HOW TO STAY CALM IN A GAME

TBH, the reason I started this blog is because my friend started shaking.

Wait what?? Yes, that's right. She started shaking uncontrollably during a practice session. It started with a shank when she was receiving a serve. (In case you didn't read my bio, I play beach volleyball). Well, it's just one mishit, no big deal right? She could have just let go of that mistake and moved on to the next play. But that was not what happened. The first shank turned into two, then three, then four....and before we knew it, she had lost 11 points in a row. And her face was as pale as death.

After that set, we asked her what happened during that period. She told us that she began shaking profusely, and nothing could stop it. She even said she kept telling herself to 'stay calm', but obviously it didn't work.

I was pondering about her situation. The truth is, sometimes this situation happens to me too, but maybe due to the fact that I had been studying extensively on sports psychology, I knew how to overcome it better. That's when it dawned on me. I should write about it! I could share my opinions and get feedback from athletes and coaches all around the world. I realized that there are probably many many sportspeople who face these difficulties but not knowing how to overcome them. Therefore, I did extensive reading on sports psychology and hope to share the things I've learned here :)

TOP 3 TIPS IN STAYING CALM

1. DO NOT FOCUS ON THINGS THAT ARE OUT OF YOUR CONTROL

Have you ever played a match and thoughts like these began intruding your mind:

• God, I'm hungry. How long more will this match last??
• I wonder if so-and-so came to watch me today? *Then proceeds to search frantically at the audience stands
• Ugh I'm soo tired. I just feel like giving up.
• Shit, that was such a horrible mistake, I must've looked hideous!
• What will coach think of me??
• Oh gosh, I am SUCH a disappointment.
• I'm going to lose.

I could keep going on, but you get the picture. And all these negative thoughts are seriously affecting me.

Let me ask you this, are what other people think of you in your control? Is the outcome of the match in your control? Is the weather in your control? If they are not, why do you spend your energy on those thoughts? You can never ever hope to perform at 100% if half of your mind is not even there. To quote Yogi Berra " Sports is 90% mental, the other half is physical". It doesn't even make sense, but it's so true.

So, only focus on WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL. Which is, how good can you make this play? Take it one play at a time, do your best, and the results will take care of itself!

       2. LEARN TO LET GO OF MISTAKES

Easier said than done. As humans, we tend to live in the past and future, but hardly the present. During a match, being analytical can really harm your performance. As said earlier, you can never play to your maximum potential if you are not fully present. Think about it, can anything you think or do change what you have done? Since it can't, your energy shouldn't be spent there, ruminating about your mistakes. Let go and move on. You might be afraid of what people might think of you for making that silly mistake, but honestly, people are too busy caring for their own business to even remember what you did. However, if you start worrying about that mistake and fall into a slump, people will most likely remember that. 

The easiest solution? Consciously tell yourself to put a stop to it. You can say things like "I just made a mistake, and I'm getting anxious. It's okay, BREATHE. I'm pressing the reset button now and deleting that from my mind. I'm am going to take a fresh, confident look at the next play." or something short like "NOW!!!" in fast-paced games.

         3. TRY DEEP BREATHING

Sometimes you get so tensed that you don't even realize that you have forgotten to breathe! Your breaths become short and shallow without you even realizing it. Oxygen is the most important element for our heart and brain to function PROPERLY. Hence, it's called 'choking' when you start slipping and making many mistakes in a row. In actual fact, it is your own thoughts choking yourself. 

"The act of prolonging exhalation, regardless of inhalation length, promotes the relaxation response."

How to do deep breathing?

1. Put your hand on your belly.

2. Breathe in through your nose. As you inhale, feel your stomach RISING.

3. Slowly exhale on a count of 5. As you breathe out, feel your stomach LOWER.

4. Repeat this for at least 3 more times or until you feel more relaxed.

So there you have it! The top three tips in staying calm during a match. Try it out the next time you have a game and let me know in the comments below if they helped!