Relaxation

The best athletes in sport are often described by analysts or coaches as “staying cool under pressure” or having “ice-water in their veins.” Their success in potentially-stressful situations may lie in their ability to stay relaxed. Even at the amateur and youth levels of sport, we often hear coaches telling athletes to “relax,” but how can you relax in a high-pressure situation if you’ve never practiced it? Here are a couple of breathing techniques that may be able to help you relax while practicing or competing (or even when you’re not participating in sport).

Guidelines for effective, efficient breathing:

o   Inhale through your nose and exhale either through your nose or mouth (whichever is most comfortable for you).

o   Let your belly gently swell out as you inhale. This gives your diaphragm the space to drop and allows your lungs to fill more fully.

o   Imagine your lungs filling up section-by-section, from the bottom through the middle and to the top.

o   When exhaling, let your lungs empty from top to bottom and pull your belly in gently to release any leftover air.

Breathing exercises:

Ø  Rhythmic breathing

o   Inhale as you slowly count to four.

o   Hold your breath as you slowly count to four.

o   Exhale as you slowly count to four.

o   Repeat.

Ø  1:2  ratio breathing

o   Inhale for a four count.

o   Exhale for an eight count.

§  If you run out of air before the eight count is finished, try inhaling more air for the following breath and exhaling slower.

o   Focus on steady airflow, both in and out

o   If this comes easily to you, try increasing your counts to 5:10 or 6:12.

Ø  “Reset” breathing*

o   Deeply inhale and exhale while imagining yourself “hitting the reset button” mentally.

*This may be useful for clearing your mind after making a mistake or during a high-pressure situation. 

Try taking 30-40 deep, deliberate breaths during the day even when you aren’t at practice or competing—you could start practicing this by taking a slow, deep breath before sending every text message during a conversation with a friend. It may be helpful to incorporate your breath into practice routine and skill preparation. With enough repetition, effective breathing will be second nature when you need to perform under pressure.

 

 

*Breathing exercises adapted from Williams, J.M. (2010). Relaxation and energizing techniques for regulation of arousal. In J.M. Williams (Ed.), Applied sport psychology: Personal growth to peak performance (6^th ed., pp. 512-541). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

 

Brian Guerriero

Bowling Green State University