Enter The Dragons

International rugby demands a unique mix of speed, strength, powerand leanmuscle, alongside the ability to take a hit and recover fast. Upgrade your own performance–on and off the field–with lessons from Wales’s elite players

- Joel Snape

STEP 1

BE MENTALLY UNBREAKABLE

Elite-level performance starts in the mind.Up your game with advice from Wales and Lions flanker DanLydiate

HAVE A ROUTINE

According to a 2006 study from Duke University in the US, 40% of your daily actions are habits, not decisions – so make them good ones. “I have the same routine before every game – getting strapped, getting limber,” says Lydiate. “When you start your career as a player you don’t have a routine, but then when you find things that work well – stretches or mental warm-ups, even a song you always listen to – you keep them in place.” Keeping to a regular morning routine – even if it’s just coffee, to-do list, stretch – automates good behaviour and makes it mindless.

MOVE ON FROM MISTAKES

“Mistakes will always happen in a game,” says Lydiate. “But once it’s happened, you can’t do anything about it. Focus on the positive and move on to the next thing as soon as possible. As long as you try to learn and improve as a player, you’ll do better.” Once you’ve done everything you can in the moment to fix things, forget it and move on – the mistake is officially over, even if you have to carry on dealing with the consequences.

TAKE TIME TO ASSESS