Mental Conditioning
Archive
For one 41-year-old Australian triathlon champion, retiring just meant taking a break.
Rule One: Don't confine your training to the gym. Movement needs to be a lifestyle. Rule Two: Don't just move. You need a goal. And you need to train.
Challenge your friends to a grueling drill-based challenge, then whoop their butts.
Sure, running five minutes a day will help you live longer, but it's not going to get you in shape—or even scrape the surface of your potential.
The test: The Berlin Marathon, where she aims to set a new American record.
Sometimes you have to get out of your head to get into your run.
Anxiety, depression, obesity—kids are increasingly becoming unhappy and unhealthy. But there is a pill-free solution: outdoor play.
Think you're ready for the world's longest stand-up paddleboard race? We'll be the judge.
Some people might be built for speed and others for distance, but everyone benefits from running faster. This is how you do it.
Don't listen to the headlines—you need more than seven hours of sleep to play hard.
Some plan trips in advance; others let the current carry them. For Amy Ragsdale, traveling with risk takers like herself has helped her trust the process of exploring without a full map, rather than fight it.
You'll never get close to the ultrarunner's 90-plus podium finishes, but his rules will help you run your best race.
In The Art of Competition, Ironman-turned-author Mark Allen gives insight into the thoughts that helped him race his fastest while living to the fullest.
Two brothers and a sister—whose parents are endurance athletes—attempted to swim the English Channel together this month. Does the family factor add any advantage?
1,800 CrossFit gyms already offer programs for kids. Should they?
There's more to life than chasing definition in certain muscle groups. Maintaining a healthy weight, for instance.
We caught up with Wallace J. Nichols to learn about his new book, which explores all the surprising ways water contributes to our happiness—and our success.
Hardrock veteran Kirk Apt has logged 2,010 miles and 680,000 feet of vertical ascent through the San Juan Mountains since 2000. Here's how.
Most CrossFit affiliates across the country welcome out-of-towners who want to take part in the workout of the day—or WOD—making any vacation into a possible CrossFit vacation. But if you’re looking for a trip that specifically caters to people who like to spend their free time doing burpees, snatches, ring…
Sometimes you have to take your own advice—or suck it up and eat crow.
From wombats to killer whales, animals suffer from OCD, PTSD, anxiety, phobias, and mood disorders. What that says about us, and how we can learn to be "therapy humans" for our pets.
To win this year’s Tour Divide, Jefe Branham rode 170 miles a day, slept an average of four hours a night, and endured both unrelenting snow and 100-degree heat for 16 days straight. What you can learn from his time in the pain cave.
Taking your kids to an ultramarathon can be a distraction from the aches and pains of running long distances
You're overworked, overstressed, and overconnected. But don't worry. We're here to help.
These oases of relaxation, adventure, mindful eating, and awe-inspiring views are going to be very popular once it's safe travel again. Until then, we can dream.
Virtual reality is just for gamers. But augmented reality—a new wearable technology—could revolutionize how we train for sports, making athletes faster, better, and more precise.
Guess what? The grid is expanding and we predict in the next five years, you won't be able to unplug—even in the backcountry.
Depending on the school of thought you’re following, meditation can be practiced in a number of ways—sitting cross-legged in a dark room, while on a long run, or even on a crowded bus with the help of a smartphone app and a pair of headphones. In general, though,…
A "#fitness" selfie now qualifies as a training tool. Go ahead and be vain. (You probably think this story's about you, don't you?)
Vitamin B12 shots have been around for years, and they’re often marketed as a miracle cure for everything from fatigue to depression to those stubborn extra pounds you can’t shake. And while it’s true that a B12 deficiency can contribute to those things, there is…
After joining one of the largest moving protests in history with her daughter, Katie Arnold learns that orchestrating an effective march requires more than walking.
What you can do beforehand, at sea level and once you hit the mountains
In his new memoir, George Hincapie delves into the past, examining his relationship with Lance Armstrong and his own choice to take performance-enhancing drugs. In an extended interview, he explains why he still has hope for cycling.
A favorite beverage of many athletes, trainers, and nutritionists, juice made from tart or “sour” cherries (the kind you use to make cherry pie) has been shown to reduce inflammation and ease muscles soreness after strenuous workouts. But that’s not the only reason you might want to…
Study finds correlation between lack of exercise and deficient long-term memory.
When a Sherpa and a native Nepali paraglided off of Mount Everest in 2011, they flew into history. Now a new book chronicles their extraordinary journey.
Nine million data points determine we’re all irrational
If you've been fruitlessly spinning your creative wheels you might want to take a cue from Stanford University researchers and try getting out on your feet instead.
Drugs that affect hormones have the potential to cause all kinds of screwy side effects in the body—but fortunately, there’s not much evidence that medications like birth control or antidepressants will slow you down on the track or impede your progress in the gym. In fact, some research shows…
Four days after becoming the first American man to win the Boston Marathon since 1983, Meb Keflezighi was in high demand. But he took a few minutes to discuss with us exactly what was going through his head during the courageous run.
Why your thoughts go from brilliant to batty on your run
Running and triathlon coach Brett Stewart gets this one from clients a lot: Between races that sell out months in advance and things that get in the way of training—like injuries, travel, and plain old busy schedules—it’s not uncommon for athletes to show up on race day…
You can binge without blowing your diet. Seriously. And it won't make you lazy or too heavy to race. But that crash diet? It isn't going to work.
Research shows that recalling an exercise memory, be it positive or negative, can help you suit up for your next run.
The Marathon superstar knows all the right—and wrong—moves required to win a race. Here's his game plan following the starting gun.
Training and nutrition has been an exciting (if unreliable) frontier for decades. But recent discoveries, combined with field-tested science, have debunked popular myths and established some ground rules for the outdoor athlete. Here's your performance 12-step program.
We've long known that sleep is important to your health, but a new study shows that skimping on your shuteye can lead to a lasting loss of neurons.
Can you lose weight just by downing a glass of water before dinner?
The formula to weight loss is simple: eat less and exercise more. So why are these simple things so impossibly hard to do?
Teaching your kids the basic physical skills they’ll need is child’s play, literally. Start improving their coordination, strength, balance, and more with these five games.
How the San Jose Earthquakes forward handles a grueling eight-month soccer season
Huston just left the country for his expedition to Ellesmere Island
For Potts, the fastest American finisher at the 2012 Ironman World Championship, breakthrough performances mean paying attention to the little things. Even your socks.
No one said your New Year’s resolutions had to feel like punishment. Jump-start 2013 with one of these seven spirit-recharging escapes.
When elite athletes like three-time Olympic volleyball gold medalist Kerri Walsh and daredevil spaceman Felix Baumgartner are in a slump, they go see Los Angeles sports psychologist Michael Gervais. Sometimes boosting your performance requires sitting on a couch.
It’s not just the pros who can benefit from a few sessions with a sports psychologist. Here’s how you can, too.
These days, screen-addicted Americans are more stressed out and distracted than ever. And there’s no app for that. But there is a radically simple remedy: get outside. Florence Williams travels to the deep woods of Japan, where researchers are backing up the theory that nature can lower your blood pressure, fight off depression—and even prevent cancer.
In a time of corruption and coercion, courage was not in short supply. A hidden cadre of men resisted doping, and they paid a heavy price. Here are their stories.
How Brother Colm O'Connell became the guru of Kenyan running
How does a visionary marine biologist convince brain researchers to help him revolutionize ocean conservation? With lots of hugs, a million blue marbles, and one very unorthodox conference.
Living through a disaster is just the start of a survival story. The rarely discussed psychological recovery is often the hardest part.
The bestselling author power-hikes, powerlifts, and receives a megadose of vitamin C intravenously—all while lucidly explaining his plans to hack everything from fitness and humanitarian aid to surfing and medical research
In 2005, the author introduced us to the idea of childhood nature-deficit disorder. With The Nature Principle, he's back with a prescription for adults.
The biggest obstacle to reaching your fitness goals? That thing between your ears.
Can a self-professed "closed-door person" become more gregarious?
New technologies take your fitness to the next level—by making the most of your downtime.
Your body holds power only your brain can unlock. The key? A few awkward contortions—and a lot of concentration.
You stand on a 300-foot cliff and think, “Mommy!” Ted Davenport stands there and thinks, “Sick air!” The difference, neuroscientists are finding, may lie in the very anatomy of our minds.
I train very hard in the spring and summer by cycling. I seem to peak in mid-July, and by mid-August my aerobic capacity drops off. I fatigue easily and struggle to keep up with my cycling group. What is going on and how can I prevent this next year?
The 12 most common, performance-defeating fitness mistakes, and how to fix them
I've been following a training progr for several months, but there are days when I just don't feel like doing my workout. I don't know if my body's trying to tell me something or if I'm just wimping out. Jason Portsmouth, ME
YOU CAN BET that drug-company executives aren’t among the 70 million Americans suffering from sleep problems. Thanks to blockbusters like $2-billion-a-year Ambien, the sleep-aid industry is booming, and several similar drugs are angling for space in your medicine cabinet, including Lunesta, launched in 2004, and others awaiting FDA approval. These…