Ep. 27: Maximizing Your Mind for Training, Racing, and Life

In this month's episode of Fitter & Faster, Dr. Cory Nyamora joins host Emma-Kate Lidbury to talk about sports psychology and mental training. As a licensed psychologist and endurance sports coach, Nyamora is well versed in providing practical help and guidance to athletes of all ages and abilities, from pros to amateurs, as well as competitive high school athletes. He talks about some of the approaches he uses with clients to help them get the most not just from their training and racing, but also their enjoyment of their sports. We discuss the importance of strategies such as self talk and journaling, as well as the fact that a lot of endurance training often involves learning more about yourself and how you "tick"—it's not just about physiological training.
Nyamora runs us through some of the biggest mistakes he sees athletes making from a mental training standpoint and how learning to stay present, calm, and flexible can be one of the greatest lessons. We also talk about understanding your own motivation for training and racing, and how having a "why" that is greater than yourself can be all-important. 
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Of course, it wouldn't be Fitter & Faster without our Gear Up section with our resident gear guru Chris Foster, and in this episode Foster and Lidbury chat about three different gear categories when it comes to the mental side of training and performance: no tech, low tech, and high tech. We talk about some of the best apps, such as Headspace, and books that can help with mental training, as well as some of the high-end gear that is creeping into this side of endurance sports of performance, such as the Mendi device and FocusCalm.
This show is brought to you by Shimano. Shimano has recently released a short film, Beyond the Binary, about KC Cross, one of the members of its Shimano Road Crew. In the film, Cross shares their journey to understanding the intersections of their own identity and how they are working to create a more inclusive and accessible cycling culture.