Anxiety Control Measures Before the Competition

Anxiety can affect both psychologically (cognitively) and physiologically (somatic). Poor concentration, lack of confidence, increased heart rate and feeling of apprehension or sickness are common negative effects of anxiety. There are various strategies players can employ to help you control pre competition anxiety and overcome any negative side effects. Competition anxiety does not need to be a problem. With practice of relaxation techniques, you can control your pre-competition nerves and prevent them negatively affecting performance, and allowing you to reach your full potential. No matter how much you’ve trained, performance anxiety before or during a competition may occur, hindering the results of your match. Colloquially referred to as “choking,” performance anxiety is a result of overwhelming perceived stress, which leads to a decrease in athletic performance. Whether these anxieties stem from past experiences or a fear of failure, it’s an important emotion to identify and deal with. Here are a few ways to overcome performance anxiety.