Sports Motivation, a Key Element in Boxing

^{By Beka Romero}

Motivation in sport refers to the internal or external impulse that drives a person to participate, maintain a constant practice and work hard to achieve goals plus improve their sports performance.

In boxing it is known that motivation increases when having an upcoming fight, as athletes begin to increase their state of focus and concentration in training to build up to the day of the fight.

Motivation plays an important role towards sports performance of boxers and can be influenced by a variety of factors. For example: The venue where the fight will take place, the rival, personal goals such as family, among others.

There are two main types of motivation in sports:

Intrinsic motivation arises from personal interest and the satisfaction obtained from the sporting activity itself, for example, a boxer knowing that he can defeat his rival.

Extrinsic motivation comes from external factors, such as tangible rewards, social recognition or external pressure, for example: winning belts, or the a purse for a fight.

To maintain and encourage motivation in boxing, it is essential to set realistic goals, celebrate the achievements made day by day, which can be to comply with your training.

Maintaining a positive approach and enjoying the process is important, many athletes focus so much on results (winning fights) that they stop enjoying the here and now.

Finally, having a resilient state of mind, establishing training routines and surrounding yourself with a supportive environment such as coaches, gym buddies, family, girlfriend, can also help maintain long-term sports motivation.