Utilizing Mental Skills: From Sports to Exercise

Like most collegiate athletes, transitioning out of sport was very difficult for me. Of course I was an athletic person, however, all of my physical activity throughout college was dedicated to soccer performance. Although this was helpful when it came to staying active in college, I feel like this “advantage” almost set me back when trying to figure out how to incorporate physical activity into my life post-college. 

My initial year post-college was tough. I struggled to integrate and sustain physical activity in my routine. While I made occasional visits to the gym, my consistency was lacking. I experienced a rapid decline in muscle mass, and my mental well-being suffered as a result. I needed to find a solution, and I needed one fast.

Fortunately, I was enrolled in a master’s program in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology during this period. I was able to use the information that I was learning in class, and apply it to my real life. 

Here’s what I learned:

1. Exercise Identity

For those who follow my Instagram page know that I am HUGE on exercise identity. I firmly believe that without seeing oneself as someone who exercises, it's unlikely that one will actively engage in physical activity. According to identity theory, the more salient one’s identity is, the more likely it is that an individual will engage in behaviors associated with that identity (Burke & Stets, 2009).

The majority of college athletes hold a profound attachment to their identity as athletes. Given the all-encompassing nature of dedicating four years entirely to their sport—eating, breathing, and sleeping it—it's hard not to feel deeply connected to that identity. One activity that I used to create my exercise identity was reflection. 

Example:

Who am I now? Who would I like to be? What does my exercise identity look like? What activities do I like to engage in? What makes me feel good (physically, emotionally, mentally, socially)?

This reflection helped me explore the impact of my transition out of sport on my current identity and discuss how I could shift that focus to creating my exercise identity. 

2. Autonomy 

Self-determination theory (SDT) is a theory of motivation that aims to explain individuals’ goal-directed behavior (Ryan & Deci, 2000). This theory highlights the basic psychological needs (i.e., autonomy, competence, relatedness). Autonomy is high when individuals feel they are engaging in exercise because they choose to do so, not because they feel pressured by other people or external factors.

Maintaining autonomy is crucial during the transition out of sports. Throughout most collegiate careers, many athletes find themselves without the freedom to make decisions regarding their physical activity and training regimen. The absence of control often leads to negative feelings about certain activities, like running. Some of my teammates still struggle with running today because of the anxiety that comes with running and fitness testing. 

After college, I had to switch my mindset and find activities that I genuinely enjoyed. I had some negative feelings towards running, and I wanted to be able to fix that. I decided to shift my focus towards lifting and other cardio activities (e.g., biking, stair stepper, walking). Once I was feeling good about this, I was able to slowly get myself into running again. I was able to reflect on activities that made me feel good and that I enjoyed.

Example:

What are my goals for physical activity? What types of physical activity do I truly enjoy? What times of day do I feel most energized to engage in physical activity?

3. Overcoming Barriers to Physical Activity 

Transitioning out of sports presents a unique challenge: physical activity becomes optional. In college athletics, our training programs, workouts, and practices were mandatory, which can be a tough adjustment for retired athletes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), understading common barriers to physical activity and creating strategies to overcome them may help you make physical activity part of your daily life.

Personally, I was able to categorize my excuses, allowing me to confront my problems head-on. For example, some excuses are due to lack of time, lack of energy, lack of skill, social influence, lack of resources, etc. Most of my excuses were due to my lack of energy. In graduate school, I was working two jobs as a full-time student. I was exhausted. 

Categorizing my excuses helped me identify the problem so I could change my habits. I realized that I was way too tired to work out at night. To solve this problem, I woke up early in the morning to go to the gym. 

I’m going to be honest, the first few times sucked. Yet, after a few repetitions, the routine of early mornings left me so drained that falling asleep by 9:00 PM became a natural occurrence. This helped me feel energized in the morning, and ready to take on another day. 

Transformation doesn't occur overnight, but if you're determined to change your habits, you'll find a way to make it happen.

These were just a few examples of how mental skills aided me in transitioning out of sports and establishing my exercise routines. In short, despite the difficulty of the transition out of sport, mental performance techniques helped me pinpoint my thoughts and behaviors, paving the way for positive, healthy habits.

If you want to explore further ways to ease your transition out of sports, feel free to email me at upliftmpc@gmail.com or schedule a free consultation through this website.

References

Burks Peter J., Stets Jan E. (2009), Identity Theory. New York: Oxford University Press.

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55, 68-78.

Overcoming barriers to physical activity. (2022, June 16). Center for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adding-pa/barriers.html