Nerves and self confidence

[emma.g]

Does anyone have any way of keeping their nerves under control and their adrenaline levels up? I have a real problem with nerves and it usually makes or breaks a race for me. Please help!!!!!!! :( :confused: :)

[ktcute]

I've just been reading an article in this months runner's world on "mental skills".

They suggest things like meditation, though maybe thats not so useful for age group swimmers!!! ;)

Some useful suggestions seem to be, focus on what you have to do, rather than the fact you are in a competition. Concentrate on yourself, and don't worry about other people around you. Simple relaxation like deep breathing exercises may well work to help keep the anxiety levels down.

Positive thinking is a really important part of the equation. Almost without exception I have only ever been successful at what I've been doing when I have been in a positive frame of mind. Believe in yourself, and believe that what you are about to do will be worthwhile whatever the outcome. All experiences are learning experiences... you can learn to do better. Most of all I think you need to believe that you can.

Self confidence is linked to self esteem, and if you are having a hard time valuing yourself, your self confidence will surely suffer. Don't be too hard on yourself, allow yourself room for your performances to go up and down, they will, everyones do. If you know you tend to be hard on yourself, then looking at other ways to help raise your self esteem will undoubtedly help.

Remember you are a worthwhile person even if the messages you are getting seem to tell you otherwise at times.

[Katie]

I get really nervous, sometimes in a good way but sometimes too nervous! I know what u mean Emma, sometime it can worry you too much before a race

[Pete]

Mental Skills for Competitive Swimmers by John M Hogg has some great ideas which might help. I got a copy from Amazon.

When preparing for an important swim you need to find a routine. One which will help you focus and keep you calm. Cut yourself off from other things around you; listening to music up until a key time is good for this. Then it is off with the track suit and into your race. Try finding a routine at less important meets and measure from it your success.

[emma.g]

Thanx for the advice guys, ill try it out next time! My coach says 'put the butterflies in formation to help you'. i find it hard to do that! I think i suffer more than most people and i definately put A LOT of pressure on myself to do well. But then if I don't, its more disappointing

[swimmer]

im with u emma.g i get WAYYYYY too nervous before a race, and i can't help it, it helps though if im the 1st event after warm up becuase then i have less time to get nervous. i try to relax, deep breathing and forget im there and it works sometimes. i get WAY more nervous before my big races, and for a few years i got way wya tooooo nervous and it REALLY affected my racing, but the last year i have gotten it more undfer control, although it did come back a few weekd ago. i just try and think about my siwm and technique, not about the result

[mammamedley]

I have had problems with nerves - as a child and adult - at one time or another.
Most of the time I am so scared of failure and I am nervous of the pain I will feel.
Now I try to look at each swim and tackle different goals on each - could be the start, turn, technique etc. I have taught myself that its good to be nervous and told myself that i need to be nervous to produce good results.
I love that saying - 'put the butterflies in formation' - gonna use it! I can see them now, ready for battle!
For big meets I use mental training - meditation and visulisation - this works for me and I have used it since I was 14 and not just for swimming!! I never meditate or visualise on the day or on poolside - all the preparation is done weeks in advance. My last important race I did this for was sat in the car while I waited for Alan to come out of school. I would use a relaxation technique and then picture what I wanted to happen with as much detail as possible. I never saw faces - people were blank blobs just in case they were swimming slow that day!

[mammamedley]

I was taught this by a doctor we knew years ago.

Do coaches teach the swimmers how to do this now?

[super_fish88]

My coach hasn't taught us anyting about meditation and visulisation. I think it'd be good if she did though, sounds like a good idea :)

[Katie]

I always laugh when we do any meditation, I know it's meant to be really good but all the relaxing to whale music and stuff makes me laugH!!!

[super_fish88]

Lol, good point. I probbaly wouldn't be able to keep a straight face whilst meditating! We tried it in RE once and i got sent out of the classroom for laughing so much!

[mammamedley]

you kids!!! i laughed too in the presence of others

[red dragon]

Visualisation is one of the best ways of overcoming negative emotion. The best way to be motivated for something is to attach it to an emotion - motivation without emotion really amounts to apathy, the problem is when your motivation is attached to a negative emotion.
A typical visualisation you need is to think of a time when you felt really good - shut your eyes and think....don't rush...there's planty to choose from...was it when you got a christmas gift you really wanted...when you passed an exam...fell in love...won a medal. THEN think of the emotion you felt at that time, feel it bodily AND at the same time you have to anchor this to a physical sensation in your body, one that you can repeat subtly.
I'll be more specific, I may think of the time that I passed my driving test, as I think of it I sort of FEEL the rush of adrenalin, pure pride, about to burst with relief, AS I think of this i press my thumbnails firmly into the top fleshy bit of my finger (not enough to hurt) and make it last for 10 seconds. I repeat this daily until eventually just pressing that thumbnail into my finger 'triggers' a good sensation. Now before I do any conference presentations or anything that makes me nervous, you will see me digging thumbnails into fingers.
What i have done is anchored a positive emotion with a physical sensation I can replicate as i need it. Triggering this positive emotion has a motivation effect that is useful at a time when nerves may be an issue
(hope i'm managing to reply to the correct thread - not too good at this system)

[super_fish88]

Wow! That sounds really cool, i think i'll try it sometime tonight. Thanks red dragon!

[red dragon]

be aware it does take some time to build up, doing it once a day for a few weeks, then maybe a bit less often, however you do need to maintain the physical-emotional link by'squeezing the thumb' (or whatever physical sensation you choose) regularly - if you have a praticular event/date in mind it may be worth 'building up' this physical emotiuonal link on a daily basis before the event itself. What your basically doing is triggering yourself to experience an emotional by pressing a physical button that you have 'trained'

[emma.g]

Wow this could be really useful, thanx red dragon

[nsswimmer]

WOW. im going to start tonight!! thanks so much red dragon!! =)

[minifish]

i got nevous on the blocks about 2 months ago what i did is i didn't let my nevers get the better of me and after a while i did notice my nerves
minifish

[super_fish88]

I've been trying the technique red dragon mentioned and i'm not sure if it's all just in my head but it does calm me down befire races!

[ktcute]

its supposed to be all in your head... thats where the problem is ;)

[super_fish88]

What i meant was that it might just be working because i want it to.

[patlamb]

a wise old man once said to me that the key to mental focus on the blocks can be summed up in a simple mantra:

fire in the belly, ice in the mind....

when the desire to perform well (fire) is harnessed to the technical, tactical, and physical back up of preparation (ice) nerves are not an option.

something to repeat to yourself when the butterflies start to flutter their wings.

[Bazza]

I don't swim well when I'm not nervous. If you're not nervous about something, it means you don't care about the outcome. That's my opinion anyway.

[nsswimmer]

nerves = adrenaline = good :D

but too much nerves just wastes your energy shaking and wastes your mind's energy by thinking about nerves instead of your race!

[chlorine_babe]

Loads of deep breathing and try to imagine you are anywhere else besides the pool when your nerves get out of control.

[Pete]

Where is Emma.g? Have you still got my book?