Feeling anxious before a competition is totally normal, in fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t experience some anxiety before they compete. Believe it or not, getting nervous ahead of a competition is actually a good thing! It’s a sign that you care about your performance, which keeps us motivated to strive for our best.
However, sometimes those butterflies can get out of hand and meddle with your performance. Fixating on your nerves can negatively impact your mindset and stop you from achieving your goals. A few tricks in your pocket to keep those nerves at bay is the secret formula to feel cool, calm, and collected at competitions.
Why do we get nervous before a competition?
Pre-competition nerves are an extension of the fight or flight response, in reaction to a perceived threat, in this case, the competition. Whilst this evolutionary response was effective in keeping our ancestors alive in life-threatening situations, it can become a bit of a nuisance in the run-up to a competition.
The fight or flight response is designed to prepare the body to either face the threat or get ready to run away from it. To do so, it triggers the release of adrenaline. It’s the physiological effect of this hormone that causes the physical response attributed to nerves. Now, we don’t want to get rid of this response altogether, as it helps our bodies prepare for the challenge and hone our focus. But when this heightened state of preparation goes into overdrive, it can cause a negative physical and emotional experience that prevents us from doing our best and, most importantly, enjoying it!
If you experience nerves before a competition, you might be familiar with nausea, increased heart rate, or sweating, alongside the negative voice in your head telling you all the ways it might not go to plan…
“What if I forget my test?”
“What if they spook at that jump?”
“What if I fall off?”
“What if I get eliminated?”
When we place ourselves in unknown situations, it opens the door for the negative self-critic to start telling us all the things that could go wrong. The more you tune in, the worse your nerves will become. Having a few handy tools up your sleeve to turn the volume down and stop the nerves from getting in the way can make competing at horse shows a much more enjoyable and successful experience.
Be prepared
When it comes to preparing for a competition, there are a hundred things to remember and a lot of things to organise. When one of these goes awry, it can significantly add to the stress of what should be a fun experience. When your pre-competition nerves are already on the up, a minor mess-up can send your anxiety into overdrive.
As every equestrian will know, there are a lot of variables that we simply can’t control, no matter how hard we try! But making sure that you’ve planned for all eventualities within your power can help to alleviate some anxiety. Ensure that you’ve planned your route in advance and leave early to allow for traffic, triple check you’ve got all your kit, and allow time for poo stains or rubbed plaits in the morning.
You don’t want anything clouding your focus and minor inconveniences can have a big impact on your nerves and performance. So, by making sure you’ve done everything in your ability for the day to run smoothly, you’ll be able to put all your energy into doing your best.
Get a good night’s sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep before a competition is the not-so-secret way to improve performance and reduce the impact of anxiety. Sleep is essential for athletes and non-athletes, but for equestrian athletes in particular, missing out on sufficient sleep can have a significant impact on performance and leaves the mindset vulnerable to negative thoughts.
A lack of sleep can impact our ability to make decisions quickly and accurately. When working with horses, a fast reaction time is pivotal for a safe and successful ride, but without enough sleep, our capacity to react quickly can be adversely affected. But most importantly, a good night’s sleep will boost your mindset, keep you alert, and help you to remain resilient if things go pear-shaped. Waking up on the day of a competition knowing you’re well-rested will set you up with a positive mindset for a great day ahead.
Don’t beat yourself up
Everyone gets nervous before a competition, even the professionals. It’s totally natural and just a side effect of caring about what you do! Instead of fixating on your nerves and worrying about trying to get rid of them (hint: you can’t!), accepting what you’re feeling can help you to move past it and get on with the job. Trying to suppress or deny those uncomfortable emotions can take up much-needed energy, which is better directed at the challenge ahead of you. Just because you’re feeling anxious, it doesn’t have to influence your actions. Instead, acknowledge your nerves and then put them away. You can still be just as effective with your nerves once you stop letting them get in the way of your performance.
Practice some coping techniques
Stopping your nerves from taking over and hindering your performance sounds like it’s easier said than done. But with a few techniques to manage your anxiety, nerves need no longer be a limiting factor. When you start to feel the butterflies escalate and stop you from feeling positive about the day ahead, try a few of these exercises to keep you calm and focused. Remember, this should be fun so don’t let some pesky nerves spoil your enjoyment and hard work!
- Make friends with your nerves
You may not be able to control what makes you nervous, but you CAN control how you respond. The next time you start to get anxious, take a moment to check in with your body- Do you feel nauseous? Do you feel a sense of dread? Understanding how your body reacts to stress is the first step toward managing it. Once you know how nerves make you feel, you can acknowledge that they’re there without influencing how you behave. Recognise that nerves are there, even say hello to them if it helps. If you see them as something insignificant tagging along for the ride, they seem much less intimidating. They can’t interfere if you don’t let them!
- Breathwork
Breathing techniques are a tried and tested way to keep yourself calm and focus your mind. When you start to feel the nervousness bubbling under the surface, take a deep breath in for four seconds. Once you’ve inhaled for the count of four, hold your breath for four seconds and then slowly exhale to the count of four. Do this a few times and you should feel your body relax and your mind clear.
- Grounding
If the anxiety is still mounting, anchoring yourself in the present is a vital trick you should know how to do. The 3-3-3 rule for anxiety is a great way to check in with your body and ground yourself. Start by naming three things you can see, followed by three things you can hear, and lastly, three things you can touch. This works to get your attention back on your physical surroundings and reconnect with reality.
The truth is, everyone gets nervous, even the pros! But the key to a cool, calm, and collected mindset before a competition all comes down to accepting our emotions and carrying on anyway. Try as you might, they’re not going away and you’re wasting precious energy trying. So, with a new mindset and a few coping mechanisms, you’ll realise they aren’t that bad after all, they’re just a sign that you love what you’re doing.
If you need some help with your equestrian mindset, confidence, or performance then make sure you get in touch and we can create a tailored plan to help you feel and perform at your best!