To “Think in a Feeling Sense” is a two part process that allows you to engage the mind and heart to utilize thoughts, feelings and sensations. To fully engage the awareness, acceptance and capacity to get better at what you love to do.

In athletics, to think in a feeling sense is to rely on thoughts, feelings and sensations to guide proper form, tempo, intensity and accuracy.

As an athlete you must use thinking in a feeling sense to:

• Trust your instincts and make split-second decisions based on past experiences, pattern recognition, and gut feelings.
• Use your breath and self-awareness to manage stress, maintain focus, and cultivate a positive mindset in pressure situations.
• Tune in to the emotions and needs of your teammates, coaches, and opponents to facilitate effective communication, collaboration, and sportsmanship.
• View your mental and physical states as interconnected and use techniques like visualization, self-talk, and breathing to enhance performance.
• Access a deeper level of intelligence that goes beyond mere technical skill or strategic knowledge.
• Adapt to changing circumstances, perform under pressure, and find a sense of flow and presence in your chosen sport.

Thinking in a feeling sense can lead to more effective, authentic, creative, and fulfilling athletic experiences.

• In baseball, its like the catcher that learns to inhale and welcome the ball into his mitt, cock his arm, tighten his core, focus on the target and use the exhale to determine the forward motion of his arm and how much fire he puts on the throw.
• In volleyball, the player that is serving, inhales as the ball is thrown in the air, tightens the core, uses the exhale to make contact with the ball and drive the ball to the target.

Here's the process:

Part One 

Learn how to utilize the appropriate breathing style to focus, express passion and the mental strength to complete the process.

Preparation: Focus on feeling confident and ready. Visualize goals and expectations.

Techniques: Deep breathing, controlled exhales.

Execution: Focus on passion, trust in abilities, and desire to do the work.

Techniques: Controlled breathing. 

Completion: Focus on mental strength, perseverance, finding truth in results, and willingness to improve.

Techniques: Breath-holds, deep nasal breathing, and forceful exhales. 

Part Two 

Involves the integration of gratitude, excitement, and completion with the process of engaging the mind and heart.

Gratitude: Awareness allows you to prepare, make good decisions, appreciate opportunities, learn from lessons, outperform competitors and have compassion for yourself and others.

Reflection: At this level you appreciate each and every opportunity.

Execution: Acceptance allows you to execute, helps build the energy to work hard and make it enjoyable. Express passion for your goals. Learn to battle distractions, be competitive, get in the flow, and know when to call it quits.

Reflection: At this level you can battle with the distractions in competition, perform in the flow or dominate. 

Devotion: Capacity allows you to complete, to reconcile the results of your efforts with the mental strength and courage required to find the truth. Reflection: At this level you can commit wholeheartedly to what truly matters most.

The index of breathing styles will allow you to improve your performance in every area of your life.

Preparation

1. For calmness: Inhale deeply through the nose for 4 counts, exhale slowly through the mouth.
2. To release an upset: Inhale deeply, exhale forcefully through the mouth 3-4 times.
3. To prime for intense activity: Short, forceful inhales and exhales to oxygenate the brain.

Execution

1. Use a shortened (30 to 40%) inhale and an explosive exhale to perform with tempo, power and accuracy.
2. Learn to battle distractions and feel successful with the results.
3. Learn to get in the flow and feel the energy you expend come back in the form of style and grace.

Completion

1. Three sets of extremely deep and quick nasal breaths with a slight pause, then let the exhale drop out of your mouth.
2. Each set of deep breaths lasts 30 to 40 breaths or 1.5 minutes.
3. After each set, forcefully exhale for as long as possible, then begin the next breath-hold set.
4. The goal is to improve at the breath-holds, starting with 45 seconds and working up to 3-5 minutes.

Wim Hof Breathing Method

You can catch my two videos on the subject:

Performance Breathing Think in a Feeling Sense, Part 1  HERE 

Thinking in a Feeling Sense, Part 2 HERE

That's HiLevel!