Fencing
How practising with purpose gives Miles Chamley-Watson a mental edge
Bringing the heat in training through visualisation techniques helps the American fencer prepare mentally as well as physically for battle on the piste.
Mind Set Win is the podcast that unlocks the winning mental tactics of high performers and elite sports professionals, and shows how we can apply the same strategies to our daily lives. Every Tuesday, Ramuschkat hosts an in-depth conversation with a new guest before being joined by York-Peter Klöppel, Head of Mental Performance at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre, on Thursday for a breakdown of the interview.
01
Visualisation
As one of the most recognisable athletes in his sport, Chamley-Watson has had to learn how to cope with the external pressure that comes with the spotlight always being upon him.
One of the techniques he uses to ensure he’s calm, confident and able to perform in high-pressure situations is visualisation. Every time he steps foot on the piste with his foil ready to do battle on the global stage, he’s been there before. If not literally, then in his mind.
In training, every lunge and attack have a purpose. “The more you practise, the more prepared you are,” Chamley-Watson says.
“When I’m at practice, I put myself in the moment. I visualise that it’s 14-14 in the final and the next point wins the gold.
“The more you’re able to visualise these moments, the more prepared you are. When you get to the actual stage, you’ve already been there.”
Explore more recent highlights from the Mind Set Win podcast
02
Mental balance
When competing at the highest level though, not every deciding point from 14-14 will go your way and Chamley-Watson shares a story from 2012 that has had a lasting impact on the way he deals with the emotion of his results.
He recalls being in the American locker room shortly after coming fourth in the team event in London, when the late basketball legend Kobe Bryant walked in.
“Kobe said, ‘all the best athletes have the shortest memory’. I never stop thinking about it to this day,” Chamley-Watson says.
“You win, you forget about it – you lose, you forget about it. If I win, awesome, if I lose, analyse how to adjust, and move on.
“It’s not easy, and there’s more losses than wins, but you have to appreciate both of them.”
This balanced mindset of dealing with both outcomes in the same manner has helped Chamley-Watson find perspective and remain at the top of his sport for so long. Not being too high when he wins, or too low when he loses, enables him to immediately focus on his future goals with clarity.
Chamley-Watson takes on Alex Choupenitch at Red Bull En Garde
© Rob Tringali/Red Bull Content Pool
You win, you forget about it – you lose, you forget about it
03
Self-communication
Another technique the 34-year-old explains to Ramuschkat that he’s used to positive effect is self-communication. An extended break from competition during the pandemic gave him the opportunity to think about various aspects of his life and ask himself some “hard questions.”
He wanted to find the answers to questions like: Who are you? Are you happy with yourself? What do you want out of life? What legacy do I want to leave? What do I want to create after fencing?
“It was nice to have this time and get to the answers that I have now,” Chamley-Watson says. “I learned a lot about myself in that period.”
Want to watch the full conversation between Miles Chamley-Watson and Lisa Ramuschkat? Check out the Mind Set Win YouTube channel.
Watch out for Thursday’s Part B episode, in which the Head of Mental Performance at the Red Bull APC, York-Peter Klöppel, extracts the most valuable takeaways from the interview.