Nerves are something that we all have to deal with at some point in our lives. It’s not the most enjoyable thing to experience but as an athlete it can hamper performance. Every athlete who stands on a podium has experienced nerves at some point in their careers; it is completely normal to feel them. How you deal and cope with them though is what can set you apart from the rest and become a champion in you sport. From my experience I can pass on from what I’ve learnt works well for me and if you wish to try the methods I hope they help!
- Music: Music is a great form of relaxation and motivation and for me it’s a great way to help over come my nerves. My imagination is pretty vivid and I use my music to help get me in the “zone” and help me mentally be ready for my “battle” (my races). Using upbeat songs help get me psyched up and excited for my races, I always look out for new music that helps me get in the mood to be ready to. Sometimes pre-competition I listen to calmer and more relaxing music before I go to bed, my favourite is by a guy called Ludovico Einaudi.
- Visualisation: sometimes I find visualisation can help prepare myself mentally for a race. If I can focus on key points of the race this helps calm my nerves and allows me to…
