Mental self-regulation

Self-regulation brings together techniques that act on three channels: the physical (breathing, muscles), the emotional (feelings) and the cognitive (thoughts, images, the way you talk to yourself). The athlete learns not to suppress their state but to change it consciously — lowering arousal before the start or, conversely, mobilizing. It is a trainable skill, not an innate gift. It covers breathing techniques, relaxation, ideomotor work and autosuggestion.

Well-developed self-regulation means an athlete can pull themselves together at the decisive moment and doesn't burn out on nerves beforehand. A shortfall in it shows when you can't get yourself together at competitions or when pre-start anxiety takes over. The skill is most visible in the pauses: how an athlete recovers after a mistake, between attempts, at the interval.

Questionnaires in the tests section measure your baseline levels of anxiety, self-control and sustained attention. They give you a starting point: which channel of regulation is weakest. Retaking a test after months of practice shows how much more control over your state you have gained.

Start with the physical channel — breathing and muscle relaxation — since they give the fastest and most reliable response. Then add work with imagery and autosuggestion formulas. Systematic self-regulation programmes are gathered in the exercises section.

Self-regulation rests on breathing techniques and psyching up and calming down, and leads to an optimal performance state. It helps when you can't get yourself together and with pre-start anxiety. A sport psychologist can build a system that fits you.