The Three Basic Methods For Athletes to Manage Pressure
When athletes are under pressure, they will either rise to the occasion or fall flat. Just like the saying goes, pressure either burst pipes or makes diamonds. Therefore, the outcome of a pressure situation is largely dependent on how one is conditioned by parents and coaches to cope.
With that said, there are three basic methods for coping with pressure.
1.Manage The Problem Causing the Pressure
This method is all about managing what you can control, and learning not to dwell on the things you can’t control. Techniques to manage what you can control include task management, time management, and goal setting. These techniques are generally only effective when an athlete knows in advance a pressure situation is forthcoming.
2. Manage The Emotions The Pressure is Causing
Learning to manage emotions is critical for dealing with unexpected pressure. In these situations, you must have prior practice with specific techniques before they are useful in live situations. Examples of these techniques include meditation, mindfulness, prayer, deep breathing, and visualization.
3. Avoid Dealing With the Pressure
This last method for dealing with pressure is to simply avoid dealing with the pressure and hope the feeling of pressure just goes away over time. This is either done by blocking out the thing that’s causing the pressure or physically removing oneself from the environment causing the pressure. In order for this to work, the athlete must know the specific source for the pressure.
However, this technique is usually just a band-aid and is only temporary at best. For example, if it’s a person causing the pressure, asking that person to leave or avoiding that person may work for a short amount of time. If it’s an event, distracting oneself from thinking about the event could be an effective course of action until that distraction ends. In both of these situations, eventually the athlete will have to deal with this pressure after avoidance is exhausted. Therefore, this option should be a last resort.