Active regeneration instead of full throttle - the shortcut to real performance

I originally come from a management consultancy background. My everyday life was fast, dense, demanding and involved a lot of sitting. And my balance was sport. Squash, tournaments, climbing, cave diving, strength training. The main thing was intensive. Warming up? I didn't bother. I warmed up while playing anyway. My regeneration consisted of a short bike ride or some stretching, little alcohol, lots of sleep and a healthy diet. That should be enough, right?

It has all worked very well over the years. Nevertheless, I was never really satisfied with my performance. My body let me down, especially at tournaments. I was extremely nervous, could hardly breathe and therefore couldn't perform at my best. In those moments, I was extremely frustrated and angry with myself. The game also had the corresponding results - mostly losing. What frustrated me the most was that I could play for hours in training and was full of energy.

I tried a lot of things: Breathing techniques, mental training, visualization exercises, coaching - nothing really helped.

My aha moment: my body and my mind were not ready for performance.

Sonja made me realize that I was neither mentally nor physically at my core.

I had a hollow back, my right side was overloaded and my shoulders and head were pulled forward. Before that, I had never really thought about how my posture affected my performance - let alone that my posture also had an impact on my emotions.

In addition, I was always surprised when I suddenly had an injury that didn't seem to get better for ages. I was convinced that I could "compensate". But balancing is not just more exercise and training. Balancing means releasing tension and regaining your center.

The fascination of the body - it always adapts

The moment when I first became aware of what active regeneration can achieve changed me forever. A single targeted regeneration exercise - and my performance was better, I was more upright and my breathing was freer.

I have understood: The body always wants to return to the ideal. It just needs it:

• a frame

• Room

• and a clear direction

Just as quickly as it slips into bad patterns, it can reorganize itself - if we give it the opportunity to do so.

Body and emotion are connected - inseparably

When we are nervous, the body contracts. When we are afraid, our breathing becomes shallow. When we are stressed, we hold tension and clench our jaws.

You can not only see it - you can feel it.

And it also works the other way round: when we bring the body more and more into the center, the emotion also changes. When space is created in the chest, we breathe more deeply - and become calmer. When the tension in the face is released, the back can relax - and feelings such as stress or inner restlessness can disappear.

That was the key for me: if I realign my body, my thoughts and emotions change with it.

.

What real regeneration means

Regeneration is not passive resting and is not simply a matter of cycling or stretching. It is a conscious return of the body to its center - especially after physical and mental stress. This is because tension literally distorts the body and leads to poor posture and tension.

It comprises five central elements:

• Harmony, balance & center within a framework

  Straightening the body means returning the body to its natural center. To do this, the opposing muscles are specifically activated and the body is given a clear framework for orientation. This frame is like an alignment rail: it shows where the center is and holds the body there so that it does not deviate or compensate.

• Create space

  With targeted exercises, for example, you can create space and room in the body after training. This allows everything to be rearranged and ideally aligned. The body always wants to reach the ideal / its center - based on the skeleton.

• Breathing & Consciousness

  It's about deeper inhalation, exhalation and awareness: Where do I breathe? How do I breathe? The breath influences posture, nervous system and focus.

• Mental relief

  Emotions influence our mental and physical performance. Being aware of our own emotions and consciously letting go helps us to find our center again.

When these elements come together, it's not just your body that changes - your mood, performance, charisma and attitude also change. You become calmer and more resilient.

There are many approaches that use individual aspects - such as breathwork, yoga or coaching. But the real challenge is to combine all these elements in such a way that they work together - without taking up too much time.

This is exactly where TSAR comes in. Sonja has developed online programs that combine all these elements instead of treating them separately in order to quickly find your mental and physical center.

I use two of them in particular before competitions:

• Breathe freely

  Transform fear into strength - more clarity, calm and inner strength with every breath.

• Splashy legs

  From nervousness to clarity, focus and presence - into the competition with ease.

This means I can stay calm in the tournament today - because my body is ready. My center is stable. My breath remains open. My nerves stay with me. And I'm having fun playing again for the first time in a long time - regardless of the result.

At the same time, this change also has a noticeable effect on my everyday life: I go through the day lighter, more present and more relaxed.

My conclusion

Performance does not come from more pressure and more full throttle. You don't need to torture yourself every day or bite through to get ahead. Performance is achieved when body and mind are centered and in harmony.

First we create space. Then we straighten up. Then movement, clarity and strength follow - of their own accord.

I would never have thought that this type of regeneration would become my biggest performance lever. Now I know that without it, you're only training against your own body. With it, you train with it.

And that's where the real potential begins.

Would you like to experience it for yourself?

In my lecture, I will go into this topic in more detail and show you several exercises to try out and join in. Observe how your breath changes, your body straightens up and your head becomes calmer.

If you would like to delve even deeper afterwards, you can find suitable online programs on our website at Performance & Aesthetics.

And if you are unsure which online program suits you best:

Just write to us. We will be happy to help you find out what your body really needs at the moment.