I talked about mental toughness in my first blog post and it talked about how in order to be successful you have to stay mentally tough and never give up. In basketball, you have to also be very tough physically so you can take hits and bumps and keep going. In the book
The Hoops Whisper Idan Ravin really analyzes how becoming physically tough can take you to new heights in your career than you ever imagined. "They compete against aggressive players defenders who slap at their injuries-- targeting the torn ligaments on their wrist and thumb when they release the ball or attack the basket-- in an effort to hurt them, scare them, and remind them of their pain" (137). This quote shows what NBA basketball players go through every game and they can only take this pain if they are physically tough. The author says in order to develop mental toughness you have to first be not the weakest and not the slowest in the league. He also says mental toughness helps physical toughness and both help each other. To develop physical toughness you need to be able to take hits after hits and always keep your head up.
"Toughness is as toughness does" (139). For me to develop toughness I have to get stronger and faster which I am working on right now with my training. I have done weight training class at school to focus on my strength. I can lift 20 more pounds now than at the beginning of the semester, but I keep on working at it. Also in training, I make layups and other shots as my trainer bumps me as I come around to shoot the ball. I need to do this more to increase my physical toughness so I can take more hits and bumps in games. Mentally, I need to start keeping my head up after I miss a shot so it doesn't affect how I play the next few possessions. If I improve my mental and physical toughness, I will become a better player.
Which do you think is more important physical toughness or mental toughness?
Ravin, Idan.
The Hoops Whisperer: On the Court and inside the Heads of Basketball's Best Players
