Overcoming show nerves

TOP TIPS FROM SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY

TEXT: RYAN TEHINI

It has happened to everyone – you have a wonderful week of training, jumping with ease and looking smooth, but when you arrive at the show, you freeze up and perform less well than you should. What is it about the competition arena that causes this? Why do we experience show nerves, and how do we work around them? The answers to these questions are not as simple as they may initially seem; most people will tell you to relax – advice that is not only impossible to act on but bitterly unhelpful in the face of show nerves. The truth is that relaxation is seldom the answer in sports psychology and can even be detrimental. This article aims to provide you with an understanding of show nerves and some practical tips on how to deal with them.

ACCEPT THE NERVES

In psychology, areas of concern are often defined as either abnormal or warranted by their degree of deviation from the norm; for example, an intense fear-based reaction to the presence of a lion is warranted, but intense fear in the face of the colour yellow is abnormal. Based on this, one can see how reactions/psychological experiences can be

justified or deviant, depending on the situation. In keeping with this thought, I pose a question - would it be deviant behaviour to experience heightened nerves in the face of competition? No, it wouldn't be. The stakes are high, the amount of preparation that has gone into it is immense, and the desire to perform is strong in any athlete.

The first key to understanding and combating show nerves is then to accept them as a regular part of competition; any attempt to change these or not experience the anxiety is likely to cause further psychological distress and impair your performance. Once you have accepted show nerves as a part of the process, you can begin taking the necessary steps to limit their impact on your performance.

IDENTIFY THE CAUSE

It seldom occurs (if ever) that a rider is unaware that they are nervous. The most common scenario is that the rider is fully aware of their nerves but simply does not know what to do about them. Seeing as you are almost always aware of the fact you are experiencing nerves, the first step in dealing with show nerves is then to outright identify the cause of the nerves. The cause can vary from person to person and often may not even make sense to you – for example, a lot of riders who compete in the big classes (say 1.50m) experience greater anxiety jumping at a lower height (say 1m) than when they are jumping the larger classes. Whatever the cause, it is important to identify the cause and not dismiss it as unreasonable; more often than not, your concerns are fairly normal, and you are not the first rider to experience them.

Nerves around show days are usually rooted in a fear of making mistakes or generally performing below the standard you know you are capable of. Of course, fear about safety is a common concern for those who have been recently injured or are jumping a new horse, but seeing as this one is slightly less prevalent, the techniques to counter show nerves that follow will focus on performance-based fears around show day.

IDENTIFY THE EFFECT

Once we have accepted the nerves and identified the cause, it is time to take a look at what they do to your ride, which causes a sub-par performance. A typical response to show nerves from the rider is to 'over-ride', so they will get in the arena and overthink themselves into overdrive doing everything more actively than they typically would. Alternatively, a rider may become too nervous to function, and ride timidly, being too cautious about making mistakes or trying anything new. Whatever it is that you do in response to the show nerves, needs to be identified in order to move forward.

ADDRESS THE CONCERN

Identifying the result of the show nerves allows for a targeted psychological response that gives you specific ways to improve your performance, rather than employing generalised psychological techniques. For example, if you find yourself to be an ‘over-rider’ due to competition nerves, you need to train your mindset so you can be more subtle in the ring. This might involve, for example, taking a moment to slow down before you enter the arena and focussing on the whole task at hand, rather than the smaller actions that need to be done in order to address the task. Alternatively, if you find yourself riding timidly as a result of the show nerves, then you must cultivate a mindset of being bold, training yourself to tune out the noise from other people, and learning to accept failure sometimes as a result of being a bit braver. When addressing show nerves, it is important to ensure that you are attempting to overcome the negative results of the show nerves, as opposed to simply trying to stop experiencing the anxiety. This is the simplest and most effective way to ensure that the feelings of nervousness do not negatively impact you.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

Show nerves are a natural part of competition; they play a vital role in sharpening your skills and ensuring that you are alert but can be notably detrimental to your ride. In this regard, when you are struggling with the impact of show nerves on your performance, it is important to address the result of the show nerves rather than to attempt to remove the show nerves altogether. Any attempt to stop experiencing the anxiety will likely result in increased anxiety and further reductions in performance.

OUR EXPERT

Ryan Tehini (BA, BSocSci (Hons) Psych, MA Research Psychology (cum laude)(UP)). For Psychological Skills Training for sports’ competitions, please get in touch with me: ryantehini@gmail.com, or 073 567 7387