Mental Preparation

Physical preparation is only half the battle. The mental aspects of competition can make or break your performance. This lesson covers psychological strategies for optimal competition performance.

Understanding Competition Anxiety

The Nature of Nerves

Competition anxiety is normal and universal:

• Every athlete experiences some level of nervousness
• Anxiety is your body preparing for challenge
• The goal is management, not elimination
• Some arousal enhances performance

Yerkes-Dodson Law

Performance relates to arousal in an inverted U:

• Too low: Under-aroused, flat performance
• Optimal: Alert, focused, energized
• Too high: Over-aroused, impaired performance

Your job is finding and maintaining your optimal zone.

Symptoms of Anxiety

Physical signs:

• Increased heart rate
• Sweating
• Muscle tension
• Shallow breathing
• Digestive discomfort

Mental signs:

• Racing thoughts
• Self-doubt
• Difficulty concentrating
• Negative self-talk
• Catastrophizing

Pre-Competition Mental Strategies

The Night Before

Set yourself up for mental success:

• Visualization: See yourself executing successful lifts
• Preparation: Have everything packed and ready
• Routine: Normal evening activities
• Sleep: Aim for adequate rest (though some sleep loss is normal)

Competition Morning

Establish your mental state early:

• Morning routine: Stick to familiar patterns
• Positive affirmations: Remind yourself of your preparation
• Avoid overthinking: Focus on process, not outcomes
• Energy management: Save intensity for when you need it

Visualization Techniques

What is Visualization?

Mental rehearsal of performance:

• Creating vivid mental images of success
• Engaging all senses in the imagery
• Practicing perfect execution mentally
• Building neural pathways for performance

How to Visualize

Find a quiet moment:

• Close your eyes
• Control your breathing
• Relax your body

Create the scene:

• See the competition venue
• Feel the bar in your hands
• Hear the sounds of the venue
• Smell the chalk

Execute perfectly:

• Visualize your approach
• Feel the movement
• See successful completion
• Experience the satisfaction

When to Visualize

• Nightly leading up to competition
• Morning of competition
• During warm-up
• Before each attempt

Breathing Techniques

Why Breathing Matters

Controlled breathing:

• Activates the parasympathetic nervous system
• Reduces heart rate and anxiety
• Improves focus and clarity
• Creates sense of control

Box Breathing

A simple, effective technique:

1. Inhale for 4 seconds
2. Hold for 4 seconds
3. Exhale for 4 seconds
4. Hold for 4 seconds
5. Repeat 4-8 cycles

When to use: Feeling over-aroused or anxious

Physiological Sigh

Quick stress relief:

1. Double inhale (two quick breaths in)
2. Long exhale
3. Repeat 1-3 times

When to use: Acute stress moments

Pre-Lift Breathing

Before each attempt:

• Take a controlled breath
• Brace your core
• Execute with held breath (if appropriate)
• Exhale after completion

Focus Strategies

Internal vs. External Focus

Internal focus:

• Attention on body sensations
• Useful for technique refinement
• Can increase tension if overdone

External focus:

• Attention on the outcome or environment
• Often more effective for performance
• "Pull the bar down" vs. "contract your lats"

Narrowing Focus

As competition approaches:

• Weeks out: Broad focus (life, training, competition)
• Days out: Narrowing (competition, logistics, performance)
• Hours out: Tight (warm-up, attempts, execution)
• Attempt time: Singular (this rep only)

Cue Words

Simple words to trigger focus:

• Calm: For reducing anxiety
• Strong: For building confidence
• Explode: For initiating power
• Smooth: For technique quality

Develop your own personal cues.

Managing Self-Talk

Recognizing Negative Self-Talk

Common negative patterns:

• "I can't do this"
• "Everyone is watching me fail"
• "This weight is too heavy"
• "I'm going to choke"

Reframing Negative Thoughts

Transform negative to constructive:

Affirmations

Positive statements to build confidence:

• "I am prepared"
• "I am strong"
• "I trust my training"
• "I perform well under pressure"

Competition Day Mental Protocol

Arrival

• Arrive with time to spare
• Familiarize yourself with the venue
• Find a calm space if possible
• Connect with supportive people

Pre-Warm-Up

• Review your plan
• Visualize success
• Control breathing
• Stay positive

During Warm-Up

• Focus on physical sensations
• Use warm-up as confidence builder
• Adjust arousal as needed
• Finalize mental state

Before Each Attempt

• Brief visualization of the lift
• Controlled breathing
• Cue word activation
• Committed execution

Between Attempts

Managing Wait Time

Time between attempts can be challenging:

• Stay warm: Light movement
• Stay calm: Breathing exercises
• Stay focused: Don't watch too many other attempts
• Stay positive: Reflect on what went well

After a Missed Attempt

If you miss:

• Accept it happened
• Don't dwell or analyze immediately
• Refocus on the next attempt
• Reset mentally before proceeding

After a Successful Attempt

If you succeed:

• Brief celebration
• Return to focus
• Begin preparing for next attempt
• Don't become complacent

Building Competition Confidence

Through Preparation

Confidence comes from:

• Consistent, quality training
• Hitting attempt weights in training
• Practicing under pressure
• Trusting your program

Through Experience

Competition experience builds:

• Familiarity with the environment
• Knowledge of your responses
• Repertoire of coping strategies
• Trust in yourself

Through Success

Build on past successes:

• Remember previous achievements
• Recall feeling of successful attempts
• Trust your history of performance
• Use success as evidence of capability

Developing Mental Skills

Practice Mental Strategies

Mental skills require training:

• Practice visualization regularly
• Use breathing techniques in daily life
• Implement focus strategies in training
• Develop routines you can rely on

Create Pre-Lift Routine

A consistent routine:

1. Approach the bar/station
2. Set your grip/position
3. Take your cue breath
4. Say your cue word
5. Execute

Simulate Competition in Training

Practice mental skills under stress:

• Test days with observers
• Timed attempts
• Video recording
• Training with other athletes

Conclusion

Mental preparation is as trainable as physical strength. Develop your psychological toolkit through consistent practice, and bring your best mental game to competition. The combination of physical preparation and mental mastery creates peak performance.