what can i do to focus on tasks during the stress of competition?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : APA Division 47 Exercise and Sport Psychology : One Thread

I LOVE TO RIDE AND COMPETE HORSES. SHOWS AND COMPETITIONS ARE VERY STRESSFUL SITUATIONS AND DESPITE MY EFFORTS TO RELAX AND JUST TRY TO HAVE FUN, I TEND TO "CHOKE" ONCE I ENTER THE RING. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I HAVE A LOT OF TALENT BUT MY MENTAL GAME IS LACKING SOMETHING : MAYBE FOCUS (IT CERTAINLY ISN'T DETERMINATION OR COMMITMENT) OR MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE. I AM NOT CONSCOUSLY AFRAID OF HORSES OR JUMPING THEM. PLEASE HELP -- IT IS SO FRUSTRATING TO KNOW I CAN DO WELL AND SUCCEED AND THEN TO UNEXPECTEDLY BE HELD BACK BY A LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN MY OWN SKILL OR SOME OTHER

-- thomas brennan (tommyb907@aol.com), November 16, 1999

Answers

Thomas,

What you describe often happens in sport and its not necessarily due to fear - it can of be because you are over aroused - to "hyped up" - this reduces your ability to process information and make decisions - something necessary for jumping I assume. It might also be that you are overthinking if we try and think too much during performance we freeze up, b/c we actually interfere with how we have learnt to perform our sport.

I would recommend you find a good sport psych - depending where you are try the APA Div 47 in the US, and the BPS or APS in britain or australia - also AAASP - these bodies should be able to put you on to someone locally.

good luck adam

-- adam hall (a.hall2@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au), April 13, 2000.


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