You’re getting relaxed, relaxed, relaxed. Now you’re fast!
Sean Callahan, the editor of Masters Athlete, has a column in the current issue about hypnosis. (Read it here.) He tried it since he was stuck at 86 on the golf course. So how did he do after his hypnosis session? He shot an 86. Maybe he should focus on relaxation during his event, and not just in a comfortable chair before it. That’s the point of this revelatory article by W60 runner Gina Kolata in The New York Times. We’ve all heard that relaxation makes us more efficient athletes. This article explains why (and how). Its best tip: Relax the eyes.
Here’s what 400-meter guru Clyde Hart told Kolata:
One of his tricks is to have athletes concentrate on relaxing their eyes. “If they’re wide eyed, they’re tense,” Mr. Hart said. “I tell runners to run sleepy eyed. It’s like pouring a soothing oil over the body.” As the eyes relax, the face starts to relax, the jaw relaxes and then, Mr. Hart said, he tells runners to let the feeling spread through the shoulders and arms.
OK, now I know how to stretch and relax.
Can someone please tell me how to make my legs go faster?
One Response
Coach Hart did a lot more than tell us to relax…but enjoy the read
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