Train Your Nervous System: The Athletes Way to Aid Recovery
- Nov 21
- 3 min read
By Bretto and Slacky
Why Nervous System Training Works (and Why Most Men Avoid It)
As an athlete, my nervous system was everything. Speed, Decision-making, Composure, Emotional control, Recovery, and under pressure — finals, Olympic qualifiers, big stadiums — the athletes who could regulate their nervous system were the ones who delivered.
Everyday blokes need this even more.
Because your “pressure moments” happens daily:
• dealing with separation
• managing co-parenting
• handling your ex’s emotional storms
• navigating step-parenting
• carrying financial stress
• trying to stay calm when you’re exhausted
If you don’t train your nervous system, you’ll always feel behind.
Step One: Notice Your Red Flags (Your Body Knows First)
Before an athlete cracks, their body whispers warnings.
Yours does too.
Common signs your nervous system is slipping into fight-or-flight:
• tight chest
• snapping quickly
• clenching your jaw
• shallow breathing
• overthinking everything
• catastrophising
• feeling hot or wired
• pacing
• can’t sit still
• obsessively checking your phone
• “What if…?” thoughts piling up
Once you can recognise these early signals, you can intervene before the blow-up, the argument, or the emotional shutdown.
Step Two: The 60-Second Reset Athletes Use Under Pressure
This one saved my career more than once.
60-Second Breathing Reset
• Inhale 4 seconds
• Hold 2 seconds
• Exhale 6 seconds
• Repeat for 60 seconds
This drops your heart rate, switches off the stress loop, and brings your thinking brain back online.
Perfect for:
• moments where you feel reactive
• standing outside the house before walking into chaos
• sitting in the car after drop-off
• reading a message that spikes your anxiety
• moments where you’re about to fire back a text
Speaking of texts…
Step Three: The “No Reactive Texts” Rule (Elite Performance Version)
One of the biggest killers of progress for men going through separation?
Reactive texting.
Athletes have a rule:
Never make decisions when the nervous system is escalated.
So here’s your version:
If your heart rate is up, if your chest is tight, if your mind is racing —you do not text!
"Full stop"
Not to your ex. Not to your partner. Not to anyone.
Wait at least 20 minutes - breathe, move, reset, then decide.
This alone can save you hours of drama and weeks of emotional fallout.
Step Four: Move Your Body to Move the Stress Out
In sport, when pressure builds, we don’t sit in it — we move.
Movement drains stress.
Try one of these when your system is overloaded:
• 10–15 minute walk
• light jog
• stretch session
• mobility work
• shooting hoops
• slow breathing while moving
You’re not trying to “get fit.” You’re trying to empty the stress container.
Step Five: Build a Daily Regulation Ritual
Athletes don’t regulate once. They regulate every day.
Your nervous system needs consistency, not intensity.
Coaches recommendation:
Morning:
• 2–3 minutes slow breathing
• short stretch
• sunlight on your face for 2 minutes
During the day:
• one 60-second breathing reset
• a quick walk or movement break when overwhelmed
Night:
• no screens 45 minutes before bed
• slow breathing
• decompressing from the day (journaling or quiet time)
These tiny steps can have a huge impact.
Final Word: Calm Is a Skill, Not a Personality Trait
I wasn’t born calm, and it really isn’t a strength of mine.
I trained myself to be calm.
And if you’re navigating separation, step-parenting, rebuilding your life, or just trying to keep your emotions in check — this is your competitive edge.
Train your nervous system like an athlete.
Because your life, your kids, and your next chapter deserve the calm, grounded version of you.
Comments