5 Tips To Beat Athletic Performance Anxiety

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Athletic Performance Anxiety.Three words you don’t really see in discussion boards when it comes to sports and wellness. Anxiety is real among athletes, whether it be a championship game, powerlifting meet or just practicing for your bodybuilding competition, athletes deal with these unwarranted feelings.We’ve all been there at some point; heart starts to beat fast, an uneasy feeling in our stomach and then we begin to question ourselves, “Am I going to do this right? What if I fail? I’m going to lose this game for my team.”Athlete performance anxiety can hinder an athlete from playing at his or her peak level and may even stop an athlete from going on stage or playing the game. So how should we nip these thoughts in the butt?There are 5 proven ways to psych ourselves out from questioning our athletic abilities:PrepareRemember back in grade school when your mom had your backpack, outfit and lunch ready the night before the first day of school? The same planning should happen before a big meet or competition.Prep the necessities days before so you aren’t running around the day of wondering if you forgot your socks, your weight belt, or your extra pair of sneakers. Doing this allows yourself more time to breathe and not worry if something was left behind.Game Day Ritual2-time NBA champion, Steph Curry starts each game with a 20-minute warm up. The king of Cleveland, Lebron James (used to) kicks off with his famous chalk flare and Rafael Nadal takes the time to line up all his water bottles facing the court. Why?Research shows that pregame rituals give athletes a sense of control; control of what can happen to them. And with that, sense of calmness comes over the body; going into the meet or game strong and confident.So try putting together a small pre event ritual; something that will give you that sense of strength and power.Talk It OutHave a go-to friend who puts it all into perspective for you. Sit down with them the night before to talk through some insecurities; write it out and have them help you find solutions.Your friend helps you envision a plan that you yourself may not have been able to see. This allows them to help relieve some of the pressure you may be feeling which leads to that performance anxiety.Reframe your mindStart your game day morning with affirmations. Research has shown that taking those negative thoughts and turning them into “fake” positive thoughts will psych yourself into believing positively. It all starts with the mind. Once the mind is right, the body will follow.BreatheJust like psyching your mind into thinking one way; psyching your body into something does the same. When you begin to see yourself tighten up, breathe heavily and panic; take a second to stop and practice breathing exercises. Be present instead of looking at the possible “what if this goes wrong.”

Arnit is a personal trainer in the South Florida area. Living an unhealthy lifestyle in the past, Arnit understands the struggle, efforts and dedication her clients have to give to reach their goals. After receiving her Masters in Psychology, specializing in eating habits and behaviors, she then became certified as a personal trainer. She applies behavioral and exercise strategy into each client’s program to seek a better, healthier lifestyle. She prides herself in the ability to take her education and creativity to design programs that will take her client's outside of their comfort zones and reach their true, optimal levels.

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