Meditation in Athletics: The Impact of Meditation Training on Athletic Performance

What is meditation and who should practice it? Meditation is a mindful practice that focuses on bringing attention to one’s thoughts, emotions, and overall well-being. Whether it is a minute or an hour per day, meditation can be effectively implemented into daily life by any individual in various ways. However, the effects of meditation specifically on athletic performance have become an increasingly researched topic. Many athletic teams have taken part in Mindfulness Meditation Training for Sport (MMTS) programs as well as other studies in order to better understand these effects and perhaps benefits of meditation for athletes. Meditation influences athletic performance through increased attentional control, improved negative internal states and abilities in accepting emotions, and increased kindness to self and others.

Studies have shown that meditation influences athletic performance in various ways. For example, the study done by Boston University researched the effects of meditation on nine division one college athletes who participated in the Mindfulness Meditation Training for Sport program. This program is “a 6-hr MBI [Mindfulness-Based Intervention] for sport designed specifically to increase concentration, adaptability in performance, and tolerance of negative internal states” (Cote, Baltzell, & Diehl, 2019). This seven week program uses intense mindfulness practices that target attentional control of athletes, the use of intentional focus, and confrontational ways of dealing with unpleasant emotions (Cote, Baltzell, & Diehl, 2019). Results were acquired through a qualitative interview process with each participant in the study. Then, results were placed into shared perception categories. The two categories most relevant to the effects of meditation on athletic performance include learned performance strategies and sport-specific gains.

Within the learned performance strategies category, increased attentional control is demonstrated. This is valuable to athletes in many ways. This element of athletic ability builds the window of opportunity for athletes by allowing them to view things differently through their awareness of internal dialogue. Through increased attentional control, athletes build awareness of their distractions and emotions (Cote, Baltzell, & Diehl, 2019). This enables athletes to mindfully formulate their reaction to distractions and emotions rather than letting the moment happen to them. In another study, eleven basketball players were interviewed on their experiences with meditation. One player stated, “I never felt better on the court. I feel no one can stop me because...honestly, I just live in the moment now” (Burns, 2016). Living in the moment can prevent destructive attitudes from forming on the court or during play. When one is able to recognize and accept their emotions, they are able to redirect that energy in different ways. For example, if an athlete is angry about their performance, they can recognize that emotion without judgement and redirect it to something else.

In addition to increased attentional control, meditation helps athletes improve negative internal states and reactions to stressors. While this is similar to attentional control, improved negative internal states require more specific attention. Athletes must recognize their emotions first, and then react; however, their reaction to their emotions are minimized. Minimized reactions were acquired through strategically normalizing feelings of anxiety or anger through meditation practices (Cote, T., Baltzell, A., & Diehl, R., 2019). In the MMTS tennis player study, one player stated, “You can tell yourself, for example, this is how a champion feels, so I would use something like that—it’s okay I am nervous, I’m fine, everyone is nervous so now I can just go and play” (Cote, Baltzell, & Diehl, 2019). This quote demonstrates the normalization of feelings associated with competition and acknowledging them in a positive way.

In addition, feelings of frustration were normalized through meditation practices. One MMTS participant stated, “I channelled that emotion….I stepped back and separated myself from what was happening….I thought what can I do in this situation, what do I actually have control of, and it’s not that emotion, so let’s use it somewhere else” (Cote, Baltzell, & Diehl, 2019). This demonstrates the recognition of emotion and that feelings are not something individuals are in control of. However, the way one reacts to those feelings is something that they can control, so one must focus on that. This positively influences sports performance because individuals are able to move on from those negative emotions and implement them into play.

Next, athletes stated that after performing meditation, they felt better equipped to respond to stressors. One of the male athletes stated, “I separated myself from the feeling [anger] and the downward spiral….I ended up coming back and playing well and it changed my whole day. [Finding] that space between the emotion and what was actually going on was huge” (Cote, Baltzell, & Diehl, 2019). Athletes in this study were forced to accept their mistakes during competition and maintain the belief that they can get through the stressful situation (Cote, Baltzell, & Diehl, 2019). This allowed players to positively direct their attitude, which improved their play. In a study focusing on coaches’ views on players taking part in MMTS, coaches agreed that it was a valuable mental tool for athletes and helped athletes become more efficient with emotional recovery after making mistakes (Baltzell, Chipman, Hayden, & Bowman, 2015).

Athletes also showed increased kindness to self and others after practicing meditation. The 2015 study found that players experienced a positive impact from the “mantra,” “a shared, agreed upon short saying, of athletes wishing themselves and their teammates well” (Baltzell, Chipman, Hayden, & Bowman, 2015). This mantra helped motivate athletes to work for themselves and their teammates. Many athletes used this loving-kindness meditation through times of intense negative thoughts (Cote, Baltzell, & Diehl, 2019). In addition, six out of nine of the athletes reported that treating themselves with more care and kindness was an essential role in overcoming adversity; it was important to speak to themselves with kindness rather than anger (Cote, Baltzell, & Diehl, 2019). One basketball player stated, “I have become a much more loving and compassionate person, and not only have I noticed, but the people around me as well. It is definitely the meditation, which has helped….real happiness comes from love and compassion, but before I was basing everything off material possessions or wins and losses, or being better than others” (Burns, 2016). By redirecting focus to internal thoughts and emotions, external environments matter less; this positively impacts sports performance.

While many view meditation as a useful tool, some athletes do not use meditation. In the basketball study, many athletes claimed that they did not feel the effects or benefits (Burns, 2016). However, this can be tied to one of the five hindrances of meditation. The mindset of sensual desire can cloud one’s judgement in relation to what they get out of meditation. This formal practice does not produce results overnight and must be practiced normally to actually change the mind. Other players suggested that they do not need meditation to do well and seem more fulfilled with their lives. One player stated, “My game is going good and I guess I don’t have an urge to do it….I am satisfied with where I’m at, I am growing each day in life and feel I am becoming a better basketball player” (Burns, 2016). However, this can also be tied to another hindrance, which is doubt. Athletes may doubt that they will ever see a difference or benefits from meditation.

Another reason some athletes do not meditate includes popularity or influence of others. For example, one basketball player discussed that it was not a societal norm where they are from and that people who do meditate are considered outsiders (Burns, 2016). Another athlete stated, “Honestly don’t know anyone who meditates in my life, and that might be a reason I never started, but also even if I asked some teammates I bet they would think I am crazy because for me I don’t know any basketball players that meditate to enhance their game. And to me meditation means sitting crossed legged and your fingers in a certain way and that is about it” (Burns, 2016). This identifies the stigma surrounding the practice of meditation. Some may view meditation as odd or as a placebo; however, there is scientific evidence proving that there are biological changes that take place through meditation practice. Meditation actually changes the brain neuroplasticity. In addition, many professional athletes do meditate in order to retrieve meditational benefits and improve sport performance.

In conclusion, meditation positively impacts sports performance. It influences athletic performance through increased attentional control, improved negative internal states and abilities in accepting emotions, and increased kindness to self and others. Various studies such as those who utilized Mindfulness Meditation Training for Sport programs verified these claims. Through increased attentional control, athletes are able to recognize emotions and distractions. In addition, improved negative internal states and abilities in accepting emotions result in better sports performance. Lastly, increased kindness to self and others increased self and team motivation in athletes. These MMTS programs offer promising future studies on the academic lives of athletes as well (Cote, Baltzell, & Diehl, 2019). In the future, more quantitative rather than qualitative results will become available. In addition, researchers hope to do more studies on how this program can target coaches’ meditation experience and the impact it has on their techniques in the future (Baltzell, Chipman, Hayden, & Bowman, 2015). There are still endless possibilities for research in regards to meditation and its influence on coaching, athletic performance, and even daily life.