How To Overcome Competition Day Nerves: Managing and Mastering Show Day ‘Scaries’
Everyone gets anxious before a competition, even the seasoned pros! Whether you’re competing at a local dressage competition, grassroots eventing, or competing at the top of your sport, nerves are a competition day staple. So, don’t beat yourself up for feeling anxious before a show- it’s a sign that you care about what you’re doing. Those tell-tale pre-competition butterflies are simply a sign that you want it to go well and caring about your performance is what keeps us motivated to put the hard work in at home, even in those cold, dreary winter months.
However, sometimes the nerves can start to get out of hand and actually prevent us from performing at our best. It’s so easy to let those pesky butterflies or nagging ‘what ifs’ get in our heads and stop us from focusing on riding our best.
PolyJumps caught up with a few of our sponsored riders who are well used to handling pre-competition anxiety to get an insight into managing show day nerves. Whilst you’ll never be able to get rid of the ‘show day scaries’ completely, with these tips and tricks you’ll be able to master the butterflies and make sure you’re on your A-game.
ALANA CLARKE
Why do we get nervous before a competition?
Did you know that nerves are an evolutionary survival tactic inherited from our earliest ancestors? Butterflies are actually an extension of the flight or fight response, which is a bodily a reaction to a perceived threat. In the past, this would have been necessary to keep our ancestors alive in life-threatening situations, but for us today it’s simply our bodies response to an anxiety provoking, or unknown situation. Whilst they were necessary for our survival thousands of years ago, they can become a bit of a nuisance in the run up to a competition!
The fight or flight response is designed to prepare our bodies to either face the threat (fight) or get ready to run away from it (flight). To do so, the body releases adrenaline which is what leads to the physical effects of nerves such as butterflies or sweating for example. In small doses, this response can help us prepare for the challenge and get focused, but too much and it starts to get in the way of our performance and stop us from enjoying it.
Having a few helpful tricks to calm your body down and get in the zone is the best way to get the nerves under control and use them to your advantage, rather than letting them run away with you and hinder your riding!
JENNIE SHARPE
How to manage show day ‘scaries’
1. Practice breathing techniques
Utilising breath work is the number one way to get on top of your nerves and start to calm your nervous system down, whatever is triggering your anxiety. By taking deep breaths, another part of your nervous system is activated, called the parasympathetic nervous system. This sends signals to the anxious part of your brain telling it that you’re safe, by flooding the brain with oxygen which allows us to think rationally and reasonably.
- Try breathing in through your nose for the count of 5, holding it for a few seconds, and then releasing the breath slowly from your mouth for the count of 5.
2. Visualisation
When we spoke to our sponsored riders, all of them said that they picture themselves having a successful competition! Seeing yourself in your mind’s eye riding the dressage test or jumping the course can really help your mindset when you actually come to do it.
Our sponsored event rider Tina Wallace says that she visualises the whole cross country course before she gets on. In her head, Tina goes over every fence, visualising her landing, patting her horse and then galloping away to the next fence. By visualising it going well it usually does!
This is a trick you can implement whatever your discipline, picture yourself riding through the dressage test all the way up to the halt and salute or see yourself jumping around the course for a clear round. When it’s time to actually get on, your brain feels like you’ve already done it.
BRIANNA BONADIE
3. Surround yourself with a good team
Having a great group of people around you at a show can really help to boost your mindset and calm your nerves. Whether that’s your trainer giving you last minute tips and encouragement, a helping hand to keep the day running smoothly, or simply a few of your nearest and dearest who really want you to succeed. The right support system will be there to cheer you on and remind you that you’re more than capable of achieving what you’ve set out to do!
Keeping your environment positive at a competition can stop your mind creeping towards the ‘what ifs’ or letting the nerves take over. When the people around you believe in you, it’s much easier to believe in yourself!
4. Practice positive self-talk
Make sure you’re talking to yourself in a positive way. This sounds simple because it is! If you’re reinforcing your nerves by dwelling on what could go wrong or the things that are worrying you, chances are they’ll get in the way of your focus, and you won’t be able to perform at your best!
Instead, focus on your strengths and plan to showcase these at the competition. If there is something that’s making your nervous, like a particular fence on the course for example, reflect on the times you have successfully overcome that obstacle in the past and keep that in the forefront of your mind. Try not to worry about overcoming any weaknesses or problems at the competition, that’s for training at home!
5. Keep to your routine
Have a routine that you follow at every competition to help to keep the nerves at bay and allow you to focus on the challenge. Sponsored dressage rider Lewis Carrier told us that having a plan always helps him feel a lot more relaxed at shows. Whether that’s having the same morning routine the day of a competition, or the particular order that you get things ready before you get in the saddle, creating and sticking to a plan can help you feel more in control. If music helps you to feel empowered and motivated, create a playlist that gets you in the right headspace. We know this works for Lewis, so why not give it a go!
LEWIS CARRIER
And remember, this is supposed to be fun, even if you’re a professional! If your nerves are starting to get out of hand and ruin the enjoyment, then it’s time to implement some changes. Start small with some of these tried and tested techniques to manage your competition day nerves. Make sure to let us know how you get on! Good luck.
If you’re looking for ways to spice up your training at home, make sure to take a look at the PolyJumps jump sets and dressage arenas! With the right equipment to get you started, you’ll be well prepared for your competitions and show day nerves will be a thing of the past!