more apt to succeed than those who work out with less direction.

In compiling a few leads, I came across the article “20 Ways to Stick to Your Workout” by Men’s Health features editor Adam Campbell.

While I found myself nodding along to his suggestions about signing up for a race and switching up workout partners, something about the twisted No. 20, “Blackmail Yourself,” also struck a chord. It says:

Take a picture of yourself shirtless, holding a sign that shows your e-mail address. Then e-mail it to a trusted but sadistic friend, with the following instructions: “If I don’t send you a new picture that shows serious improvement in 12 weeks, post this photo at hotornot.com and send the link to the addresses listed below….” (Include as many e-mail addresses — especially of female acquaintances — as possible.) “It’s nasty, but extremely effective,” says Alwyn Cosgrove.

Now, I’m not condoning this as a long-term motivation strategy — using punishment and extrinsic motivators works directly against Experience Life’s “happy, healthy, for-real” message.

I’m not even condoning trying this as a short-term motivator. I’m just saying it’s an intriguing — if rather perverse — suggestion, and for me, even the idea of laying it out there so boldly could provide a kick in the pants, should I need it.

So maybe, to give my motivation zero wiggle-room, I’ll threaten myself with sending that email.