02  Mind & Body - The Considerations

  

Being a good or high-performance athlete requires a combination of physical ability and mental toughness. Here are some key mind and body things to consider when striving for success or just simple performance improvement in Short Track Speed Skating. In this section we also discuss and introduce the basics of physiology by looking at the energy systems used in Short Track Speed Skating.

 

1. ​The Basics of Mind and Body Considerations

2. The Concepts of Sports Psychology

3. Mental Toughness - Be Aware of the Dangers!!

4. The Energy Systems Used in Short Track Speed Skating

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1.0 The Basics of Mind and Body Considerations

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1. Physical Fitness: Physical fitness is a critical component of high-performance athletics. It includes aspects such as strength, endurance, speed, agility, and flexibility. Athletes need to maintain their physical fitness through regular training, healthy eating habits, and proper rest and recovery.

 

This involves focusing on various aspects such as aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, strength training, power development, and speed and agility training.

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2. Mental Toughness: Mental toughness refers to the ability to remain focused, motivated, and resilient in the face of adversity. Athletes must develop mental toughness in order to deal with the intense pressure and stress that come with high-level competition.

 

This involves staying positive, developing a strong mindset, being able to manage stress, and having a strong sense of self-discipline and motivation.

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Mental toughness can be developed through a range of practices, including visualization, meditation, and mental rehearsal.

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3. Nutrition: Nutrition plays a crucial role in athletic performance. Athletes need to fuel their bodies with the right combination of nutrients in order to maintain their physical fitness, prevent injury, and recover from intense training sessions.

 

This involves developing healthy eating habits that prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods and staying hydrated throughout the day.

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4. Recovery: Recovery is a key aspect of athletic performance. It includes strategies to help athletes rest and recover after intense training sessions, such as stretching, foam rolling, massage, and restorative activities.

 

Adequate sleep is also essential for recovery, as it allows the body to repair and rebuild damaged tissues.

 

5. Goal Setting: Setting goals is an important aspect of being a high-performance athlete. Goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.

 

Athletes should work with coaches and trainers to develop a plan that includes both short-term and long-term goals. This can help to keep athletes motivated and focused on their progress.

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In summary, high-performance athletes must focus on physical fitness, mental toughness, nutrition, recovery, and goal setting. By paying attention to these key aspects, athletes can develop the physical and mental capabilities necessary to achieve success in their sport.

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2.0 The Concept of Sports Psychology

Sports psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on how psychological factors affect sports performance and how participation in sports affects psychological well-being.

 

Sports psychologists work with athletes, coaches, and teams to help them improve performance, cope with the pressures of competition, and enhance mental toughness.

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Guidance to high-performance athletes in the domain of sports psychology would include: -

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1. Goal Setting: Set specific, measurable, and achievable goals that are important to you. Make sure your goals are realistic and challenging to help motivate you towards achieving them.

2. Visualization and Imagery: Use visualization and imagery techniques to create mental pictures of successful performances. This can help you improve technique, enhance confidence, and reduce anxiety.

3. Self-Talk: Use positive self-talk to motivate yourself and maintain focus during training and competition. Avoid negative self-talk or criticism, which can undermine confidence and performance.

4. Relaxation techniques: Use relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and meditation to reduce stress and anxiety and promote mental and physical relaxation.

5. Mental Toughness: Build mental toughness by developing the ability to handle pressure, bounce back from setbacks, and maintain focus and motivation even in challenging situations.

6. Team Dynamics: Work on developing positive relationships with teammates and coaches. This can help build a supportive team environment that fosters motivation, confidence, and performance.

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Overall, sports psychology can be an effective tool for high-performance athletes to improve their mental and emotional well-being, enhance their performance, and achieve their goals. By working with a sports psychologist, athletes can develop a range of psychological skills that can help them achieve their full potential both on and off the field.

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3.0 Mental Toughness - Be Aware of the Dangers!!

While mental toughness can be a valuable attribute for athletes and competitive short track speed skaters, there are also potential dangers associated with its development and use. It is important to highlight these dangers and some of the dangers of mental toughness could include: -

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1. Overtraining: Mental toughness can lead athletes / skaters to push themselves too hard, leading to overtraining and potential injury. Mental toughness may cause athletes to ignore the signs of fatigue, pain, or injury and continue to train or compete beyond safe limits.

2. Burnout: Mental toughness can also increase the risk of burnout, which can result in physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. Athletes who focus solely on achieving their goals without considering their well-being may experience burnout, leading to decreased performance, motivation, and enjoyment of the sport.

3. Risk-taking behavior: Athletes with high levels of mental toughness may be more prone to risk-taking behavior, leading to increased injury or other negative consequences. For example, an skater who pushes themselves too hard (physically and in skating training) to achieve a goal may take shortcuts or engage in dangerous behaviour to achieve that goal.

4. Reduced Empathy: Developing mental toughness may also lead to reduced empathy and emotional intelligence. Athletes who prioritize mental toughness over emotional awareness and empathy may struggle to connect with teammates, coaches, and fans, leading to decreased team dynamics and support.

5. Mental Health Issues: Mental toughness may also contribute to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Athletes who prioritise mental toughness over mental well-being may struggle with the pressure to perform, leading to negative mental health outcomes.

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Overall, while mental toughness can be a valuable attribute for athletes, it is important to balance mental toughness with physical and emotional well-being. Athletes who focus solely on mental toughness may be at risk of overtraining, burnout, risk-taking behavior, reduced empathy, and mental health issues. We have all been there!!!

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4.0 The Energy Systems Used in Short Track Speed Skating

There are 3 energy systems in the body. They each produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate) or use stored ATP sources, which is the source of energy used by cells in the body.

 

1. The first is the Anaerobic Alactic system (phosphocreatine energy system). This system is used over short bursts of high intensity. This system is fueled by stored ATP and creatine phosphate (another high energy substance) and makes 2 ATP molecules per glucose molecule. Due to the small size of these systems, the immediate supply of energy only lasts for around 10 seconds of high intensity exercise at a time. This energy system can be replenished within a few minutes of rest. This energy system is used in short track speed skating during the explosive starts in 500m races as well as when skaters accelerate to make an overtake, although this system is not as frequently used that the other two systems. This is because these are two very high intensity but short bursts of energy within a race. This means that this energy system is used because these actions last 10 seconds or less and they do not produce lactic acid but require a high intensity. This system is best trained by doing weight training for a small number of reps and sets but with near maximum weight for your ability. Exercises like squats, lunges, deadlifts and cleans are great for strengthening some of the key muscles used in skating. 

2. The second energy system is the Anaerobic lactic system. This system is for high to medium intensity over 10 seconds to 3 minutes. This is the body’s way of producing energy in the form of ATP quickly. This system produces 2 ATP molecules per glucose molecule. Unlike the first system, this form of energy produces lactic acid as a byproduct which hinders the athlete’s ability to perform, and therefore building up a resistance to lactic acid production during training is key to prolonging the ability to use this energy system. Muscles begin to fatigue when ATP resynthesis can no longer match the demand. This system takes between 20 and 60 minutes to fully recover from as this is how long it takes to get rid of all of the lactic acid from the body. This system is the most common system in short track speed skating as it covers all three individual distances the 500m, 1000m and 1500m, making it the most important form of energy for short track skaters. This is because races are at a high intensity but they only last for between 40seconds and 3 minutes, and lactic acid is produced. This means that the better skaters are able to use this energy system for longer without producing lactic acid during the races, which allows them to maintain this intensity for longer without a drop in performance. This can be developed through training which forces the muscles to produce lactic acid, like high intensity intervals (running or cycling for example) and by spending time in skating positions during imitations off ice sessions.

3. The third energy system is the Aerobic energy system. This system is for low intensity long duration exercise. As glucose can be broken down with oxygen, this releases enough energy to produce up to 38 ATP molecules. This system covers activities that last anywhere between 3 minutes and a few hours. Unlike the other two systems, this system uses oxygen and takes longer to overload, so by training this, athletes can use this system at higher intensities and therefore sustain higher intensities for longer before tiring. It can take upward of 90 minutes to fully recover from some aerobic exercise, depending on the duration and intensity of the exercise. This system is used in short track speed skating for 5000m relay races, as well as an improved aerobic energy system helping skaters to recover more quickly in between races as well, making this system important for short track skaters too. This is because this race is a slightly lower intensity, but lasts for around 7 minutes. This means that the skaters are still able to use oxygen to produce aerobic energy during these races, although they will begin to use anaerobic lactic energy towards the end of the relays as fatigue builds, which means that the better skaters are able to spend longer using their aerobic energy system to stay more efficient with their energy production. This system can be trained by doing steady cycling or running sessions at around 70 – 80% of maximum heart rate for longer durations. This will build skaters’ abilities to recover as their body will learn how to use oxygen more efficiently. (Credit British Speed Skater Adam Hill Jnr for this information)

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