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The origin story we know you've been waiting for...
Welcome to MindLock Blogs! The go-to site for everything sports psychology. Here we'll be analyzing the core areas of mental training and how to become the perfect athlete from the inside out. Content detailing the main struggles athletes face and how to overcome them. What is MindLock? MindLock Sports Psychology was born out of necessity. A necessity to provide athletes with the mental tools required for success at the elite level. At MindLock, we work with athletes at a personal level to analyze and assess the areas of core development. Every athlete is different, and through personalized testing and activities we are able to conquer battles that once only lived inside the head.
Where did MindLock come from? MindLock Sports Psychology launched in January 2018, but its origins date years prior. Starting Taekwondo at the age of five, I progressed though the ranks and earned my black belt five years later. While on my journey to black belt, I developed a strong passion for sparring (fighting) which ultimately lead me to switch gyms in order to pursue competition. I learned very quickly that I had some catching up to do when I watched my new teammates get ready for nationals in Winnipeg. Their speed and power blew my mind, and the concept of getting on a plane to travel and represent the province made my eyes wide. I made it my mission to commit and train harder than everybody else so that I too could go to the next national championships. After competing in local events for the next 6 months, I won my first provincial games in 2011, and went on to take the national championship that January. Watching my goals become a reality was insanely satisfying, but my passion for success and development was just kicking off. I made the Canadian national team in 2014, and was named team captain the year after. I travelled the world throughout high school, representing my team and my country in over 15 countries and 50+ cities, ultimately earning a top-40 world ranking.
Throughout my athletic journey, I learned a lot about myself and the people around me. Athletes started coming to me for advice, and I really enjoyed the process of breaking down mental blocks and finding ways to help. During my experience, I found myself wondering a vital question: "Why don't athletes work on their mental game nearly as much as their physical?". And it's true. Think about all the work athletes do to stay in peak condition. The workouts, diet, sleep schedule..etc. All that is great, but what about the other side - the mental side? I knew first hand the effects of how mental toughness and cerebral conditioning could impact performance and used it to my advantage at all times. I was never the fastest, strongest, or most athletic competitor - but my mind was locked, and nothing could break my focus. I would spend hours studying my competition in the weeks leading up to the fight. I even had a binder full of notes and pictures, breaking down every aspect of their game. I knew everything from what leg they favoured, to how to get in their head and used it like any other tool.
In January of 2018, I decided that the answer to my question has to come from education and availability. How can people learn and grow without access to the tools required for success? On the day of competition, you want everything around you to serve a purpose. From the people you're around, to the food in your stomach, down to the songs in your playlist. The thoughts in your mind are no different. Every emotion and idea should serve a purpose and be isolated from outside distraction. At MindLock, we focus on targeting the unique specific requirements that every athlete needs to perform at their best, and lock it in - creating an impenetrable barrier immune to distraction. Welcome to MindLock, and welcome to our blog!
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