How do you deal with "sports" performance anxiety?

chicken_hawk · Dec 12, 2013

Made sure to put "sports" in there or who knows where this thread would end up. Anyway, I know many of the anasci family have felt the pressure of a competitive environment so I am open to any suggestions.

Anyway at last(first) meet I was so nervous my knees where shaking...not good for squatting. This lead to me buckling and suffering a slight quad strain. Funny thing is...once I was hurt all the weight lifted (pun).

Now, I was not overflowing with confidence like some of my comrades who seamed to thrive on all the attention and could not imagine failure. Of course they seamed to be a bit egocentric as well. But truth be told I was a bit jealous of your lucky to you came to see me attitude. Because they appeared calm while I felt defeated before I hit the plat form.

Anyway, I am starting to look into this more but thought some of you might have some suggestions.

Later,
Hawk

Marshall · Dec 12, 2013

I know the 'feeling' you're talking about, Hawk. IMO it's thinking too much. It's not the easiest thing to overcome, it's more of a relaxation issue. Find a spot mentally to get to when it's your time. Whatever works to get you there.

Sully · Dec 12, 2013

Ritual and routine go a long way to helping overcome performance anxiety. I'm not superstitious, but it helps to have items that you are comfortable with and use regularly there to help make it a more familiar surrounding. Many athletes like to wear the same piece of clothing or have a lucky chain or something. Find your "security blanket" and stick to it.

Having a consistent pre-game routine also has a lot of benefits as well. Golfers have a pre-shot "wiggle", batters have a shake or swing they do before or during stepping into the batters box, and football kickers always line up the exact same way before a kick. There's actually some valid scientific studies that show that these pre-performance rituals help to calm the athlete and put their brains in a state where they can concentrate, focus and block out extraneous stimuli. It's also shown to regulate your brains beta wave output, which is believed to be the neurological mechanism known as "being in the zone".

In summary, get a wooby and a pre-lift routine. Wear/use your wooby everytime u go to the gym, and use the exact same routine everytime you lift to the point that it becomes almost ritualistic. Good luck at your next meet Hawk.

psych · Dec 12, 2013

1. Pregame routine like mentioned is key. I spit on the floor before I lift, you know how dirty quads is, and then i step on it. If I go somewhere and there is carpet....I fuckin spit, why? Because that's what I do.

2.I always say a prayer. I say if I'm gonna get hurt let me die, and if I die make it messy so no one forgets

A little twisted but I work in psych for a reason.

3. Meet day=offical max out day. Plain and simple. Pr's before trophies bro. If you're doing a meet to rank, and it's not a national or world meet, it's just an expensive workout at another gym. So relax and bak on the fact that you will have a true total. Gym totals are bullshit, meets count.

4. You paid for this meet for YOU, no one else, training is for you, cutting weight you, drugs you, travel you, gym time you, membership you, equipment you. No one cares we do this sport, no one knows what it feels like to have 800+ on your back, no one understands this sport. It's
all for you...

5. You do the big 3. You spent weeks training the movements. Hundreds of set and thousands of reps. You got 3 tries of doing 1 awesome one!! That training cycle ain't for nothin. You do carpentry right? You know how to cut ply wood to make angles work on a roof. The first time doing that, pinning, hitting on a girl, etc is hard and nerve racking. BUt after you do it a few times it's nothin! Like scratching your nose. Experience bro...

6. No one ever got anything done by being a pussy

7. I wrote a post a while back about things that happen at meets. Alot of shit happens that you have no control over. But being nervous and anxious is ONE thing you do have control over. It's just lack of experience and will fad in time. I have left meets with HUGE flights, went to McDonalds and arrived with time to kill between my warm ups.

My first meet was crazy. It was a USPF state meet in Chicago. It was packed with other 220 lifters. It was intense. I won the 220, got best lifter, and biggest bench. I though I was a bad mother fucker that day....until I was told to relax. I was told no one there was any good and I beat up on gym rats. MORAL OF THE STORY: some people at meets aren't worth being worried about, or giving a shit.

Ironbuilt · Dec 12, 2013

↑ number 6 = eddieism

Hawk just get comfortable knowing you are ready.
When you start overthinkin the heart rate goes up from anxiety and blood flow gets shady hense the blackout or puke action.
Go in proud and focus on the task not who's around. U should only see bar & weight.. not psych spittin on the floor..

psych · Dec 12, 2013

You watch me spit mother fucker!!!!!!!

Ironbuilt · Dec 12, 2013

ROFLOL!! I just spit up my shake on that.. ..

chicken_hawk · Dec 13, 2013

Lil' Sully said:
Ritual and routine go a long way to helping overcome performance anxiety. I'm not superstitious, but it helps to have items that you are comfortable with and use regularly there to help make it a more familiar surrounding. Many athletes like to wear the same piece of clothing or have a lucky chain or something. Find your "security blanket" and stick to it.

Having a consistent pre-game routine also has a lot of benefits as well. Golfers have a pre-shot "wiggle", batters have a shake or swing they do before or during stepping into the batters box, and football kickers always line up the exact same way before a kick. There's actually some valid scientific studies that show that these pre-performance rituals help to calm the athlete and put their brains in a state where they can concentrate, focus and block out extraneous stimuli. It's also shown to regulate your brains beta wave output, which is believed to be the neurological mechanism known as "being in the zone".

In summary, get a wooby and a pre-lift routine. Wear/use your wooby everytime u go to the gym, and use the exact same routine everytime you lift to the point that it becomes almost ritualistic. Good luck at your next meet Hawk.

Thanks for the insight and it makes perfect sense to train your mind to go along with your body's action during competition. I am going to start implementing this ASAP.

Gracious!
Hawk

chicken_hawk · Dec 13, 2013

psych said:
1. Pregame routine like mentioned is key. I spit on the floor before I lift, you know how dirty quads is, and then i step on it. If I go somewhere and there is carpet....I fuckin spit, why? Because that's what I do.

2.I always say a prayer. I say if I'm gonna get hurt let me die, and if I die make it messy so no one forgets A little twisted but I work in psych for a reason.

3. Meet day=offical max out day. Plain and simple. Pr's before trophies bro. If you're doing a meet to rank, and it's not a national or world meet, it's just an expensive workout at another gym. So relax and bak on the fact that you will have a true total. Gym totals are bullshit, meets count.

4. You paid for this meet for YOU, no one else, training is for you, cutting weight you, drugs you, travel you, gym time you, membership you, equipment you. No one cares we do this sport, no one knows what it feels like to have 800+ on your back, no one understands this sport. It's
all for you...

5. You do the big 3. You spent weeks training the movements. Hundreds of set and thousands of reps. You got 3 tries of doing 1 awesome one!! That training cycle ain't for nothin. You do carpentry right? You know how to cut ply wood to make angles work on a roof. The first time doing that, pinning, hitting on a girl, etc is hard and nerve racking. BUt after you do it a few times it's nothin! Like scratching your nose. Experience bro...

6. No one ever got anything done by being a pussy

7. I wrote a post a while back about things that happen at meets. Alot of shit happens that you have no control over. But being nervous and anxious is ONE thing you do have control over. It's just lack of experience and will fad in time. I have left meets with HUGE flights, went to McDonalds and arrived with time to kill between my warm ups.

My first meet was crazy. It was a USPF state meet in Chicago. It was packed with other 220 lifters. It was intense. I won the 220, got best lifter, and biggest bench. I though I was a bad mother fucker that day....until I was told to relax. I was told no one there was any good and I beat up on gym rats. MORAL OF THE STORY: some people at meets aren't worth being worried about, or giving a shit.

When you put it that way it makes no real sense to freak out. I guess I need to view the whole thing from a different perspective. When you mentioned #5 it paralleled what an Olympic shooter told me his coach said to him...he said I will give anyone a Million dollars if they can tell me how many times they hit the brake petal on the way over. No one could of course...the simply did it out of a trained response to do what they knew...unlike when they first began to drive.

Thanks a lot psyche!
Hawk

Magnus82 · Dec 13, 2013

Great advice here! Routine is key. You remember your first client meeting right? I sure do. I was a nervous wreck. Hell, there were times my mind was racing so bad I didn't even know what to say. Now, after 20 years, it's well, routine. I grab my estimating pad, a tape measure, and show them the best I can be. I think given the info you received here, you will be an entirely different person come your next meet. Good luck brother!

turbobusa · Dec 13, 2013

I'd probably have the greatest powerlifter of al time critique my lifts one on one.
After that meets should be no problem as I've been in front of the greatest and everyone else is just another lifter. Or I could come to your next meet and give you a couple stiff open hands upside the head . You won't give a fuck about lifting in front of anyone then:headbang: T

chicken_hawk · Dec 14, 2013

turbobusa said:
I'd probably have the greatest powerlifter of al time critique my lifts one on one.
After that meets should be no problem as I've been in front of the greatest and everyone else is just another lifter. Or I could come to your next meet and give you a couple stiff open hands upside the head . You won't give a fuck about lifting in front of anyone then:headbang: T

Let's see I can cross number one off my list and that went a long way in qustioning my technique. Now, I KNOW I am performing them right as dose my boy Nate. Funny thing was that I was not nervous around Eddie at all, but Nate was freakin out LOL.

As, for number two maybe you and ib could take road trip via KC and swing through LOL. A quick slap then some BBQ and you all can hit the road.

Hawk

Sully · Dec 14, 2013

The mental aspect of sports performance is quickly being recognized as the definitive edge that separates the average pro athlete from the elite pro athlete. Someone did a study on Tiger Woods, before the melt down, and they concluded that he had a 1 stroke advantage over his competitors just for showing up. Not that he hit 1 less stroke, but on average his competitors added a stroke to their game just because they were playing against him.

Sports psychology is actually one of the fastest growing fields of study in the sports world. Virtually every major university offers a course/grad program in it , and sports psychologists are becoming a mandatory addition to many pro teams medical staff.

The body can only do what the brain tells it to do. Get the brain working optimally, and the body will follow suit.

Daniel11 · Dec 14, 2013

Meditation.
Visualization goes a long way.

Lots if great input in here already.

turbobusa · Dec 14, 2013

chicken_hawk said:
Let's see I can cross number one off my list and that went a long way in qustioning my technique. Now, I KNOW I am performing them right as dose my boy Nate. Funny thing was that I was not nervous around Eddie at all, but Nate was freakin out LOL.

As, for number two maybe you and ib could take road trip via KC and swing through LOL. A quick slap then some BBQ and you all can hit the road.

Hawk

Yeah right you know good and well i be showing up pulling my ghetto airstream for a good long stay plugged into your back yard. IB can drive the tow vehicle while I snooze , watch porn while beating the hell outta chim chim
Ever see an airstream on 26's? You need to do some meets up this ways . You know you'll have friends already here.
Need to get some one on one with EC's fight guy. He will get you to focus and relax.. member shove push ah ah ah shove push ah ah ah?
T...........

chicken_hawk · Dec 16, 2013

turbobusa said:
Yeah right you know good and well i be showing up pulling my ghetto airstream for a good long stay plugged into your back yard. IB can drive the tow vehicle while I snooze , watch porn while beating the hell outta chim chim
Ever see an airstream on 26's? You need to do some meets up this ways . You know you'll have friends already here.
Need to get some one on one with EC's fight guy. He will get you to focus and relax.. member shove push ah ah ah shove push ah ah ah?
T...........

How could I forget when a master of jkd gets up in you face and asks if you want to start shit! Scared this boy a little for sure cuz I was too far from the nearest 45 lb. plate to defend myself.

Trust me I will be back, had to good a time not to. Plus we got a few more places to see.

Hawk

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How do you deal with "sports" performance anxiety?

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