Stay calm in the blocks, step up to your last attempt without fear and bring your training to the one day that counts.
In track and field your performance comes down to very short moments. A start, a run up, a throw. There is long waiting between them, and plenty of time to think. Controlling what happens in your head during those waits is often the difference between a training result and a competition result.
A false start can end your race before it begins, and tension costs you speed in the first steps. A fixed routine and a long exhale in the call room and behind the blocks let you be alert without being tight. Sync trains this before it matters.
Two fouls in the jump or throw, and everything rests on the third. Tension makes the run up careful and the rhythm disappears. A routine that stays the same for every attempt keeps your attention on the movement, not on the result.
In a field event you may wait a long time between attempts, in the sun or the rain, while others set marks. Knowing how to switch off and on again keeps you fresh. Short focus exercises help you be ready exactly when your name is called.
A fixed sequence behind the blocks or on the runway that keeps your body alert and loose.
One clear technical cue per attempt instead of thinking about the mark.
Let go of an invalid attempt before you step up for the next one.
Rest your head during long waits and be ready on time.
Bring what you have trained to the competition rather than holding back.
See your race or attempt in detail before you do it.
Download Sync and tell us you do track and field. You can specify your level so the app tailors its plan to your situation and goals.
Sync builds you a structured plan based on your sport, your current mental strengths and weaknesses and the areas you most want to improve, whether that is calm at the start, your last attempt or performing on the day.
Each session takes 10 to 15 minutes and fits around your training. Do it at home, at the track or on the way to a competition, and track your progress over time.
An extensive library of guided visualisations, focus exercises and breathing techniques, all accessible on demand.
Whether you sprint, jump, throw or run, Sync adapts its plan individually to your sport and level.
Expert-led lessons covering the core principles of sport psychology, self-regulation and performance optimisation.
A growing community of athletes at every level who use Sync to strengthen their mental game and perform at their best.
One plan covers your whole club. Every athlete gets their own personalised mental training programme, tailored to athletics and their level of competition.
Get full visibility into your athletes' mental training. See completion rates, consistency and progress, so you know where to focus your support before a big competition.
Identify which athletes need more mental support before important competitions and put your coaching time where it has the most impact.
What is mental training for athletics?
Mental training for athletics is a structured practice of psychological skills that help you bring your ability to the moment that counts. It means three things above all: staying calm and alert before the start, keeping your routine in a decisive attempt, and using long waits at a competition well. Sync delivers these skills in short guided sessions that you can do whenever it suits you.
How do I stay calm before a sprint start?
Tension in the blocks usually starts earlier, in the call room or during the wait. Plan these minutes with a fixed routine, a breathing technique with a long exhale and one simple cue for the start, such as pushing hard from the blocks. Your attention then stays on your own lane and your own reaction rather than the athlete beside you.
What helps on the last attempt after two fouls?
The urge is to play it safe, and that is often what breaks the rhythm. Keep your routine exactly as it is, take your breath at the same point and pick one cue for the run up. Your job is the movement, the mark comes from it. If you practise this routine in training with a little pressure attached, it will feel familiar in competition.
Why do I perform worse in competition than in training?
Under pressure many athletes begin to control movements that normally run by themselves, and that makes them slower and stiffer. A clear routine and an external focus, such as a point ahead or the sound of your rhythm, help the movement run freely. Visualisation and competition-like training sessions make the situation feel less new.
Is mental training useful for club athletes?
Yes, perhaps even more than for professionals, because club athletes rarely have access to a sport psychologist. The moments that decide a competition are the same at every level: the seconds behind the blocks, a third attempt after two fouls, a personal best within reach. Sync is designed for athletes from age 14 upwards at any level and brings established sport psychology techniques into short daily sessions that fit around your training and your competitions.
What does Sync cost?
Sync is free to start and you can keep training without paying. Premium unlocks the full library and costs around 100 euro a year, with monthly and six month options; the current prices are always shown in the app. Clubs get a discounted team licence, ask us for a quote. Sync Ultra combines the app with a monthly session with a certified sport psychologist for 100 euro a month.
Four minutes, 16 possible types. Each one has its own strengths and its own patterns under pressure.
