Feelings in competitive sport

[Phil Blackmar]

Well, feels were trashed on the Teaching forum so how about feelings? Vince and Mark-this one actually has science behind it. Some people who read this have shared other studies and published points of view which back these ideas. Can't wait to see some posts....

https://pblackmar.wordpress.com/2020/08 ... and-feels/

[VGB]

I have feelings Phil, I’m not sure about Mark Emotional states play a part in instruction. However, I wouldn’t want to hijack a competition thread but have written a dit on choking before. I’m looking forward to seeing the responses as well.

Regards

Vince

[Paul Arden]

That’s a good read Phil. I can almost relate it more to fishing than casting sport! Certainly it exists in Casting Sport too, but when I relate it to fishing and taking shots, and also clients/friends taking shots, I see just how important emotions are.

When I take a shot, for me what works best, is to care only about the shot and not the outcome. The fish is almost immaterial. It’s the shot that matters. I find if I care too much about the fish then the shot suffers. So I take that out of my head and only care about the shot going in.

I try to have the same feeling in competition. Trying not to care about winning but instead about throwing my best casts. After all, that is the best you can do anyway and if you cast your best, then you can be happy with your performance.

I know quite a few casters who lose a competition before they even arrive. They tell you they are going to fuck up because they always fuck up, and surprise surprise, they do!!

Drawing on previous emotions I think is an excellent piece of advice. Many years ago I used to fish with a friend who was an excellent trout fisherman. He used to say “you make your own luck”. I just wish I could make my own wind. Well actually I can, but not enough and it’s in the wrong direction.

Cheers, Paul

[Stoatstail50]

Well, feels were trashed on the Teaching forum so how about feelings?

I think feelings are hugely influential in both optimising competitive performance and learning. No argument from me.

[RSalar]

I think it would be helpful to define exactly what is meant by "feelings." Are you talking about your emotional state? Like, I am happy or sad; I feel lonely, etc. or are you talking about how you feel physically? Like tired, sore, weak, strong, etc. Or are you referring to mental attitude? Which would be feelings like: confident, unsure, scared, etc. I think all of those different kinds of feelings can affect your performance. I've read the book: "With Winning in Mind," by Lanny Bassham a few times now. He's an Olympic Gold Medalist shooter who has built a business around helping people ... competitors manage their mental state of mind. It's a very interesting subject and very important, especially if you are a high level competitor. Paul, finds it important to his fishing -- I've never encountered it while fishing, but I have in competition. The way it "feels" to me is more a way of thinking than a feeling. Obviously the two are related -- our feelings are affected by the way we think. But I'm not sure that you can change the way you feel without first changing the way you think ...

Good topic! I look forward to reading how other people feel about this.

Cheers, Ron

[Phil Blackmar]

Great points Ron

Jordan Spieth after winning the US Open and Masters said "its a certain attitude, a certain feeling, a certain focus and a certain preparation." They are all interconnected, aren't they?

I think it starts by identifying how you feel and think when at your best but not necessarily confident. Confidence is a powerful feeling but it comes and goes like the wind. Everyone tends to do well when confident but the best find ways to excel even when the confidence fades. If you can put together a descriptive list describing how you feel and think at your best and worst then you have a starting point. This might include:

talkative or quiet. focused or distracted. smiling or determined. moving quickly or calmly. body language. self talk. target or stroke
thinking of trajectory? thinking of loop? Thinking of speed? Thinking of rhythm? Thinking of body movement or balance?
thinking of nothing? Focused on the future, past or present? calm or fidgety reactive or controlling. do you believe in yourself?
Do you feel different when your time starts? Near the end of your time? Do you make adjustments in your stroke to fit conditions?
Do you make adjustments in your stroke to fit how you feel? (Nick Faldo would try to swing at half speed under pressure because the knew he was speeding up and figured trying to swing slowly actually put him at the best speed) Do you maintain focus throughout your time or stroke?
Is your breathing slow or fast?

If you keep adding to the list, both a good list and a bad list, a blueprint will emerge. Then, one of the tasks of concentration is to make yourself feel and think the way you describe on the good list and avoid all things on the bad list.

Then there is training for being able to perform like this. The goal is "to create your emotional weather rather than being at the mercy of it"

[RSalar]

If you keep adding to the list, both a good list and a bad list, a blueprint will emerge. Then, one of the tasks of concentration is to make yourself feel and think the way you describe on the good list and avoid all things on the bad list.

Then there is training for being able to perform like this. The goal is "to create your emotional weather rather than being at the mercy of it"

Phil,
I'd be interested in knowing more about the training that would allow me to to create (or recreate) my own "emotional weather," during competition -- or even during practice for that matter. I can describe the way I feel when my performance is good and I can describe the way I feel when my performance is not so good, but I do not know how to recreate the good feeling. It seems to come and go randomly --- when it comes on I know I will perform well and that in itself gives me confidence which further helps my performance. There is compounding effect as confidence builds just as there is a vicious negative cycle when performance diminishes.

--Ron

[Phil Blackmar]

Hi Ron-

We call the negative cycle the "rabbit hole" Stay out of the rabbit hole at al cost...

It begins with two detailed lists, red and green. Your'e looking for small indicators or red flags so you can catch the negative spiral early and so you know where you want to be also.

Next describe to yourself in detail the feelings of calm, focus, focused calm, nervous, anxious, fearful, and frustrated. Each has its own set of psychological responses that you can feel so detail those.

Describe your belief next. Belief in yourself is different than confidence. Confidence is the feeling you can control the outcome of the next shot or cast. Belief is the feeling that you have the talent and ability to make the shot or cast regardless the outcome of this one event.

The plan starts with breathing and belief. As for belief, Dr. Maxwell Maltz wrote a book called Psycho-cybernetics in 1959. Basically he said your mind is like a machine and it will believe whatever you tell it, truth or fiction, if you tell it I so often enough. If your belief in yourself needs to be stronger, begin with descriptive letters and self-talk were you reaffirm belief in yourself. Provide examples to back it up. It does't matter if you don't belief it now, a dedicated program where you read the letters to yourself 2-3 times a day and back up these letter with self-talk as often as possible for six weeks will have a dramatic effect.

Next is breathing-master a breathing routine such as box breathing. From the diaphragm in for a count of four, hold for four, out for four and hold for four and repeat.

Next, add meditation to the breathing where you relax yourself from the inside out. Extremities last. Start laying on your stomach so you can feel the source of your breathing then roll on your back, then sit in a chair, then stand etc. Be aware of your breathing and relaxation at all times. If it becomes difficult, go back to the base level.

Once you can relax and control your breathing, add focus. Start with an intense gaze at a small object after becoming relaxed and in control of your breathing. If you feel your breathing move up, slow it down. Go back to the baseline if necessary. Once you can do this, challenge yourself with things like tossing and catching a ball, bounce a ball off the wall, calisthenics etc. As soon as your breathing moves up in your chest or your relaxation wanes, stop the exercise and go back to the baseline and get back in control. Moving in and out like this is like doing exercises.

Now you have a process to react to feelings on the red list as well as a means to reach the green list. Next is to find ways to eliminate the red list. Preparation is the number one ingredient here. During meditation, visualize being in situations where you have done well. Feel the sensations and remember them. Then visualize situations you have struggled, even use real occurrences. Then say to yourself "that is how I used to act in or handle situations like this but now this is what I do and feel". Visualize yourself turning your emotions around and taking control. The more vivid you can make these the better.

Then in practice, challenge yourself as best you can by putting yourself in challenging situations such as wind direction, imagined situations or a pressing level of difficulty. If you start performing poorly, back off to an easier level until you get control of yourself better. DO NOT stay in the difficult situation. It's all about creating confidence, belief and becoming more self-aware. Situational preparedness is invaluable.

Also, practice making slight adjustments in feel keys or your stroke to fit a situation. Sometimes the slightest change can provide a sense of optimism. Once the cast or swing is set to start, however, the mind goes quiet and you simply remember the feelings and overall flow with a more external or quiet focus.

Self-talk is one of the biggest weapons you have. Use your self-awareness and what you say to yourself to alter what you're thinking. Memorize quotes and lyrics to say to yourself to create the emotional feelings you want. Take control. Here is one of mine from Teddy Roosevelt "so that your place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat".

Ron-this is just a cliff notes version off the top of my head. It's a starting point. These things were the main reason I was able to survive on the PGA TOUR for 15 years. Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks
Phil

[Paul Arden]

I can’t remember if it’s part one or part two with my chat with Bernt but he has a procedure for getting relaxed before the comp and at the venue.

I think it’s always been a bit easier for me to compete in flycasting because I had been demonstrating casting at gamefairs for quite some years before I got into the competition side. And gamefairs terrified me. Most people would rather die than speak in public (or at least have less fear of dying!) and I really had to force myself to do this. Anyway a consequence of this was casting in public was relaxing by comparison In fact I’ve always found that to be the enjoyable part!

Cheers, Paul

[RSalar]

Then in practice, challenge yourself as best you can by putting yourself in challenging situations such as wind direction, imagined situations or a pressing level of difficulty. If you start performing poorly, back off to an easier level until you get control of yourself better. DO NOT stay in the difficult situation. It's all about creating confidence, belief and becoming more self-aware. Situational preparedness is invaluable.

Thanks
Phil

Hi Phil, Thank you for taking the time to write your "Cliff Notes." There is a lot there to work on. I used to be able to meditate (when I was younger with fewer life worries) now my mind races and I can't seem to get there. I may just need to keep trying ...

I remember reading Psycho-cybernetics years ago and have made it a habit ever since to never talk down to myself and always say positive things -- I'm a believer!

In regards to the quote above about practicing: I find that starting with easy shots (my competitive experience these days is Sporting Clays) and building confidence gradually is very effective. I usually take just the easy shots for the first 4 stations or until I feel really confident then gradually increase the difficulty level. The problem is that in competition you don't have that luxury. The course is set up in advance and it's the same for everyone. Sometimes there are some really difficult presentations early in the course. Your write up above reminded me that visualization is the solution to this problem. I can practice the easy shots for an hour through visualization and build my confidence that way. I've caddied for my cousin who plays on the senior tour. I watched him warm up before a match and he was just limbering up, getting his swing in the groove, and I suppose just thinking positive thoughts. What did you do to prepare just prior to a big match?

I think it was the book, "With Winning in Mind," by Lanny Bassham that discussed the importance of practicing under pressure. In other words you can't just practice with supportive and complimentary friends -- you need to practice handling the pressure of competition. And he recommends doing that through visualization, as well. You can create an internal pressure situation from memory of actual competitions -- recreate it in your mind while practicing.

Thanks again for your suggestions -- I will start employing them this season,

Ron