How Olympic Champions use mindfulness in sports

Imagine stepping onto the Olympic stage, the world's eyes upon you, waiting for you to deliver your absolute best performance. You only get one shot. Ready for it? The Olympic arena is as much a mental battleground as a physical one.

Years of grueling training culminate in a single defining moment that tests not just an athlete's skill and performance, but their mindset. As a legendary NBA Coach Phil Jackson famously said, "You can be the most talented and fit athlete, but if you don't have the right mindset, you simply cannot access that." This is where mindfulness and athletic performance go hand in hand.

The 2024 Paris Olympics made waves by recognizing the crucial role of mental health in athletic well-being and success. It introduced The Athlete365 Mind Zone, a dedicated mindfulness and relaxation space in the Olympic Village.

Equipped with cutting-edge VR meditation, nap pods, and gratitude practices, the zone offered athletes a sanctuary to unplug, meditate, and recharge.

From Simone Biles' courageous comeback to LeBron James's winning mindset, in this article we explore the mental training strategies of Olympic champions, revealing how they use mindfulness to overcome self-doubt and fear to achieve peak performance and enter a flow state on the world's biggest stage (or wave).

Related: 5 Yoga Poses for overcoming negative self talk 

How Top Athletes Use Mindfulness to Win

Simone Biles

Simone Biles, one of the most decorated gymnasts in history, has been open about her mental health struggles and her journey of Rising back to the top. She uses techniques like mindful journaling and breathing exercises to ease anxiety and focus under pressure.

The gymnastics icon allocates a specific time each day - usually about an hour - to write in her “worry journal”, an anxiety management tool suggested by her therapist.

Related: Best Meditation Techniques for Anxiety to try at home 

 

Simone’s mental fitness tools:

• Visualization and breathing techniques
• Mindful journaling to manage anxiety
• Regular therapy sessions

"I have pretty bad anxiety sometimes, so my therapist tells me to use a “worry journal,” so I have an hour to worry about things then."

Carissa Moore

A five-time world surfing champion Carissa Moore, who won the first-ever Olympic gold in women's surfing in 2020, believes that a clear balanced mind is essential for performing at her best in the unpredictable Ocean. She works with a sports psychologist, journals daily, and practices meditation and yoga to be “as free and happy as possible” when she hits the water.

"The mental part of the game is almost more important than the physical part."

LeBron James

Basketball legend LeBron James is as renowned for his mental fortitude as his physical dominance. Beyond the tomahawk dunks and assists, the Lakers star has developed a robust mindfulness practice. From his on-court moments of quiet amidst the chaos to his partnership with the meditation app Calm, James has consistently prioritized mental fitness over the years.

LeBron integrates mindfulness into every aspect of his game. From pausing and taking deep breaths to full-on meditation sessions, he's all in. Whether it's in the morning, before practice, after practice, or during game time, he's carving out moments for mental clarity, his trainer says.

Related: 3 Powerful Mindfulness Micro Practices to Elevate Your Day

LeBron's mental fitness strategy:

• Daily meditation
• Partnership with Calm app for mental fitness
• Emphasis on using meditation for longevity in competitive sport
• Mental fitness advocacy for youth

“Mental fitness is something I’ve always prioritized, and it’s just as important to my game, my career, and my life than anything I can do physically.” 

Novak Djokovic

A tennis titan and record-breaking champion, Novak Djokovic is known for his mental mastery. He earned admiration from fans who see him as "the most knowledgeable athlete on how the human mind works."

Novak's holistic approach to well-being and performing at the highest level combines physical training with mindfulness practices. A christian, he has meditated with Buddhist monks and is known as a regular at a Buddhist temple in Thailand.

In an interview with Graham Bensinger, Djokovic talks about how mindfulness practices help him in high pressure clutch moments, like a match point, and how he transforms challenges like distractions and fears into fuel for performance:

"I practice a lot of mindfulness, meditation, journaling," Djokovic said.

Novak's mental training routine:

• Daily meditation practice
• Focus on mental clarity and emotional balance
• Finding micro moments every day to silence the noise and go inward
• Commitment to long term practice as "mentally it takes years”

Djokovic on the power of breathing:

"Consciously breathing first—that's probably the simplest thing that you could do but probably the most effective."

Stephen Curry

Steph Curry, one of the NBA's most electrifying players and a representative of Team USA in the Paris Olympic Games, has a secret weapon in his mental training arsenal: floating. 

Once a week, Curry steps into a dark, soundproof chamber at a float spa in San Francisco to experience an hour of sensory deprivation. The tank, filled with body-temperature water and a thousand pounds of Epsom salt, creates a weightless environment as if you are floating in space.

These floating sessions serve multiple purposes for Curry. They help with physical recovery after intense games and training as the magnesium-rich water soothes his muscles. More importantly, they provide a powerful mental reset and the opportunity for deep relaxation away from the noise, helping him process the constant stimuli of his high-profile life and career.

The mental clarity gained from these sessions translates directly to his performance on the court, enhancing his ability to make split-second decisions and maintain focus under pressure.

"When I get in the tank," Curry once told ESPN, "it's just me and my thoughts for an hour, playing Russian roulette of the mind."

Katie Ledecky 

USA's swimming GOAT, Katie Ledecky, an eight-time Olympic gold medalist, may not have a formal meditation practice, but her approach to swimming embodies the very essence of mindfulness. In her new book, "Just Add Water," she reflects on the importance of staying present and achieving heightened moment-to-moment awareness as a way of living her best life.

“I’m wired as an aerobic swimmer. I embrace routine. I lean into the regularity. The endless laps become a kind of meditation. It’s a bit like walking through those spiraling Zen gardens, a way to calm the noise of the world and let the consistency and predictability of swimming back and forth wash over you.”

Jack Robinson

Meditation is a way of life for this Aussie Surf King, who even named his first son "Zen." Robinson claimed a silver medal at Paris Olympics, marking Australia's best-ever result in Olympic surfing. He incorporates daily meditation and breathwork into his routine, both at home and during competitions. Robinson believes that his pre-surf meditation ritual is crucial for his success, helping him stay centered and focused despite external distractions.

Jack’s mindfulness & mental fitness tools:

• Daily meditation practice
• Pre-surf meditation ritual to get in the right mindset
• Dedicated "meditation station" at home

"Meditating in the morning can be your anchor for the day."

The Role of Legendary Coaches

Top coaches in sports have long recognized the importance of mental preparation, with a growing emphasis (and scientific evidence) on mindfulness techniques to help athletes achieve peak performance and maintain focus under pressure.

Phil Jackson (Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers)

One of the most successful coaches in NBA history also known as the "Zen Master", Phil Jackson famously integrated mindfulness and meditation into his approach. As head coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, Jackson led his teams to a record 11 NBA championships.

Jackson's zen-like philosophy blended Eastern wisdom with basketball strategy. He encouraged players to practice mindfulness to enhance their focus and reduce stress.

For example, he would lead pregame meditations, and “tell players to close their eyes and think about being in the championship parade, or being down one or two points and overcoming their fears,” Shaquille O’Neal mentioned in his interview with CNBC about building an unstoppable mindset.

“The soul of success is surrendering to what is.”

The Science Behind Mindfulness in Sports

Emerging research is shedding more light on the critical role of mental training in athletic success, helping coaches, trainers, and athletes use mindfulness as a simple and inexpensive method to decrease sports injuries, reduce competition anxiety, and improve performance.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology found that basketball players who engaged in a 15-minute mindfulness activity significantly improved their free-throw shooting under pressure. This demonstrates how mindfulness can help athletes face adversity and competition anxiety when it matters most.

Mindfulness training also shows promise in preventing injuries. Scientific Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine published a study that found that soccer players who did mindfulness training not only performed better, but also had fewer injuries and injuries were less severe. 

Additionally, a Swiss study involving 133 elite athletes from twenty-three different sports revealed that athletes who were trained in mindfulness - worried less in general and were able to prevent remaining worries from influencing athletes' behavior. This ability to manage stress and maintain focus helped them achieve better overall performance.

Mindfulness for All

Do you need to be a world-class athlete to tap into these tools?

Not at all.

Most of us won't be standing on the Olympic podium anytime soon. In fact, only about 0.00001% of the world's population ever becomes an Olympian, that's one in 10 million people. So while we might not be training for gold medals, we can still take a page from the Olympic playbook.

We all face our own "Olympic moments" in daily life - that big presentation at work, a difficult conversation with a loved one, or even just trying to keep cool in rush hour traffic. So, whether you're aiming for the podium or simply looking to improve your daily life, mindfulness can be a game-changer.

By weaving simple mindfulness practices into your daily routine - like taking a few deep breaths before a stressful event, à la Novak Djokovic, or spending a few minutes meditating in the morning, like LeBron James, or writing in a worry journal, as Simone Biles does - you can start to train your mind to worry less, sharpen your focus, and improve your overall well-being. And that, in my opinion, is the ultimate gold.

Ollie is a California-based mindfulness meditation teacher with a globally-inspired practice. Formerly an ecommerce executive, she founded Meditate Mate and co-founded Inward VR, a mindfulness technology startup. Her down-to-earth approach to mental and physical wellness combines meditation, weightlifting, yoga, and surfing. If you're interested in creating your mindfulness practice, feel free to reach out for personalized coaching, or resources tailored to your needs!