Nagano, Japan.
I almost fainted as I reached for my bobsled push bar, in our first race at my first Games – not an ideal start!
I was representing my country, overwhelmed by the event and the emotions of the occasion. Adding to this, my mother had been diagnosed with terminal cancer shortly before I was due to depart for Japan. I didn’t want to go, but she insisted. So off I went, I was dedicating this to her.
I adopted some of my old rugby habits, roaring, grunting, and smacking my head to get worked up for the big push, spiking my adrenaline. By the time we were on the start line I was light-headed, and almost missed my step as I jumped into the bob. Four years of intense training, sacrifice, sweat, and dedication could have been compromised in that instant.
Fast forward 4 years…
Salt Lake City, USA
I was ready.
Perhaps it would have been difficult for me to articulate the experience then, as I am able to now as a Pilates practitioner. I was focused; there were the obvious butterflies, but not a typhoon of them like last time!
My head was clear, my objective was clear, and my mindset was calm. The tunnel vision allowed me to see only the bob track I was about to run down.
There was noise, cameras, shouts, cries of support, and so forth, but it was peripheral, somewhat zoned out. Amidst all of that hoo-ha, I could somehow still hear my own breathing.
In order to create this mindset, I had to maintain strict discipline, consistency, resilience, and focus. To make a dogged commitment to my grueling training routine, with no half-hearted measures or room to take my foot off the pedal. To endure rigorous physical and mental challenges and make significant self-sacrifices.
There was little respite. I had to keep on course, set myself clear, achievable goals, and remain dedicated to these objectives. Setbacks and obstacles had to be taken head-on or swept aside; this was integral to my having any chance of a successful outcome.
I’m not saying that this was easy. Mental toughness and resilience were crucial. If I’m honest, elements of obsession and selfishness were a pre-requisite. It required psychological resilience to overcome hurdles such as injury, defeats, bad days, external distractions, and even waves of emotion. Setbacks had to be perceived as opportunities for improvement, another challenge taken up with gusto! This required a growth-orientated attitude, a hunger to succeed, and question my own limits. In addition to this, managing life, work, relationships and friendships was a balancing act, and not always a successful one.
What I learned the 2nd time around at the Games, was to use mental and mindset conditioning techniques to help facilitate the calm and consistency I needed during high-stakes training and execution. Some of my strategies are below.
Breathwork – A crucial aspect for me! I had to control my breathing to stay calm before the race. It was so important to focus on this to counteract stress and anxiety in the build-up. From experience I knew what would happen if I peaked too soon!
The next phase for me was to get into a cycle of deeper rhythmic breathing. This would ensure I had the oxygen required for the sprint at the pushing phase. This helped me to settle my mind and achieve mental clarity and focus.
Not forgetting that sometimes we would hit -20 degrees (yes minus 20!), only dressed in lycra! Breathing is also a very useful tool to keep the body heat up.
Mindfulness – There were so many distractions around the Games. Global stars giving concerts every day, to which we had front row seats, as well as a host of services and attractions in the athlete’s village, social and formal events. In general, so much attention was lavished upon us. It would have been easy to get carried away and soak it all up!
We had trained and competed for four years to qualify for the Games; I had to focus on the goal. Distractions, ego trips and socializing were not an option. Remaining mindful of our purpose and maintaining discipline with our training routine and rest periods was paramount.
Visualization – I would close my eyes and visualize the track. I knew exactly where my feet would stand at the start, and the synchronized rock of the sled before we pushed off. I had memorized each corner in the track; I could sense the forces as we shot through turns at speeds up to 100mph, compressing us in the sled. Sometimes we would hit a G force of 5 or 6!
I could feel the powerful vibrations through my body as the bobsled shifted at pace. The jarring which felt like whiplash if we hit the side walls. The rush of wind and loud whooshing sounds as we barreled down the track.
I even had to visualize and prepare for a possible crash. It sounds crazy but there was always a likelihood. It happens in less than a blink of an eye and you have to ensure your shoulders and head aren’t exposed. The consequences could be very serious, and ice will burn through to bone at those speeds.
From my perspective, the principles of Pilates: Concentration, Control, Centering, Breathing, Precision and Flow, are not just techniques but a mindset. These very much reinforce and embody the above practices I’ve just described.
Whether you’re a professional athlete, recreational athlete or a weekend warrior, these practices offer a holistic mind-body connection. This is what we do, and this lies at the core (pun intended) of our practice.
My life after competitive sport led me to Pilates, it wasn’t an informed decision to choose this career path, perhaps it was my destiny. I know that this is where I am supposed to be.
And remember, you don’t need to go to the Games to have a champion mindset.
Pete Pallai is a two-time Olympian, Balanced Body Master Instructor, Lululemon ambassador, and studio owner of myPilateslondon. Follow him on IG @mypilateslondon.
