Every single bad performance I have had as an athlete, there was always a common factor when I looked back on it. I was not relaxed at all. I performed tight and TRIED to make things happen instead of allowing them to come to me. You have to be able to realize what you are doing and change it. The root of being tense is a lack of patience.
Advantages of Being Relaxed
- Improved Concentration
- Ability to learn faster learner
- Faster reaction time
- Increased coordination
- Can fall asleep quicker at night
- Increased confidence
- Increased endurance
Tips on staying relaxed: follow these, and the results will do the talking
- Every day in practice work on being relaxed before you do anything. Your hands should be opened and loose, shoulders down, a slack jaw, and legs that feel like they have no tension in them.
- Focus on relaxing as much as possible during your warm up, and it will carry over to the rest of practice and then more importantly into games and competitions. Relaxation is one of the main reasons the greats make it look so easy.
- Anytime you feel tired during practice, or competitions tell yourself “relax,” and it will feel as if you get an extra boost of energy.
- Remember that your muscles work best when relaxed. More physical effort does not always mean better performance.
