Controlling Show Jitters

by April Clay

It's show time - you're at the start gate. Suddenly you become all too aware that your heart is pounding rapidly. Adrenaline seems to be coursing through your veins, and there is no doubt there are a swarm of butterflies slam dancing against the walls of your stomach. What's more, you just can't seem to rid yourself of the gnawing thought of having to use the bathroomjust one more time. "Why? Why can't I just be relaxed?," you demand of yourself, hating this myriad of unpleasant bodily sensations.

Blame it on our inherent genetic design. The 'alarm' reaction we experience is normal and functional. Your heart rate speeds up because, in order to flee from a potentially dangerous situation, our body needs blood rich in oxygen to work the muscles most effectively. We get those 'butterflies' because blood is being pumped in the direction away from the stomach and head to our muscles for immediate use. You may feel a need to run for the washroom because your body wants to er, um 'evacuate' in order to be as light and nimble as possible to face impending danger.

But how do we end up interpreting such sensations? Most people would say they were experiencing feelings of intense anxiety. However, as you can see, there are some functional aspects to those physiological reactions that can help to mobilize your body to compete at its best. So both conclusions could be correct.

The difference lies in perception, and knowing the difference between feelings of anxiety and the physiological reactions one has during anticipation and excitement. Although many athletes think that feelings of anxiety and arousal are the same, there is a difference between feelings of nervousness and those of arousal or anticipation. Anxiety actually has more to do with negative self talk and feelings of doubt and worry; whereas arousal has to do with physiological responses to stress. There are times when being anxious can help to solve a problem and improve performance, however it usually only leads to more and more negative thinking.

Perception is an integral component in the experience of nervousness and other emotions. Here's an example: suppose I asked you to walk across a board on the floor, measuring one foot wide. You would probably do so without thinking much about it. If I now suspended that board 100 feet in the air and asked you to do the same, you would immediately become more anxiousnot because the task had changedbut because your perception of the task had changed.

Here's another example: let's say you are out for a hike, walking along when this 'black spot' appears in your peripheral vision. Your mind immediately screams, "Bear!" Your body goes into overdrive, getting itself ready for what is commonly called "flight or fight" response. Now, suppose there isn't a bear, that the black spot was a garbage can kicked over on its side? You would probably feel foolish, thinking, "What did I get so worked up about?" The point is that even though there was no real threat, the 'perceived threat' was enough to mobilize your body and mind into emergency mode.

So what can you do to make this system, as there is surely no escape from it, work for you instead of against you? Learn to monitor your experience of stress, how much it is made up of anxiousness and how much is normal physiological changes which will mobilize your body to perform. Then you can learn strategies to manage both these experiences to arrive at an optimal level of stress that will allow you to compete at your best.

How can you manage those changes in your body? The best way to do this is to learn the art of relaxation. If you can learn to truly relax, you can affect your heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension and quiet your analytical thinking.

One of the most effective ways to relax is to learn to breathe properly. If you breathe properly, you breathe from your diaphragm, the thin muscle that separates the lung and abdominal cavities. As you inhale, you should notice that your abdomen pushes out. During inhalation the diaphragm moves down slightly and this is what pushes your chest area out. As inhale, it may be helpful to imagine that you are filling up three separate sections of your lungs. First, concentrate on your abdomen, making it expand with air, and next fill the middle portion of your lungs by expanding the chest cavity and raising the rib cage and chest. Finally, allow the upper portion to be filled and you will notice your upper part of your chest expand and your shoulders raise slightly. Hold your breath for several seconds before beginning the exhalation. Begin to exhale by pulling the abdomen in (which pulls the diaphragm up), and you should notice your shoulders drop, as well as your upper chest, as the air begins to leave your lungs. Make sure the exhalation is complete, forcing all the air out and letting go of all muscular tension as you do. (Say this silently to yourself on the exhale: "As I breathe out I let go of all the tension in my body"). The best part of this exercise is that as you become more practised at it, you can do it anytime, anywhere.

Manage your anxiety: The most effective way to manage your anxiety is to monitor and change your perceptions appropriately. First consciously make an effort to become more aware of your cognitions (self talk), you may want to do this by keeping a notebook and after training writing down some of the negative thoughts you were having. Next look at what form of distortion that negative thought has. An example of a distorted way of thinking would be looking at everything in black and white terms, i.e..: you either are a 'loser' or a 'winner'. Another example of a thought distortion is over-generalizing, where you see one event as a never ending pattern of defeat. Most negative self talk is distorted in some way, and may be refuted logically. Ask yourself what evidence you have for making the statement you did, (usually you will find little or no evidence) and then consciously replace the distorted negative thought with a positive one.

In closing, remember that you do need a certain amount of arousal in order to perform at your best. That is why sensations such as increased heart rate and muscle tension can be a positive signal that indicates you are ready to compete at your best. If you were too relaxed, your reaction time would likely be too slow. If you were overly anxious, things would likely appear to be speeding by too fast for you to do anything about them.

Not surprisingly, the optimal amount of stress (some would call it a 'good nervousness') you should have is somewhere in the moderate range. It is also dependant on the type of sport you are involved in, and upon your personality.

It will take some time to find what the right level is for you, but you will discover it if you persist and notice when things are going right and what you did to get there.

So remember, next time you notice with alarm that your heart is beating rapidly, instead of panicking, try saying to yourself , "That is my signal that I am focused and ready to perform at my best." And, a little trip to the you know where first doesn't hurt either.

NOTICE: This article may not be reproduced or quoted in whole or in part by any means, printed or electronic, without the written consent of the author or Flying Changes magazine. Feel free, however, to print out a copy for reading offline!

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