“As players see themselves getting better through skill sessions, they will want to get in the gym more” – Billy Donovan

Basketball player must possess mental and physical skills in order to be successful in the basketball mental game.

At the professional level, players at the top of the rankings possess strong physical, strong mental and emotional basketball skills.

Research on sports psychology for basketball shows that physical health and mental health are interlinked.

If you are mentally fit but physically ill then your body is not going to support you. And if you are physically fit but mentally ill you will be unable to enjoy your physical fitness.

Mind is a controller and the body follows it. The body must be healthy in order to follow the commands. Mind alone can’t make you run, you need your legs in proper condition to act on commands given by the brain.

Similarly if you have your body in proper condition but there is no one to command then it is useless. So equal attention should be given to both your mental and physical health to be a better competitor and have a strong basketball mental game.

Becoming physically fit requires a change in life style as well.

You will have to incorporate a regular exercise routine in your life and also eat healthier.

By avoiding junk foods, fizzy drinks, bad habits like smoking and alcohol and by getting adequate amount of rest, you will be able to become physically and mentally fit.

Just by eliminating all these food substances from your life, no matter how temporarily, you will allow your body to detox and become stronger.

Spend more time outdoors in the sun, and fresh air and take part in more healthy activities. When you are fit both physically and mentally, you will be able to face the tough conditions and pressure of basketball mental game.

Every one of us has strengths and weaknesses.

When you work on strengthening your strengths, you no longer feel like you’re paddling upstream. Everything is easier and more natural. Even if you need to become more proficient in your areas of strength, you can do so without the anxiety and self-doubt that comes with struggling to learn what feels unnatural or impossibly difficult.

Just coping with the negative emotions of this weakens you. It sabotages your self-esteem and holds you back from finding your passion.

While focusing on your strengths is one piece of the puzzle, managing your weaknesses is another.

One of the main reasons you have a hard time creating the happy, passionate life you desire is because you are so highly-focused on our weaknesses and how we’ve screwed you up in the past.

Failing, doing something poorly, being chastised for messing up, seeing others perform far better than you have — all of these make you feel lousy. You feel like losers, unable to measure up or get ahead. And those thoughts and feelings play over and over in your heads, preventing you from taking positive action to develop your mental game.

Learning from your mistakes in basketball is extremely valuable and a great tool to improve your basketball mental toughness after experiencing a period of grief.

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