The mental pressures come pouring out – performance expectation both from yourself and others, justification of the effort you’ve put in and the money you’ve invested, self-confidence or the lack of it, facing a higher seed and the list goes on.
“How does your body respond?” (My response – am I part of a podcast episode or a therapy session?)
Perspiration, pounding head and elevated heart rate leading to distraction, loss of focus and ultimately poor execution.
The nods are affirmations that Jon is successfully leading Natalia and Jerome to fully understand how psychological factors elicit a physiological response that in turn potentially lead to sub-optimal performance. Perhaps not rocket science but this neat trick has them on the edge of their seats and fully invested as we begin discussing minimising the detrimental effects of first competition nerves.
First the science – fear, nerves and anxiety are all different and need to be managed as such. Then the plan – pre-empt and manage. Finally the management techniques and measuring their effectiveness.
It’s not one-size-fits all and every archer must refine their approach along the journey.
Whether you’re looking forward to your first competition or you’re a seasoned international – in fact, if you’re ever going to put yourself in any challenging situation – watch the latest episode of the Taking Aim podcast on archery+ to discover modern methods to manage your nerves.
