7 Ways To Combat Grading &
Tournament Nerves
By JDKJ Martin Ducker
If you’re one of
those martial art students who often experiences nervousness and anxiety before
any major event, then you are not alone. For many years I personally suffered
with the same problem. Over time I discovered that there were certain things
that I could do, which would help me overcome those anxious feelings.
Please have a look at
seven of my tried and tested ways below, which helped me to combat my nerves before
actually stepping out onto the mat. Some of these basic methods can work
instantly, while others need a little bit more time and attention.
1.
Correct nutrition. Calm nerves and reduced stress
levels are all closely connected with a healthy balanced diet. Nutrition is
absolutely fundamental for key performance. A poor diet can often result in
increased anxiety and added stress levels, whilst a good diet can increases
powers of concentration, focus and memory.
2.
Take time to prepare. This is an obvious one, right.
Many people overlook the importance of careful and well-organized preparation.
Remember the old saying - If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. If you’re well
prepared and have taken the time to study and practice hard, the chances are
you’ll be feeling a lot less nervous.
3.
Stretch and relax. Many studies have shown that
stretching can actually reduce the feeling of tenseness and apprehension. So if
you’re experiencing an attack of ‘nerves’ before a tournament etc – warm up and
stretch out, it will make you feel a lot calmer.
4.
Deep breathing. Correct breathing and
stretching techniques go hand-in-hand. Worrying about things often creates strain
and tension, which will also have a detrimental effect on your overall performance.
If you’re feeling the pressure, try taking several slow deep breathes, or
perform Ki Cho Jah Ki several times to help regulate your energy.
5.
Positive self-talk. Replacing any negative
thoughts with positive ones. You can do this by turning your attention inward.
Through internal self-dialogue, try directing your attention on constructive, helpful
thoughts rather than critical destructive thinking patterns. With a little bit
of practice it will certainly make a difference in your overall performance.
6.
Good posture. Having great posture is
essential in our martial art training; it can also help to reduce anxiety as
well. Poor posture and incorrect
breathing again contributes to more tension. Good posture often reflects a good self-image. A recent study shows that ‘sitting-up-straight,’
just like your teacher used to tell you to do, also gives you more confidence, which
should ultimately lead to better results.
7. Putting
things into perspective. It’s
often been said that the definition of ‘stress is… giving something more
attention than it truly deserves. Most of us want to do well at specific
events, but it’s important to remember, there are a lot of more important things
in life to be concerned about. My
final words are… to be kind to yourself, be patient and just do the very best
that you can.
