BEYOND ATHLETIC's (ELITE² ) CHALLENGES
1. THE 10 DAY BREATHING CHALLENGE | #BEYONDATHLETICMIND
WHY?
HANDLE STRESS BETTER & BE MORE AWARE!
PERFORM, FOCUS, BREATH & SLEEP BETTER!
Our breathing and our minds are the two most overlooked areas in athlete’s lives… without them, we cannot attain PEAK PERFORMANCE NOT EVER…
This challenge will probably reduce your overall stress levels every day, organize your mind & goals, improve your breathing, and set your central nervous system for the day & the rest you will experience if you do it! :) GOOD LUCK.
HOW?
TIP: Have an accountability partner!
Pick a friend/teammate/coach/etc to challenge.. SEND THEM THIS LINK: BeyondATHLETIC.COM/CHALLENGE
For 10 days in a row… Every MORNING (not evening) immediately after waking up (all electronics are OFF/at least airplane mode)... The only thing you should do (if anything at all) use the bathroom if needed & have water…. but avoid interactions.
Rules: The phone must be on airplane mode when you wake up. No media consumption from TV, Radio, Newspaper, Phone, Laptop, Tablet, PEOPLE… before starting this challenge, AND if you miss a day you start from Day 1 again!
5 EASY STEPS FOR 10 MORNINGS!
1. Find a quiet place like a bedroom, preferably in sunlight…
2. Sit on the couch or floor with your back straight with legs butterfly or “lotus” cross-legged. Set a timer for 10' & start!
BEGINNERS… MIGHT FIND AN APP USEFUL: Use the awesome HEADSPACE APP for TEN FREE DAYS…. (so worth it!)
ADVANCED Variations?
you should TRAIN TO rely on yourself to calm yourself. BECAUSE YOU’RE THE ONLY PERSON THAT TRULY CAN BUT YOU MUST BUILD THAT SKILL! I recommend THESE variation ONLY after you can do it WITH THE HEADSPACE APP…. REady?
ADVANCED LEVEL 1: QUIET PLACE… NO APP…. JUST THE BREATHING WITHOUT GUIDANCE ON WHAT TO PAY ATTENTION TO OR DO.…
ADVANCED LEVEL 2 and up: FinD STEP BY STEP MORE SURROUNDINGS WHERE noISE AND EVEN PEOPLE MOVING ABOUT IS MORE AND MORE. TRY TO GET TO DOING THIS ON YOUR BUS TO A MATCH. IN AN AIRPLANE. IN A LOUD HOTEL LOBBY. ;
DO’S
Take 2-3 slow breathes in the nose and out of your mouth before closing your eyes.
Keep eyes closed for the whole ten minutes.
When your mind wanders to random thoughts… (sometimes a ton in the beginning!) REMIND yourself to refocus on the feeling of each breath in and out of your nose.....
Try to sit still unless you must readjust your position slightly.
DON’TS
Do not try to control the speed of your breath.. let it happen normally even if you are stuffy or one nasal passage is blocked.. continue... calmly and they can open up.
Beware if you are: grinding/clenching your teeth, squeezing your hands or eyes…. this is common if you try too hard to concentrate or feel stressed!. Try to relax your eyes, mouth, and hands.
3. When the timer goes off.. open your eyes and write immediately about:
Write the Day # and the actual date (ex: Day1: 15 APRIL 2021)
All your thoughts you had (or that you can remember) during the 10 minutes!
How you felt emotionally/psychologically/physically from the moment you woke up until the moment you write the note.
ONE TASK or DAILY GOAL you must get done that day (THE MOST IMPORTANT thing you must do that day! (Also, say if you accomplished the last day task/goal)
Up to 3 things you are grateful for that day (person or thing or place, etc)...
Tip: Put the DAILY GOAL on a new piece of paper, in a note on your phone… or set reminder alarms for the day… but keep them with you to remind you what you should accomplish!
4. Snap a photo or screenshot of the notes for that day…
Use the photo editor in your messenger app to mark out the private text but leave the Day # and Date seen…
5. NOW turn the wifi back on for your device & Send PROOF TO AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER:
Option A: Send a photo of each day’s noted with the day and actual date to the person that invited you and anyone else accepting the challenge on WhatsApp
Option B: Join international volleyballers in the FB Messenger Breathing Challenge Group for your photos during the time you are doing it.. Have fun! Lots of National team athletes and Olympians have done this…
KEYS:
• Write in your language • Blur the image using the photo editor in your chat app to mark out text..or the free SKITCH APP
----> • must say "Day 1: ## MON YYYY… Day 2: ## MON YYYY... through Day 10) <----
Do you accept the 10 Day #BeyondAthleticMind Challenge?
INSTAGRAM Your results with the @beyondathleticpodcast #BeyondAthleticMind HASHTAG to let us know you’ve completed it…||
- The BeyondAthletic.com Team
