You’re on the mat sparring, and BAM!
The tide turns from your dominant position to one of an ever-increasing downward performance spiral. Your breathing starts to ramp up as your posture breaks down and down and down…
Things look grim, but what your opponent doesn’t know is that you’ve spent hours upon hours sharpening your ultimate weapon for this exact moment;
Your mind.
It sounds cheesy, but when push comes to shove, as long as your mindset is solid, there’s a good chance that you’ll come out on top. Or at least be able to move into a better position than you previously were in.
Now, having positive thoughts doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get the result you’re after. However, having constructive thoughts will help you make better decisions (take positive actions), which will lead to a better result.
On the flip side, pretty much 100% of the time, negative thoughts force poor actions that lead to a bad result.
During times of stress, if you don’t know how to deal with negative thoughts and turn them into constructive thoughts, things will not change in your favor.
The key is possessing a simple system for moving towards those positive thoughts.
Ponder this:
How do you react to negative thoughts?
Seriously, take a moment to sit with this and be honest with yourself.
There are typically two camps here when it comes to this question:
The glass half-full vs the glass half-empty people.
I’m sure you know those people who can’t seem to look at something without complaining or being negative.
Maybe you are one of those people. If so, it’s time to practice a growth mindset when facing challenges.
The better we can work to shift from a negative mindset quickly, the faster we can take positive actions that lead to a better result.
Today I’m going to share how to do that with a single cue.
Moving Towards A Positive Position
Rather than drag this out and make you wait until the end of the article for the good stuff, I’m going to give you the single best thing you could do when negative thoughts hit you.
Say this to yourself: Posture!
The exclamation point is there on purpose because I want you to emphasize the urgency of this trigger word.
As soon as you feel a negative thought enter your mind, say, Posture!
(Yes, I know the last article was also about posture. But that’s just how important I believe this topic is!)
Focusing on the Posture! cue will get you moving in a positive direction, no matter the situation.
Let me explain.
When we focus on our posture, we’re really aligning our body into a better, more efficient position. This positive posture allows us the chance to reclaim our breath and start working on constructive answers to the dilemma in front of us.
When shit hits the fan, we are not passively waiting, trying to calm down, take a breath, count to three, or whatever.
We are taking immediate action and moving into a BETTER position by focusing on aligning our body into the posture needed at that time.
Flipping this switch actually puts us into a positive mindset because we have taken action to improve our posture.
You might be thinking, ok, but what posture do I need to be in?
We intuitively know what posture we need to move towards because it’s into a position of ease.
- Sitting up straight when dark thoughts enter our minds (this allows better breathing and opens us up to what’s around us so we can start thinking clearly).
- Making a frame and shifting our body slightly to relieve pressure from a cross face.
- Covering and cutting the angle to fend off a blitz of punches.
- Getting off the X and taking cover.
In other words, we are moving away from discomfort into a posture of comfort. And, yes, slouching can be a positive posture when it serves a purpose.
Again, posture, in our case, is the alignment of our body that allows us to be in a position of ease so that we can return to proper breathing and a positive mindset.
Depending on the situation, a series of posture corrections could be what it takes to move us to the ultimate end posture we strive for. In other words, simply moving from point A to B might be the start on our way to ultimately getting to a posture down the line.
Application
Let’s look at how we can start to apply this off the mat to use it more efficiently on the mat.
You first must be aware of the negative thoughts that come up throughout the day.
Awareness is critical and actually quite difficult if you’re not aware of it. See what I did there? 😉
Try this:
Slouch down in your chair and say a negative thing about whatever. Seriously, anything you like, but try to make it dark.
Now, say POSTURE! and sit up tall, pulling your shoulders back and down.
Chances are you also let out a breath.
See how that works?
You didn’t need to think about taking a breath, it just happened.
But the catalyst for all of this is Posture!
Repetition is Key
Like anything else in life, getting good at flipping this mental switch takes practice. The more you incorporate the Posture! cue into your daily life, the more natural it will become. Eventually, this response will be second nature, both on and off the mat.
Start incorporating it into mundane activities—like sitting at your desk or walking around the house. If you catch yourself slouching or feeling negative, immediately say Posture! and correct yourself. Over time, this will build a strong connection between your body’s alignment and your mental state.
When the habit is ingrained, you’ll find that it automatically carries over to more stressful situations—like a hard sparring session or a tough day at work. Your mind and body will work together, instinctively moving towards a position of ease, stability, and strength.
Remember, it’s not just about fixing your posture physically. It’s about using posture as a tool to reset your mind and emotions. Doing so gives you the best chance to regain control, take effective action, and turn the tide in your favor.
What’s fascinating about this practice is the ripple effect it creates. As you get better at managing your mindset and physical state, you’ll notice it positively impacts those around you. Whether it’s your training partners, coworkers, or family members, your ability to stay calm, composed, and proactive under pressure can inspire others to do the same.
Wrapping Up
So, the next time you find yourself spiraling into negativity, remember your ultimate weapon: your mind. And the key to unlocking its power is as simple as saying Posture!
Align your body, reclaim your breath, and shift your mindset into a positive direction.
With consistent practice, this small but powerful habit will become your go-to strategy for overcoming challenges—both on and off the mat.
Let the Posture! cue guide you towards better decisions, better actions, and better results.