Mental fitness is one of the five pillars of the TB12 method. Despite its crucial contributions to performance, mental fitness is seldom addressed, much less thought of. This has to change. To fully achieve success, both the body and mind need to be functioning at the highest level.
We all know how we train our bodies. Do the work. Sweat. Recover. Repeat.
Training the mind, on the other hand, couldn’t be more foreign. There’s no sweating, no physical exertion. Very little suggests that mental training could considered training at all. In fact, it often feels like the opposite.
But the scientific research argues differently. Not only does mental training work, but it can trigger a cascade of physical and mental benefits. One of the easiest and most effective methods in the mental training toolbox is meditation.
Mentally, meditation exercises have been shown to improve attention and visual tasks, promote better sleep, support memory, and help reduce perceived stress. There is even evidence that suggests that mediation is responsible for physical changes in the brain affecting the brain’s physical structure and neural networking processes which may at least partially explain solidified mental benefits.
Meditation practices help promote positive changes in the body as well. A 2017 meta-analysis demonstrated the positive effects of mindfulness practices across multiple areas of physiology including markers of stress like heart rate and cortisol levels, inflammatory responses, and immune function. These findings support earlier research showing that meditation contributed to significantly reducing blood pressure. There is even evidence that meditation can help with cholesterol levels and promote physical performance.
These benefits are not reserved only for the seasoned practitioner. Multiple studies suggest that with constant practice, noticeable changes can be seen in eight weeks with one study suggesting only needing 13 minutes of practice daily.
To most, mental training is a foreign concept. But developing a mental training program can have resounding effects, both physically and mentally. An investment in your mind is an investment in your performance. Take the time to develop a mental training program and watch your health and performance skyrocket.
