Mental Training Books to Read When You Can't Go to the Gym
Illustration by Sophia Mitropoulos
With over a third of the globe under some sort of lockdown right now, so many of us are stuck at home. With gyms closed, we are left to our own devices in our home workouts, but sometimes quarantine gets the best of us and a physical body workout just seems like too much. What quarantine does afford us is the opportunity to change our habits and spend time doing things a little differently. We’ve collected four of the highest rated mental training books that will help you learn to manage your emotions and channel your strongest muscle: the one between the ears.
1.Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence
Goodreads Rating: 4.1
This is a powerful little book by Gary Mack and David Casstevens that goes into the details of practicing mental training using examples and activities. By using stories of professional athletes that Mack has worked with to frame the exercises he prompts for you, it creates a contextual space in which you can see the benefit of each exercise.
Mack's mental preparation advice for athletes basically boils down to one paragraph: "To get the head edge, try creating your own mind gym, [an imaginary retreat where you can go before games to reflect and mentally prepare]. You always can do mental practice, even when you are physically tired or injured. Make your images as vivid and as clear as you can. See yourself overcoming mistakes, and imagine yourself doing things well. Remember, confidence comes from knowing you are mentally and physically prepared" (page 17).
2. Champion’s mind: How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive
Goodreads Rating: 3.97
Jim Afremow, PhD combines sport psychology, motivational stories, and daily routines to create this book which is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve their mental skills. While it includes some motivational cliches, and visualization tactics, but they’re arranged in way that allows for a new perspective from which they can be seen.
This book is not only a sports psychology book, but one that also focuses on personal development. From right off the bat, Afremow provides several practical mental skills proven to be effective based off psychological research.
3. Heads-Up Baseball: Playing the Game One Pitch at a Time
Goodreads Review: 4.22
Despite its name, Heads-Up Baseball is not just a resource for baseball players. This book has made its way into the rankings as one of the most notable sports psychology books of all time. Hanson prompts a series of questions throughout the book and provides space for you to answer. He focuses on preparation for failure and controlling pressure in situations.
4. The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance
Goodreads Rating: 4.02
George Mumford is widely regarded as one of the most influential coaches and mentors in sport. Mumford is known for having taught the Chicago Bulls how to meditate, and has worked with notable athletes including Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Reggie Jackson. Mumford himself has used meditation and mindfulness it to overcome obstacles in his own life including addiction and substance abuse.
This book is a great place to start if you’re looking to learn more about meditation and mindfulness, while still covering a multitude of points from neuropathways to Buddhist principles in a sincere narrative style that is a joy to read.
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