On today's episode of the Flex Diet Podcast, I'm talking with Mona Pretorius about sports psychology and how to handle the mental side of training so you can increase your performance in the gym. We talk about everything from high-level elite athletes to fitness enthusiasts.

This podcast is brought to you by the Physiologic Flexibility Certification course. In the course, which opens again on September 18, 2023, I talk about the body’s homeostatic regulators and how you can train them. The benefit is enhanced recovery and greater robustness. We cover breathing techniques, CWI, sauna, HIIT, diet, and more.

[5:06] Why care about sports psychology?
[12:19] Techniques for dealing with negative thoughts
[16:08] Thoughts on performance decline when attention span is split
[23:30] Accountability and preparation
[30:25] What to do between sets in the gym
[43:28] Superstition
[46:40] Negative vs. positive headspace for competition

Connect with Mona:

About Mona Pretorius:

Dr. Mona Pretorius is a 6-time Karate World Champion, CrossFit Games athlete, Commonwealth Games medalist in Olympic Weightlifting, and a 5-times Worlds competitor. She is also the co-owner of Lift Big Eat Big (head weightlifting coach) and owner of Helping Psychology, where she works with athletes and coaches to help them improve their mental performance. She also has an Honors Degree in Sport Psychology as well as an Honors Certificate in Mindfulness Training.

Episode 224: Mastering Sports Psychology for Gym Success with Mona Pretorius