April is Stress Awareness Month.
Most of us are unfortunately very “aware” of our own stress, but how often do we make the time to address it in a healthy way?
Stress is how your brain and body respond to a challenge or demand. Your body may respond in a “fight” or “flight” manner, and these can be physical reactions, mental/emotional reactions, or both. Many people say they take up a martial art to reduce stress. While punching, kicking, and rolling are great for releasing endorphins and relieving stress, even our favorite past time has its moments of being stressful.
We get performance anxiety at belt tests. We give incorrect information when we’re teaching and start questioning our credibility. We flub a move in front of the rest of the class when we’d done it flawlessly many times before. We let our nerves get the best of us in a heated sparring match.
Here are a few tips for keeping your cool in an anxiety-inducing martial arts situation:
Forgive yourself for being human
Humans make mistakes, and humans get nervous and stressed, even black belt instructors or seasoned tournament champs. There. That should be an easy fix.
Focus on the present – one move at a time
While sparring was one of my weaker techniques, it was always the least stressful moment of belt tests because it, more than any other technique, forced me to focus on the immediate present. If I lost my focus for a second, I’d get smacked in the face. You don’t need high stakes for danger in every class or test, because that’s its own kind of stressor, but it’s helpful to narrow your focus to what you are doing one moment at a time. If you’re doing something more methodical like a form, be mindful as you execute each movement. That will help you perform more precisely and resist the temptation to rush.
Try the 3-3-3 Rule
The 3-3-3 Rule is a quick way to help you re-center and focus on the present by engaging your senses. Take a moment to identify three things you see, three things you can hear, and three things you can touch. You could also identify three body parts or three things you are wearing. If it sounds too simple, that’s the point. Sometimes we need to scale back our focus when our thoughts are racing.
Find what excites you
I’ve been doing public speaking as a corporate trainer for over ten years, so I’m familiar with stage fright and performance anxiety. My trick is to think about what excites me about the content I’m presenting. My workshops were not about how smart I am or what I have to “prove” to my audience; instead, I see myself as a mere messenger with awesome, helpful information to share with a room full of amazing people.
If you’re nervous at a test or tournament, identify one thing that is positive and motivating. Focus on that aspect during your performance or competition. Remind yourself of it multiple times if you need to.
Recognize you are your harshest critic
Even in those moments where everyone is looking at you, no one is scrutinizing yourself harder than you are. They’re all thinking about what they’re going to do when it’s their turn or what they’re going to eat for dinner or what they’re going to do tomorrow.
Remember why you started
Other than a select few with sponsorships or scholarships, we’re not being paid to be martial artists. We likely chose our martial art because we wanted to do something fun and interesting. Sometimes all you need is that quick reminder that while this may be a huge part of your life, it’s still a hobby, and hobbies are meant to be fun and stress-relieving, not stress-inducing. Taking a break is okay if it doesn’t feel fun anymore. Martial arts will always be waiting for you when you’re ready to have fun again.
Melanie has worked in the healthcare industry since 2004 and lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
- Spotlight on Men’s Mental Health - July 2, 2023
- Building Resilience When You’re Feeling Stressed - March 29, 2023
- Seeking Authenticity? Look to Martial Arts - February 9, 2023
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