Combat Athlete Mental Health: Tips and Strategies from Olympic Freestyle Wrestler Kelsey Campbell


  

Combat Athlete Mental Health: Tips and Strategies from Olympic Freestyle Wrestler Kelsey Campbell.

Are you pushing yourself to the limit in training and competition but struggling to maintain your mental health? You're not alone. As a combat athlete, focusing solely on your physical health and forgetting about your mental well-being is easy. That's why we're here to share some insights from Kelsey Campbell, an Olympic freestyle wrestler who battled a serious injury while competing at the highest level, on how to maintain your mental health and build boundaries as a combat athlete.

Kelsey's Story

If you haven't heard of Kelsey Campbell, she's a trailblazing Olympic freestyle wrestler who broke down barriers for women in a male-dominated sport. Despite her success, Kelsey faced challenges, including a serious injury that left her feeling unsupported and isolated. In our podcast episode "Matrix: Kelsey Campbell," she shared how coaches and teammates told her to hide her emotions and not show weakness, leaving her feeling even more alone. Can you relate to feeling like you must put on a brave face and not show your vulnerabilities as a combat athlete?

Kelseys perspective:"That was my first major injury that directly impacted me on a big stage. It was an incredibly lonely experience. I even remember one of the coaches at the training center telling me that if I ever felt upset or emotional, that I... It's crazy because it wasn't said in a way like, "We just want to make sure you're okay." Instead, this coach said that because I was upset about the injury, I couldn't train, and no one really knew that I was injured. He basically said that people shouldn't see me as weak. While there is a time and place to not show weakness, I don't know if that was the right time. That was my first Olympic team, and a lot of the things they did with us are not done that way anymore with the teams now. They've made a lot of adjustments to the whole process because I had a few scenarios like that where it was just very tone-deaf. So, it seemed like I had to hide if I felt sad. People wanted to talk about it, but they didn't really want to talk about the hard parts. And if it was hard, it was better for me to leave the room. It came from everywhere."

Maintaining Your Mental Health

Kelsey's experience highlights the importance of maintaining mental health as a combat athlete. Here are some tips and strategies that can help:

  1. Prioritize self-care: Getting caught up in the grind of training and competition is easy, but taking time for yourself is essential. Whether practicing mindfulness, taking a rest day, or engaging in other activities that bring you joy and relaxation, make sure to prioritize self-care.

  2. Seek support: Combat sports can be physically and mentally grueling, so don't hesitate to contact a therapist, coach, or trusted friend for emotional support when needed. Having a support system in place can make all the difference.

  3. Set boundaries: As a combat athlete, getting caught up in the never-ending cycle of training and competition is easy. But setting clear boundaries for yourself, such as taking time off after a competition or setting limits on your training schedule, can help prevent burnout and allow you to focus on other aspects of your life.

  4. Be kind to yourself: It's vital to acknowledge your accomplishments and be kind to yourself along the way. Combat sports are challenging, and it's easy to be hard on yourself when things don't go as planned. But remember, you're doing the best you can, and every step forward is a victory.

Kelsey Campell now spends her time acting and creating incredible music. Check out her music on Tik Tok @Keshi_kr. 


Thanks for reading our blog post on maintaining mental health and building boundaries as a combat athlete. By taking care of your mental health and implementing these tips and strategies, you can perform at your best and enjoy the journey as a combat athlete. Remember, you don't have to do it alone. Seek out support and be kind to yourself along the way. Good luck on your journey!

If you're enjoying our content, there are two easy ways you can help us grow and reach even more amazing Matrix members:

  1. Share our content with your friends and followers on social media. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful ways to spread the word about our show and help us reach new listeners.

  2. Leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Not only does this help us improve the show and serve our audience better, but it also helps us rank higher in search results and reach more people.

Every share and review helps us grow and reach more people looking to level up their personal and professional growth.





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Understanding Empathic Overwhelm: How to Recognize and Manage It

Image
Understanding Empathic Overwhelm: How to Recognize and Manage It  Empathy is a powerful and beautiful trait, allowing us to connect deeply with others and understand their emotions. However, for empaths, this gift can sometimes become overwhelming, leading to a state known as empathic overwhelm. In this blog post, we'll explore what empathic overwhelm is, how to recognize it, and share some practical strategies from our recent podcast episode with Jennifer Moore, an expert in empathic sensitivity, on how to manage it effectively. What is Empathic Overwhelm?   Empathic overwhelm occurs when an empath absorbs too much emotional energy from those around them, often to the point where it becomes difficult to distinguish between their own feelings and those of others. This can lead to emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and even physical symptoms such as headaches or fatigue. Empaths who are not aware of this phenomenon may find themselves feeling drained and confused, unable to pinpoin...
Read more

7 Reasons you NEED to add Lion's-Mane To your Diet

Image
  7 Reasons you NEED to add Lion's-Mane To your Diet By: Samantha Aiko Introduction If you're looking to boost your immune health, protect brain tissue, reduce inflammation, and more—lion's mane is the mushroom for you. In fact, this mushroom has so many therapeutic properties that it would be impossible to list them all. Below we'll go into some of why lion's mane has become a staple supplement in my routine. REGENERATE AND PROTECT BRAIN TISSUE It can help protect against Alzheimer's disease. In a study conducted by researchers at the University of South Florida, scientists discovered that the lion's mane mushroom may be able to protect brain cells from damage. The study was published in the journal Phytotherapy Research and found that extracts from the Lion's Mane mushroom could prevent amyloid protein formation (which causes plaque buildup in the brain). In addition, it showed that lion's mane extract could reduce inflammation, helping keep your b...
Read more

Eugenics on The East Coast

Image
The influence of eugenics on the east coast By Samantha Aiko Introduction  Eugenics was a movement that began in the early 20th century based on the premise that specific groups of people were of a master race. This idea was first popularized by Francis Galton, an Englishman influenced by his cousin Charles Darwin's theories on natural selection. He believed that genius could be passed down through genes, but he also believed that negative traits could be controlled and eliminated from society. Eugenicists around the world took up this mantle, including America where eugenicists like Andrew Carnegie and John D Rockefeller Jr funded institutions dedicated to eradicating diseases like mental illness from our gene pool altogether. Their efforts resulted in over 60% of institutionalized Americans being sterilized against their will - with many believing it would prevent them from passing down mental illness or chronic disease to their children." Eugenics was a movement that began ...
Read more