Mastering the Moment: How Athletes Can Manage Performance Anxiety and Stress

High-stakes games. Packed stadiums. Scouts in the stands. It’s no surprise that athletes often experience performance anxiety and stress before big events. While a certain level of arousal can boost performance, too much anxiety can interfere with focus, execution, and confidence. The good news? Stress and anxiety are manageable—and trainable—just like any physical skill. With the right mental performance tools, athletes can take control of their nervous system and show up when it matters most.

In this blog post, we’ll explore effective stress management techniques rooted in sport psychology: deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness. These tools can help athletes shift from tension to control, and from anxiety to confidence.

What Is Performance Anxiety?

Performance anxiety is a form of stress that occurs when an athlete fears failing or underperforming in high-pressure situations. It shows up physically (racing heart, shallow breathing, tight muscles), mentally (negative thoughts, worry), and emotionally (irritability, fear). While it’s normal, unchecked anxiety can lead to decreased performance, avoidance, and burnout.

1. Deep Breathing: Reset Your Nervous System

Why it works: Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system—the body’s “rest and recover” mode—counteracting the fight-or-flight response triggered by stress.

How to use it:

Try the Box Breathing Method: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4.
Use it pre-game, in between plays, or during timeouts.
Pair breathing with cue words like “calm,” “reset,” or “breathe.”

Pro Tip: Practice deep breathing during training to make it second nature on game day.

2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR): Release Tension

Why it works: PMR helps athletes become more aware of physical tension and learn how to release it systematically, improving mind-body awareness and control.

How to use it:

Start from your feet and work up to your head.
Tense each muscle group for 5–7 seconds, then slowly release for 10–15 seconds.
Focus on the feeling of relaxation in each area before moving to the next.

When to use it: PMR is great as part of a pre-competition routine or nightly wind-down for recovery.

3. Mindfulness: Stay in the Present Moment

Why it works: Mindfulness trains attention. It reduces overthinking about future outcomes or past mistakes—common triggers for performance anxiety.

How to use it:

Try a 5-minute guided meditation or body scan.
Focus on your breath or bodily sensations during warm-ups.
Redirect your thoughts back to the present when distractions creep in.

Sport Psychology Insight: Research shows that mindfulness can improve focus, emotional regulation, and resilience under pressure (Baltzell & Summers, 2018).

Building a Personal Stress Management Routine

Just like any skill, mental tools require repetition and consistency. Here’s a sample pre-performance routine integrating all three techniques:

5 minutes of deep breathing – calm your body and center your mind.
10-minute PMR – release any tension from travel, school, or warm-up.
2-minute mindfulness check-in – anchor your focus in the moment.

Test and tailor it over time to find what works best for you.

Final Thoughts

Performance anxiety is not a weakness—it’s a signal. A signal that what you’re about to do matters. The key is learning to work with your stress rather than against it. Through deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness, athletes can build the capacity to stay grounded, focused, and ready for high-pressure moments.

When you control your mind, you control the moment.

Want to Train These Skills?
Consider working with a mental performance coach or sport psychology consultant to develop personalized techniques and routines.
References
Baltzell, A., & Summers, J. (2018). Mindfulness and Performance. Cambridge University Press.
Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2019). Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology (7th ed.). Human Kinetics.

ULTIMATE MENTAL PERFORMANCE