Michael Phelps Quotes

One of the main techniques I used was focusing on the goal and visualising myself competing in the race before the race started.

I like visualizing a lot, so the night before a competition and right before, I will visualize myself. I'll close my eyes, turn away from everybody, and just see myself doing exactly what I want to accomplish.

When I walk into bat, I should know that 'Yes, I've prepared to the best of my ability. I couldn't have done anything better.' That is when I feel that I am ready to go out and play.

I have been here before in my head. To everyone else, it is my first Olympics. To me, it's my thousandth.

So much of what you do physically happens because you've thought about it and mentally prepared for it.

Exercise and sports are greatly affected by what goes into the mind, and the mind is greatly affected by sports and exercise as well. This is true among exercisers at all levels, despite their different goals. A major element in mental training is visualization ... Visualizing a positive outcome can create a pattern of success, as long as you set realistic and specific goals.

Then going out on the ice usually about 15 minutes before and certain things I would do for the different races, aspects that you run through your mind.

Dancing's not always stressful, but I always make sure that I'm prepared as I can be, both physically, mentally, and practically.

I used to be tense or nervous before heats. But I've learned to get rid of the negative stuff and just stay relaxed and positive - and it seems to be working for me.

People expect you to play your best, so I go through a routine to prepare myself so that I know I'm physically and mentally ready - prepared for the game.

With physical prep work, you know if you go to the gym, you will get size. There's no chance it won't happen. The emotional prep work is a variable. You could step onto the set one day and have a disconnect with your thoughts and feelings and have a rough day acting because you can't quite tap into what you need.

Pitching is always a weird, difficult thing.

I'm a massive yoga head. Lots of yoga and lots of running. I do Bikram yoga. I adore it.

When I go on a pitch, I just try to enjoy it as much as I can. The more you enjoy it, the better you play.

I was thinking on the rollers today that, before a race, if I could just pick my brain up and put it on the side of the track for four minutes, it would be perfect.

Most fighters are nervous before they go out there. Nervousness makes the body tight. I don't like that. I want to fight with a normal feeling. That's why I move the fingers, shoulders, everything. I try to move like spaghetti.

You need to stay calm the day of the contest. Not let the weather bother me and just relax.

There are times when your mind isn't ready to go but your body is, and times when your body is ready to go but your mind isn't. You try to get the two in sync as much as possible.

I take my three dogs for long walks every day, and I use that time to talk myself through winning every major competition.

I've always been quiet in the dressing room before the game. I try to focus and give everything.

Being relaxed allowed me to fight the way I'm capable of fighting.

I love athletics and martial-arts and competition because it gets me right and puts me in the right place.

I train with young guys in the offseason just to be honest and keep myself sure, to let myself know if I'm ready or will I be ready.

I don't like to come to tournaments, like, one week before, because I just need, like, a few days, and then I'm ready to go for it.

The more cricket you play in your head, the less you perform on the field. So let cricket, the sport, be on the field.