What is Toughness?

tough  (tf) adj. tough·er, tough·est 1. Able to withstand great strain without tearing or breaking; strong and resilient: a tough all-weather fabric. 2. Hard to cut or chew: tough meat. 3. Physically hardy; rugged: tough mountaineers; a tough cop. 4. Severe; harsh: a tough winter. 5a. Aggressive; pugnacious.   b. Inclined to violent or disruptive behavior; rowdy or rough: a tough street group. 6. Demanding or troubling; difficult: skipping the toughest questions. 7. Strong-minded; resolute: a tough negotiator. 8. Slang Unfortunate; too bad: a tough break. 9. Slang Fine; great.

Have you ever stopped to think about what the word tough really means? I mean ust look above at the number of meanings of the word. One might say, it is “tough” to define. Is being tough a compliment or an insult? Or both? Is toughness something we as athletes and competitors should strive to become? Or is it something that we either are, or are not? I believe toughness is something important enough to spend some time talking about. I think a solid understanding of the word “toughness” and what it means to us, NCVC 16-1, might just be one of the most important things we can do for ourselves this season. So….we will begin a series on the blog “What is Toughness”. I have read a lot of mental training books, and I will be using a lot of information from the book “The New Toughness Training For Sports” – By James E. Loeht because I feel it is the most applicable, and in my opinion the best I have read so far.

Let’s beging with Chapter 1: “What is Toughness”

Talent = genetic potential, or mother natures Prize. Talent defines the outer limits of your achievement.

Skill = learned, not given like talent. Aquired with hard work, reps, practice, etc.

Toughness = the ability to consistently perform toward your uppper limit of talent and skill regardless of the competative situation.

Toughness is NOT mean, harsh, ruthless, etc.

 

Markers for toughness:

1. Emotional Flexibility – the ability to absorb unexpected emotional changes and remain balanced and non-defensive, and can still have positive emotions (joy, fun, humor, fighting spirit, confidence)

2. Emotional Responsiveness – the ability to remain emotionally alive, engaged, and connected under pressure.

3. Emotional Strength – ability to assert and resist force emotionally under pressure and keep fighting.

4. Emotional Resiliency – the ability to take an emotional punch and bounce back quickly, recover from mistakes, disappointments, and missed opportunities and go back in the battle to fight.

Toughness is learned, and has nothing to do with genetic or inherited instincts. They are aquired the same as skill. If you don’t have it, you just haven’t learned it yet.

Toughness is a skill that brings talent and skill to life on demand. ONLY THROUGH TOUGNESS can you discover your real limits. The limiting factor in most athletes isn’t talent, but toughness. 

Toughness is IPS control, (ideal performer self). IPS is the optimal state of physio and psychological arousal for peak performance. ( heart rate, muscle tension, blood pressure, etc) usually happens with the following emotions (emotionally challenged, focused and alert, automatic or instinctive, confident, relaxed, fun) Emotions run the IPS. Can empower or disempower this actual biomechanical event that has physical concequences.

Toughness therefore is the ability to access or create empowering emotions during competition. It is physical, mental, and ultimatly emotional. IT IS NOT JUST MENTAL.

Homework: Write out what you feel mental toughness is, or was, to you. Write out what you perceive to be your areas of toughness, and your areas of weakness. Bring it to practice Sunday. Please  take your time with this. (if you won’t be there Sunday, email it to me if possible)