Kris Eiring, Ph.D.

PERFORMANCE OR COMPETITIVE ANXIETY AND

ATHLETES

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EMOTIONS ARE CONTAGIOUS

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Stress and anxiety will be used interchangeably

A clinical anxiety disorder is different than performance anxiety and different than stress

TERMS

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Part OneDefining itUnderstanding the different elements

Part TwoCreating a Toolbox of techniques to use or help athletes

use to manage performance anxiety

AGENDA

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What is it?Does it really need explanation!?!Anyone ever feel they don’t have enough

time?!!We all experience stress at some point: job

interviews, tests, competing

STRESS/ANXIETY

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Resources don’t match demands

or

Perceived Resources don’t match demands (I don’t have enough time, money, skill, ability,

others are better than me, etc.)

MOST BASIC DEFINITION

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ugkzk2l2ZpM

HOOSIERS CLIPGOOD EXAMPLE OF PERCEPTION

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ANXIETY IS GOOD!

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But for athletes there is a delicate balance on an individual level for the “right amount”

Too much anxiety (angst, almost panic, focus is scattered)

Too little anxiety (boredom, decreased focus)

ANXIETY

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“ZONE OF OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE”

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Known by athletes as a “special place”The “right amount of anxiety” helps

performance be more consistent, automatic and flowing

The athlete is able to ignore the pressures (does not overthink) and lets the body deliver the performance that has been learned so well.

Shane Murphy, Ph.D.

THE “ZONE”

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1. Small Group discussion about signs and symptoms of performance anxiety

What are symptoms of excitement?

Debrief

2. Plate exercise

EXERCISES

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1. Somatic (Body) Symptoms: Let’s look at our list

2. Emotional: Psych out3. Behavioral: Freeze, Rush, Panic 4. Cognitive: Think too much! Or interpret our

body symptoms as BAD

Biggest fear the propels performance anxiety is………..??(Guess)>>>>>>>>

TOO MUCH: WHAT HAPPENS

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Embarrassment!I don’t want to make a fool of myselfSo then what, we sometimes>>>

OverthinkOR………………………………………………..

TOO MUCH…

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VISUALIZE FAILING (ADDS TO FEAR)

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TRY TOO HARD (BODY GETS TIGHT)

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Freeze…

“Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.”

- George Herman “Babe” Ruth (Baseball Legend)

FREEZE (LOSE AUTOMATIC RESPONSES)

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“Your hands are wiser than your head will ever be”

Will Smith in The Legend of Bagger Vance

LET YOUR BODY PERFORM

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FREAK OUT AND PANIC!

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Panic AttacksThey are realLet’s just pause for a moment and review

http://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/health/the-pro-athletes-anxiety-relief-20130405

DIGRESS FOR A MOMENT

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• Panic Disorder/Panic Attack: People with panic disorder experience white-knuckled, heart-pounding terror that strikes suddenly and without warning. Since they cannot predict when a panic attack will seize them, many people live in persistent worry that another one could overcome them at any moment which can lead them to feel anxious about being anxious.

• Symptoms: Pounding heart, chest pains, lightheadedness or dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath, shaking or trembling, choking, fear of dying, sweating, feeling of unreality, numbness or tingling, hot flashes or chills, and a feeling of going out of control or going crazy.

• Formal Diagnosis: Either four attacks within four weeks or one or more attacks followed by at least a month of persistent fear of having another attack. A minimum of four of the symptoms listed above developed during a least one of the attacks. Most panic attacks last only a few minutes, but they can go longer. They can occur any time, even during sleep.

• Treatment: CBT and medications such as anti-anxiety drugs. A combination of therapy and medications is often the most effective.

Can be related to the YIPS (Yikes, I’m probably screwed!) by Darald Hanusa

Can be related to an athlete who practices well but then does not compete well

Can be related to an athlete talking themselves out of a race/competition

PERFORMANCE ANXIETY IS REAL

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xZAsuuAows&sns=em

GOOD SYNOPSIS

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First: Help Athletes Change Focus to ACTION (Process focus)

Action Focus (S. Murphy, 1996) means:Being able to concentrate effectively on what you want

to accomplish (not how): “Quick feet” (Hockey Tough by Saul Miller)

Not wasting your time worrying about resultsAction Focus is likely the most basic mind/body skill for success!

The most basic action focus is BREATHE (When In Doubt, Breathe Out… do it and say it )

WHAT HELPS?LETS’ PUT TOGETHER A TOOLBOX

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Second

Cognitive Skills: Self talk. How athletes talk to themselves, or how others talk with them, can have a big influence on ramping up or ramping down anxiety

Thoughts = Emotions = Actions

TOOLBOX

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Reframe: anxiety and excitement are connected so consider the possibility the symptoms are related to excitement (Tim Herzog, PhD); http://hprc-online.org/blog/anxious-or-excited

Also Harvard Studies Research “Go, go” ; “Explode” ; “Say, this is what I want you to focus on …………… I want you to use your “anxiety” as good energy, channel it….. Or, Be neutral and nonjudgmental: keep going, focus on this…..(quick

feet)

Dig, tell them what TO DO, not just be pissed at what they did not do Why? When someone is anxious they do not think well.

If you resist it persists (beach ball example)

How to Change Self Talk“What you think about you bring about”

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEVd0QMjCc8

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS?

“FAIL HARDER”

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What if…………….?

I don’t want to make a mistake…

If I do bad this will happen………..

What will coach think of me if……………..

My heart is racing, I don’t want to have anxiety

SELF TALK THAT RAMPS UP PERFORMANCE ANXIETY

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I’m the boss of my mental showI am a tough, aggressive checkerI enjoy a challengeMy mind is force; I use it to createI get stronger with each shift

Action oriented, need to be somewhat true

SELF TALK EXAMPLES THAT HELP(SAUL MILLER, HOCKEY TOUGH)

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Master’s swimmer on blog said he was getting anxious prior to meets……

Answer: You are getting anxious about being anxious

There are many ways out of that, but what doesn't work is to try not to be anxious. If you do that then what is on your mind is being anxious.”

SWIMMER EXAMPLE

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ThirdMind/Body Skills:Use the Three A’s:

AwarenessAdmit or Accept itAction steps or focus

TOOLBOX

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Be in the present moment (immediate moment)

Concentrate on specific targets or steps (ACTION)

Have a game plan; Have a Word that is cue to refocus

Eliminate in game evaluations and self judgments

Say cliches: “When in doubt breath out”

Heart Breathing (talk about this)

Cue within sight (wristband, tape on stick or bat)

TO MAXIMIZE FLOW FOR ATHLETES

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TOOLBOX: CUE WORD

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TOOLBOX: RORY MCLLROY & MUSIC

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VICTORY POSE PRIOR TO COMPETING(AMY CUDDY TED VIDEO)

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FourthRoutine can help decrease anxiety; the athlete knows

what to do and think prior or during competition

Develop a consistent or routine approach (Habits!) to high level performance trainingStick with this approach when challenges occur This applies to physical and mental skill training

TOOLBOX

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Your routine might include:Thoughts = Images =Emotions =Actions (warm up drills, etc)

CONSISTENCY

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WRITE YOUR PLAN AS A WAY TO REHEARSE IT (SIAN BEILOCK, CHOKE)

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FifthEmotional Management

Emotional Power SkillsLearn to Psych Yourself UP and not OUT, when you need it

most

Energy Management SkillsUse energy for what you control and not for the things out

of your control, like the person you are playing or what someone else thinks

TOOLBOX

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Focusing attention on what you wantresearch indicates that successful athletes are both

relaxed and exquisitely alert at the same time when they are in the zone

Time seems to slow downIncreased controlLess self-consciousness and worryPerformance becomes “automatic / flowing

TOOLBOX

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Keep It Simple! When you feel strong emotions, don’t automatically respond Learn the skills to step back (Hockey Tough) Then, use that emotion to power up and give yourself one focus,

an action step (converting negative energy to positive) Psych up and not psych out (ask yourself which one you are doing)

The POWER of PACE and TIMING instead of Panic (example) (miss a lay-up and foul, rush the game to immediately make up for mistake

EMOTIONAL POWER

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Visualize what you want to have happen

Research shows that imagining being successful before competing can have a positive effect on performance

Visualizing or body poses help to elevate testosterone and decrease cortisol (stress hormone)

TOOLBOX

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Butler (1996) suggests a mnemonic device called PRESSURE for use with athletes experiencing problems with performance anxiety: Prepare - Athletes must psychologically prepare for what they will faceRelax - Diaphragmatic breathing exercises, may be necessary prior to competition in order to prevent over arousal Externalize - the belief that problems are not within me. This can help athletes when they feel there are too many demands on them.Stay Positive - Acknowledgement of the importance that individuals should have confidence in their abilities.Single Minded - Stay focused on the task at hand. This can be used both in training and competition.Unite - Particularly useful within the framework of teams sports, this component encourages athletes to consider what roles others will fulfill and the importance of working together as a team throughout the competition.Re-evaluate - How important is this event in the real world?Extend yourself - Give your best performance every time no matter how important, or unimportant, the competition is.

TOOLBOX

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Techniques…Park First, Visualize Second Park your embarrassment or fatigue

In your head say “I can be tired later, when I have the time to be. Right now I’m going to ‘park’ my fatigue here

Focus on the desired result: Visualization A vivid thought or image about what you want to accomplish A quick and energizing reminder of what this is all about

TOOLBOX

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYTadlooH7o

“JUST THROW”

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Techniques….Focus on things within your control

Sounds basic but it’s easy to forget Execution, technique and effort

ENERGIZING

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Balague, G. (2005). Anxiety: From pumped up to panicked. In Shane Murphy (Ed.), The handbook of sport psych handbook, pp. 73-92, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Beilock, S. (2010). Choke. New York: Free Press

Hays, K. & C. Brown (2010). You’re on! Consulting for peak performance. Washington D.C.: American Psychological Association

Herzog, T. (2014). Blog. http://hprc-online.org/blog/anxious-or-excited

Miller, S. (2003). Hockey Tough. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

REFERENCES

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I will dock some of these clips on my web page in articles with performance anxiety in the title.

www.psychologyofsport.net

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