Keeping Cool When the Pressure Is On

Have you ever watched the Olympics on television and wondered how the athletes can be so calm under pressure? With millions of people watching, the Olympic stars seem so nervous-free and relaxed. How can this be? How can these athletes compete anxiety-free under such pressure-filled conditions? Well let me tell you a little secret…they don't.

If you could come back stage with me at the Olympic Games you would see some very, very nervous athletes. Pacing back and forth; people looking very tense and uptight; smiling but with clenched teeth; constantly going to the rest room. The tension so intense, you can almost feel it.

The truth of the matter is that elite athletes do in fact get nervous before they compete. They react to stressful situations just like you and me. In fact, I don't know any of my world class wrestlers that don't get a little nervous before wrestling. All the great ones do.

The big difference is, they know how to manage their nervousness. They know how to control their emotions. They have learned to stay cool and focussed under these pressure situations. They don't panic when they get nervous, and they use specific strategies, that they have practiced, to help them cope with the anxiety. Despite the pressure they are under, they can still achieve at the highest level. They know how to keep cool.

By learning how to "keep cool" you can be calm and look confident when performing; handle stressful situations in a productive and professional way; and perform at your best, even when the pressure is great! Gold medals are not won by chance. Gold medals are won by athletes that are fully prepared for the pressures they encounter. In fact, many successful athletes will use their nervousness to help push their performance to even greater heights.

This reminds me of a situation in my wrestling career. Back in 1984 at the U.S. Final Olympic Trials in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I was in one of the most stressful predicaments of my entire wrestling career. In this the final leg of the Olympic Trials procedure I had beaten Mark Johnson two matches in a row the day before. This advanced me to the final series of matches against my long time nemesis, Mike Houck of Minnesota.

In the first of the "two out of three" match series, that morning, I defeated Mike in a close 2-0 match. The second match took place that afternoon where Mike beat me 3-0. The third and final rubber match was scheduled to take place in one hour from my 3-0 loss. Here I was just 60 short minutes away from having to wrestle the biggest match of my entire life. This was it! My whole career hinged on this final deciding match against my fiercest American opponent. Was I going to make the 1984 Olympic team or not?

I remember feeling extremely down after my loss. I was very nervous. The anxiety was so great I could barely keep from crying. I remember feeling very sorry for myself. I was confused and tense. I felt very drained and weak. And now…the minutes were flying by. Just 30 minutes from the start of my final bout with Mike.

The moment of truth was upon me! What was I going to do? I had to get hold of myself. I had to get my mind ready for battle. It was now or never!

I remember going over to Joe Wells, who was one of my coaches at the University of Michigan at the time. Joe Wells is a great coach and is currently the head coach for Oregon State University. Right away he saw my state of mind. Right away he gave me some great words of advice and encouragement. He helped me to relax telling me that I just needed to forget the last match and look at this next bout as a brand new one. He helped me to rationalize and focus on the task at hand. Then he somehow managed to make me smile and all of a sudden I was back focussed and on track.

The match began and in just a short time I found myself behind 3-0 after Mike scored on me from the parterre position. I knew it was coming but I just could not stop it. Now I really had nothing to lose. Usually in the many matches that Mike Houck and I wrestled, the person who scored first most always won. When I got back to my feet I let all anxiety go…figuring I had nothing to lose now.

I went after Mike Houck with all my fury. For the next minute or so we were brawling like two street fighters from the hood. This was it for both of us. Years of preparation. Years of sacrifice. Years of dreaming of that one ultimate experience…making a United States Olympic Wrestling Team.

Then it happened…I pummeled in on Mike and was able to get double underhooks. With just seconds left in the first period I locked my arms around his upper torso, faked one way and threw Mike laterally the other way. This throw put Mike on his back and scored me three points in the mean time.

Now the score was 3-3 but because I scored a three-point throw and Mike scored a two point and 1 point maneuver, I would win the tiebreaker if it ended up that way. The next three-minute period was yet to take place though.

At the one-minute break, in between periods, I remember using all my experience in staying focussed and controlling my emotions. I knew I had to keep up the intensity and concentrate on what I had to do to win the match. Any lack of focus or breakdown in my "keeping cool" would be sure disaster for me.

This is where years of training and practice came into play. I did in fact manage my mental and emotional state and proceeded to wrestle the last three minutes of this life-altering match wonderfully. The match ended up 3 - 3 which meant I won the tiebreaker. I did it! I was on the Olympic Team. I was going to Los Angles to wrestle in the event of my life.

Staying calm in pressure situations is one of the keys to keeping focussed on your wrestling tactics and strategies. Keeping cool and concentrating on the competition at hand is vital in performing at your best. I have wrote about this a lot over the years. It is called your "Ideal Competitive State". The mental, physical and emotional state of being that allows for you to wrestle at your best potential.

There are things you can do to practice "keeping cool".

First… realize that it is OK to be nervous. We all have experienced match anxiety and nervousness at one time or another. Especially in the individual sport of wrestling where it is so "hand to hand" and "one on one". Sensations of freezing or where your mind races are common. You may feel out of control or tend to make bad choices. You may rush things or have feelings of negativity.

If you care about your performance, it is natural to worry. Knowing that being nervous is normal and common allows you to approach this in a matter of fact way. If you know that many great athletes tend to get nervous before a big event now you can manage these feelings with confidence.

Getting a little nervous can actually help your performance. Why do you think there are so many records set at World or Olympic events? It is because athletes will use their nerves to push themselves to excellent performances. The nervousness your body experiences before the big event is a way of preparing yourself for the battle.

Secondly… learn to relax your mind and body. There are many exercises and activities that one can do to help relax. Deep breathing exercises, muscle relaxation techniques, centering, visualization, and using affirmations are all ways to help one relax and keep cool.

Finally…The main secret in learning to deal with nervousness is to expect it. Remind yourself that it is not only a normal thing but a good thing as well. With practice you can learn to make nervousness help you perform even better. It can help you concentrate more sharply, it can make you react faster, and it can give you more energy when you need it.

So just like practicing a wrestling technique, practice dealing with nervousness in a positive way. Everyone has the "butterflies" from time to time…the trick is to get those "butterflies" to fly in formation.

As always "Expect to Win with Relentless Intensity"