The qualities of a strong will are such characteristics as discipline, purposefulness, self-sufficiency, initiative, self-control, confidence, perseverance, decisiveness and courage.
Sports require efforts of will in numerous situations - in overcoming fatigue, turning up on time for workouts, following exactly what the plan demands, overcoming embarrassment or fear of the unknown and concentrating attention for a long time period.
To ensure successful development to the qualities of strong will, additional difficulties have to be set. Several changes can be made in physical exercise, depending on the quality that needs to be developed -
Discipline is developed by maintaining a set routine of activities, a routine that must be within the athletes ability to maintain and the necessity for which is understood by the athlete.
Purposefulness converts workouts into consciously coordinated activities, not thoughtless movements. Developing purposefulness requires athletes being educated about the goal of each action they take, related to the long term plan.
Self Sufficiency and Initiative are developed by placing the athlete in situations that require fast judgement. The athlete must plan the action, perform it and take responsibility for it. The circumstances must continually change so the athlete cannot repeat the same response unconsciously.
Self-control, which is the ability to not panic in a difficult situation, is developed by adding distractions whilst the athlete trains e.g. making a loud noise before penalty kicks in football.
Confidence is developed by training in a difficult environment e.g. outdoors in bad weather, or with new training partners and equipment.
Perseverance (the ability to overcome fatigue) is developed by performing additional reps with weights or running another lap at the end of an exhausting workout, in the form of a competition.
Decisiveness is developed by workouts that have new and unexpected features to stop them becoming recurrent.
Courage is developed by increasing the level of risk in training e.g. fighting in a smaller ring or balancing on a higher beam in gymnastics.
