Competitive anxiety s. rehan

COMPETITIVE ANXIETYCOMPETITIVE ANXIETY

Competitive AnxietyCompetitive Anxiety

Competition can cause athletes to react Competition can cause athletes to react both physically and mentally in a manner both physically and mentally in a manner which can negatively affect their which can negatively affect their performance abilities. Stress, arousal and performance abilities. Stress, arousal and anxiety are terms used to describe this anxiety are terms used to describe this condition.condition.

Causes of Anxiety.Causes of Anxiety.

Coach Expectation.Coach Expectation.

Captain’s Demands.Captain’s Demands.

Team Member’s Coordination.Team Member’s Coordination.

Facility / competition Standard. Facility / competition Standard.

Information overload Information overload

Symptoms of Anxiety:Symptoms of Anxiety:

Anxiety can be recognized on three levelsAnxiety can be recognized on three levels

Cognitive - by particular thought process Cognitive - by particular thought process

Somatic - by physical response Somatic - by physical response

Behavioral - by patterns of behaviorBehavioral - by patterns of behavior

CognitiveCognitive

Indecision Indecision Sense of confusionSense of confusion

Feeling heavyFeeling heavy Negative thoughtsNegative thoughts

Poor concentration Poor concentration IrritabilityIrritability

Loss of confidence Loss of confidence Images of failureImages of failure

Feeling rushedFeeling rushed Feeling weakFeeling weak

SomaticSomatic

Increased blood pressureIncreased blood pressure Pounding heartPounding heartIncreased respiration rateIncreased respiration rate SweatingSweatingClammy hands and feetClammy hands and feet Butterflies in the stomachButterflies in the stomach Adrenaline surgeAdrenaline surge Dry mouthDry mouthNeed to urinateNeed to urinate Muscular tensionMuscular tensionTightness in neck and shoulderTightness in neck and shoulder TremblingTrembling Incessant talkingIncessant talking BlushingBlushingPacing up and down Pacing up and down Distorted visionDistorted visionTwitching Twitching Yawning YawningVoice distortionVoice distortion Nausea Nausea

BehavioralBehavioral

Biting fingernailsBiting fingernailsLethargic movementLethargic movementInhibited postureInhibited posturePlaying safePlaying safeIntroversionIntroversionFidgeting Fidgeting AvoidanceAvoidance of eye contactof eye contactCovering face with handCovering face with hand

SCAT

Sports Competition Anxiety Test.

Assessing your anxiety.

RelaxationRelaxationThe five breath technique:The five breath technique:

Take a deep breath and allow your face and neck to Take a deep breath and allow your face and neck to relax as you breathe out relax as you breathe out Take a second deep breath and allow your shoulders Take a second deep breath and allow your shoulders and arms to relax as you breathe out and arms to relax as you breathe out Take a third deep breath and allow your chest, stomach Take a third deep breath and allow your chest, stomach and back to relax as you breathe out and back to relax as you breathe out Take a fourth deep breath and allow your legs and feet Take a fourth deep breath and allow your legs and feet to relax as you breathe out to relax as you breathe out Take a fifth deep breath and allow your whole body to Take a fifth deep breath and allow your whole body to relax as you breathe out relax as you breathe out Continue to breathe deeply for as long as you need to, Continue to breathe deeply for as long as you need to, and each time you breathe out say the word 'relax' in and each time you breathe out say the word 'relax' in your mind's ear your mind's ear

Meditation for Relaxation:Meditation for Relaxation:“A”“A”

Sit in a comfortable position and adopt a relaxed Sit in a comfortable position and adopt a relaxed posture posture Pick a short focus word that has significant meaning Pick a short focus word that has significant meaning for you and that you associate with relaxation ( relax, for you and that you associate with relaxation ( relax, smooth, calm, easy, float,) smooth, calm, easy, float,) Slowly close your eyes Slowly close your eyes Relax all the muscles in your body Relax all the muscles in your body Breathe smoothly and naturally, repeating the focus Breathe smoothly and naturally, repeating the focus word word Be passive so that if other thoughts enter your mind, Be passive so that if other thoughts enter your mind, dismiss them with, 'Oh well' and calmly return to the dismiss them with, 'Oh well' and calmly return to the focus word - do not concern yourself with how the focus word - do not concern yourself with how the process is going process is going Continue this for 10 to 15 minutes as required. Continue this for 10 to 15 minutes as required.

““B”B”Lie down on your back in a comfortable position and Lie down on your back in a comfortable position and close your eyes close your eyes Relax all your muscles, beginning at your feet and Relax all your muscles, beginning at your feet and progressing to your face progressing to your face Breathe through your nose and become aware of your Breathe through your nose and become aware of your breathing. As you breathe out, say the word "won" breathing. As you breathe out, say the word "won" silently to yourself. For example, breathe in . . . out, silently to yourself. For example, breathe in . . . out, "won"; in . . . out, "won"; and so on. Continue for 20 "won"; in . . . out, "won"; and so on. Continue for 20 minutes. You may open your eyes to check the time, but minutes. You may open your eyes to check the time, but do not use an alarm. When you finish, lie quietly for do not use an alarm. When you finish, lie quietly for several minutes at first with closed eyes and later with several minutes at first with closed eyes and later with opened eyes.opened eyes.

How can we control Anxiety?How can we control Anxiety?

The 4C's:The 4C's:

Concentration: Concentration: ability to maintain focus.ability to maintain focus.

Confidence: Confidence: believe in one's abilities.believe in one's abilities.

Control: Control: maintain emotional control.maintain emotional control.

Commitment: Commitment: continue working to agreed continue working to agreed goals goals..

Concentration:Concentration:

This is the mental quality to focus on the task in This is the mental quality to focus on the task in hand. If the athlete lacks concentration then their hand. If the athlete lacks concentration then their athletic abilities will not be effectively or athletic abilities will not be effectively or efficiently applied to the task. Research has efficiently applied to the task. Research has identified the following types of attention focus:identified the following types of attention focus:

Broad Narrow continuum - the athlete focuses Broad Narrow continuum - the athlete focuses on a large or small number of stimuli on a large or small number of stimuli

Internal External continuum - the athlete focuses Internal External continuum - the athlete focuses on internal stimuli (feelings) or external stimuli on internal stimuli (feelings) or external stimuli (ball)(ball)

The demand for concentration The demand for concentration varies with the sportvaries with the sport::

Sustained concentration:Sustained concentration:

distance running, cycling, tennis, distance running, cycling, tennis, squashsquash

Short bursts of concentration: Short bursts of concentration:

cricket, golf, shooting, athletic field cricket, golf, shooting, athletic field eventsevents

Intense concentration: Intense concentration:

sprinting eventssprinting events

Confidence:Confidence:

Confidence results from the comparison an athlete Confidence results from the comparison an athlete makes between the goal and their ability. The athlete will makes between the goal and their ability. The athlete will have self confidence if they believe they can achieve have self confidence if they believe they can achieve their goal. (You only achieve what you believe).their goal. (You only achieve what you believe).When an athlete has self confidence they will tend to: When an athlete has self confidence they will tend to: persevere even when things are not going to plan, show persevere even when things are not going to plan, show enthusiasm, be positive in their approach and take their enthusiasm, be positive in their approach and take their share of the responsibility in success and fail.share of the responsibility in success and fail.To improve their self confidence.To improve their self confidence.visualize previous good performance to remind them of visualize previous good performance to remind them of the look and feel the look and feel

Self ConfidenceSelf Confidence

ThoughtsThoughts - - positive thoughts of successpositive thoughts of success

FeelingsFeelings - - excited, anticipation, calm, excited, anticipation, calm, elation, elation, prepared prepared

Focus Focus - - on self, on the taskon self, on the task

BehaviorBehavior - - give maximum effort and give maximum effort and commitment, commitment, willing to take willing to take chances, positive reaction chances, positive reaction to set to set backs, open to learning, take backs, open to learning, take

responsibility for outcomes responsibility for outcomes

Control:Control:

Identifying when an athlete feels a Identifying when an athlete feels a particular emotion and understanding the particular emotion and understanding the reason for the feelings is an important reason for the feelings is an important stage of helping an athlete gain emotional stage of helping an athlete gain emotional control. An athlete's ability to maintain control. An athlete's ability to maintain control of their emotions in the face of control of their emotions in the face of adversity and remain positive is essential adversity and remain positive is essential to successful performance. to successful performance.

Commitment:Commitment:

Sports performance depends on the Sports performance depends on the athlete being fully committed to numerous athlete being fully committed to numerous goals over many years. In competition with goals over many years. In competition with these goals the athlete will have many these goals the athlete will have many aspects of daily life to manage. The many aspects of daily life to manage. The many competing interests and commitments competing interests and commitments include work, studies, family/partner, include work, studies, family/partner, friends, social life and other hobbies/sportsfriends, social life and other hobbies/sports

Within the athlete's sport, Within the athlete's sport, commitment can be commitment can be

undermined by:undermined by:A perceived lack of progress or improvement A perceived lack of progress or improvement Not being sufficiently involved in developing the Not being sufficiently involved in developing the training program training program Not understanding the objectives of the training Not understanding the objectives of the training program program Injury Injury Lack of enjoyment Lack of enjoyment Anxiety about performance - competition Anxiety about performance - competition Becoming bored Becoming bored Coach athlete not working as a team Coach athlete not working as a team Lack of commitment by other athletesLack of commitment by other athletes

THANK YOUTHANK YOU

PRESENTED BYPRESENTED BY::

SYED REHAN UDDINSYED REHAN UDDINPhysical Education DepartmentPhysical Education Department