Energy Management Workshop

LOWER ANXIETY BEFORE COMPETITION

Competitions differ from practice primarily because athletes get more nervous.

You want you energy level not to be too high or too low.

Anything you want to accomplish in life will take energy. –Tony Robbins

Inverted U Theory of Anxiety

Arousal will steadily improve your performance until a certain point. Your performance will then just as steadily decline with more anxiety. Draw an upside down U for a visual.

Deep Breathing-

The Antidote for stress and anxiety
- Essential for both physical and mental health
- #1 way to increase your energy
- decreases depression, irritability, muscle tension, and fatigue

When an insufficient amount of fresh air reaches your lungs, your blood isn’t properly purified or oxygenated. Waste products that should have been removed are kept in circulation, slowly poisoning your system. Lack of oxygen and waste products cause poorer complexion, undernourished and deteriorating organs and tissue, anxiety states, depression, fatigue.

Breathing: Separate yourself from everyone else around you
Start in a comfortable position (off your feet)
In Nose, Out Mouth
Abdominal breathing (not chest)
Long, slow, deep breaths
Focus entirely on your breath (nothing else in the world exists)

Practice- 10 minutes 2x a day
OR
10 deep breaths 3x a day
(practice especially when you feel tense or anxious)
Remember- If you don’t practice it on your own, you will not be able to do it as effectively when under stress. In times of peace, prepare for war.

Exercise 1:
List 3 things drain you (physically, emotionally, or mentally) in practice.
List 3 things that charge you in practice.
List 3 things that drain you in competition.
List 3 things that charge you in competition.

Can you control any of these things? Add as many charges, eliminate as many drains.

Exercise 2:
Remember a performance you were too energized. Describe in detail how you felt.
-Under energized.
-Just right. (That’s the place we want you to get back to)

To increase energy- Use energizing music.
-Have a high energy cue or trigger

To lower your energy or anxiety (much more common for competitions)
Centering (Taken from Aikido)
To go from left brain (thinking) to right brain (feeling)

Proven successful with high stress groups like the SWAT team, Green Berets, Athletes

Learn proper deep breathing first

1st realize that it is effortless to relax. It takes no energy or effort.

Step 1: State your intent.
I’m going to_____
Never use don’t. always frame positively.

Step 2: Pick a focal point
Below eye level, some distance away
Where you will release

Step3: Deep Breathing
Done until that’s your only focus.
Step 4: Release tension
While deep breathing, scan your body for tension top to bottom. Check one area per inhale. On exhale shake it loose and relax that area. Neck, shoulders, arms, midsection, legs.

Step 5: Find your Center of Gravity.
About 2 inches below your navel and 2 inches below the surface
Your Center helps you feel rooted, grounded, stabilized, and in control of your energy.
Take 5 breaths once there.

Step 6: Process Cue of Confidence

Step 7: Release tension at your focal point.
Pull all tension and anxiety from your body to your center.
Bring it straight up your body to your eyes
Shoot it out of your eyes onto your focal point
At this point you release and let it all go and trust your instincts.