Archie Smith - Professional AFL player
I’m fortunate to be a professional athlete and am kept on a daily routine of training, weights and of course playing. Sport and fitness has been something that has been a catalyst in aiding my mental health. I often find if I’m under stress, anxious or not feeling great, something as simple as going for a walk or a light run can make me feel a lot better.What do you do to keep active?
It plays a huge role in helping me. Whether it be a 30min session or a 2hr game, for that period of time I can just focus on that task at hand. It puts life's challenges to the side for a period of time, and when I'm able to come back and address them, I do so feeling much better and with a clearer mindset.How does exercise have an impact on your mental health?
Often the most challenging part is just getting started because your mind can sometimes give you a million reasons not to do something. However, I’ve found that once I start, I immediately feel better and more accomplished. Don’t underestimate the power in taking the first step, that’s almost half the battle. From there it’s great to set yourself goals of some sort that you want to try and hit. It could be as little as ‘I'm going to get to 2 sessions this week’ or ‘I'm going to try and go a little bit heavier this week.’ Consistency and goal setting play huge roles in your training. It's also important to remember that you may not see results immediately, but you definitely will over time through commitment and discipline.If you could give any advice for someone starting training, what would it be?