Managing anxiety at competitions

Feeling nervous before a performance, such as a competition, is something many riders experience. We often feel nerves or a rush of anxiety because something matters to us and we want to do well. A little tension and nervousness can actually help you perform better, but when it becomes too much, the anxiety can grow so strong that you forget the course, tense up and lose track of how you normally ride at home. This happens because the brain believes you are under threat when the nerves become really strong. The blood drains away from the brain and goes to the large muscle groups so that you are ready to flee. It can feel very silly, but our brain works the same way it did several thousand years ago, as though you were being chased by a lion 🦁 even though that is not the case at all when you are at a competition!

In this state you therefore have, for entirely understandable reasons, poorer access to your brain than usual. Many people find they can break out of it by doing breathing exercises, for example, or by tensing and relaxing different parts of the body. This helps the brain understand that it is not a threatening situation, so that you can focus more easily 😊

Good luck!