How many of you Command Trainees are sporting types?
My chosen sport is triathlon and I used to compete regularly. In fact I learnt most of my mental skills (goal setting, visualisation, motivation, attitude, knowledge of self, determination, handling mistakes and hardship etc.) as a direct result of being involved with my sport. I become more and more interested in the mental aspect of sporting excellence and so I began seeking “mental training” books and articles in magazines (note to self – I must do some book reviews of these exceptional and relevant books).
Sport is a fantastic way to learn about yourself and life (get out there and do it – being a spectator doesn’t count!)
In fact businesses are learning a hell of a lot from the field of sports psychology. Most of the “sports” psychology characteristics are directly transferrable to business practices and of course to Command Training.
I was flicking through a triathlon magazine the other day and I came across this “training” philosophy:
You go out and train hard physically (and sometimes mentally) to stress yourself.
Then you rest to allow your body (and mind) to adequately recover. During this recovery period your body compensates for the previous stress by “over”-compensating (adaptation) and as a result you become fitter and better than before.
You then go out and repeat it, but at a slightly more intense, harder, higher or faster level so that the cycle can be repeated again and again. That’s your free Sports 101 lesson – who said you don’t get something for free!
This same training cycle can be used during Command Training. Instead of physical stress you are usually put under some form of mental stress. Don’t forget that there are good and bad forms of stress.
During your Command Training you want to be pushed a bit, stretched out of your Comfort Zone into your Learning Zone (good), but not so far that you enter your Anxiety Zone (bad).
You also need to rest (see RED – Rest, Exercise and Diet). Sometimes you should have a day (or a few days) doing absolutely nothing related to your Command Training. You have to “rest” your brain and unwind, de-stress and chill out. It is only when you rest that you adequately recover. If you don’t rest and allow yourself to recover you will “burn-out”. That’s how chronic stress results. If your Command Course goes over a few weeks/months you need to actively plan for rest periods so that you can recover.
It is after you have adequately recovered that you will notice any improvements, just like physical exercise.
Then you repeat. But because you have learnt from previous training and experience (you have adapted) you will now be able to cope with more complex and strenuous Command situations. Your Trainer should gradually be increasing the complexity of your training the further you progress into to your Command Training – otherwise you are not learning, you are just stagnating in your Comfort Zone.
So have a sporting Command; Stress – Rest – Recover – Repeat. You know you want to!
My chosen sport is triathlon and I used to compete regularly. In fact I learnt most of my mental skills (goal setting, visualisation, motivation, attitude, knowledge of self, determination, handling mistakes and hardship etc.) as a direct result of being involved with my sport. I become more and more interested in the mental aspect of sporting excellence and so I began seeking “mental training” books and articles in magazines (note to self – I must do some book reviews of these exceptional and relevant books).Sport is a fantastic way to learn about yourself and life (get out there and do it – being a spectator doesn’t count!)
In fact businesses are learning a hell of a lot from the field of sports psychology. Most of the “sports” psychology characteristics are directly transferrable to business practices and of course to Command Training.
I was flicking through a triathlon magazine the other day and I came across this “training” philosophy:
- Stress
- Rest
- Recover
- Repeat
You go out and train hard physically (and sometimes mentally) to stress yourself.
Then you rest to allow your body (and mind) to adequately recover. During this recovery period your body compensates for the previous stress by “over”-compensating (adaptation) and as a result you become fitter and better than before.
You then go out and repeat it, but at a slightly more intense, harder, higher or faster level so that the cycle can be repeated again and again. That’s your free Sports 101 lesson – who said you don’t get something for free!
This same training cycle can be used during Command Training. Instead of physical stress you are usually put under some form of mental stress. Don’t forget that there are good and bad forms of stress.
During your Command Training you want to be pushed a bit, stretched out of your Comfort Zone into your Learning Zone (good), but not so far that you enter your Anxiety Zone (bad).
You also need to rest (see RED – Rest, Exercise and Diet). Sometimes you should have a day (or a few days) doing absolutely nothing related to your Command Training. You have to “rest” your brain and unwind, de-stress and chill out. It is only when you rest that you adequately recover. If you don’t rest and allow yourself to recover you will “burn-out”. That’s how chronic stress results. If your Command Course goes over a few weeks/months you need to actively plan for rest periods so that you can recover.
It is after you have adequately recovered that you will notice any improvements, just like physical exercise.
Then you repeat. But because you have learnt from previous training and experience (you have adapted) you will now be able to cope with more complex and strenuous Command situations. Your Trainer should gradually be increasing the complexity of your training the further you progress into to your Command Training – otherwise you are not learning, you are just stagnating in your Comfort Zone.
So have a sporting Command; Stress – Rest – Recover – Repeat. You know you want to!
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