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Strategies for Developing a Winners Mindset

  

I have been talking a lot recently about warming up the body and muscles before a competition, but to be fully prepared for a competition you also need to warm up your mind.

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Having the right mindset can prepare you for anything, like eating fire or breaking boards.

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Professional athletes, including dancers, will work on their mindset as well as their techniques and routines.

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Enhancing your performance and giving yourself the best chance of reaching a final or even achieving a first-place position, is a direct result of having a multi-faceted preparation structure.

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You should now have a very good idea of how to do a physical warmup before a competition so this month I’d like to share with you some tips on creating a winning mindset and overcoming competition nerves.

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A quick word on fear!!

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Fear and excitement create the same physical symptoms in the body. The only difference is your perception of it.

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Fear :-

  • Increased Heart Rate

  • Rapid Beathing

  • Muscle Tension

  • Sweating

  • Dilated Pupils

  • Butterflies in the Stomach or Nausea

  • Dry Mouth

  • Trembling or Shaking

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Excitement :-

  • Increased Heart Rate

  • Rapid Breathing

  • Muscle Tension

  • Sweating

  • Dilated pupils

  • Fluttering in the Stomach

  • Increased Energy

  • Heightened Sensory Perception

 

 

Top Tips

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1 - Box breathing                                           

 

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Mastering the art of box breathing can have an instant calming effect on the body and nerves but it needs some practise.

 

  • Start by taking a slow deep breath in for a count of 3.

  • Hold the breath for a count of 3.

  • Breath out for a count of 3.

  • Pause for a count of 3 before breathing in again.

  • Continue to breath in this way for 12 minutes.

 

2 - Breathwork – an alternative breathwork method

  • Breath in slowly through the nose for a count of 4,

  • Fill up your chest and abdomen. Really feel this area of the body expanding.

  • Breath out slowly for a count of 6 emptying out the lungs fully.

  • Continue for up to 10 minutes.

 

3 - Power Move – nerves are a fight or flight response that causes a rush of adrenaline in the body and creating an increase in energy. The excess adrenaline can cause us to

 

  •  Forget our routine as soon as we go out on to the floor.

  • Make us tense up the body, lifting the shoulders and destroying our perfect postures.

  • We also forget to smile and look like we are enjoying our dancing. Remember – a smiley face equals a higher place.

 

What successful people do is burn off the adrenaline beforehand using a power move or activity.

The iconic coach Tony Robbins bounces on a trampette just before going onstage to burn off the nerves. My coach and mentor Jim Frances punches the air shouting BOOM before delivering a speech.

 

What can your Power Move be??

 

4 - Visualisation – this can be a very powerful strategy to use before any competition.

 

  • Find a place where you are not likely to be disturbed or distracted for a few minutes.

  • Calm your breathing using one of the above methods.

  • Close your eyes and in your mind see yourself completing a fabulous routine perfectly.

  • Now see the awards presentation. The numbers are being called. As you wait patiently, they are calling 3rd place- it isn’t you. They call 2nd place- it isn’t you. Then 1st place- your number is called; everyone is cheering and clapping. You have a smile on your face that goes from ear to ear. How does that feel. Really, really feel this as though it has already happened.

  • Take a deep slow breath in and out, then slowly open your eyes, keeping that feeling in you as you step on to the floor.

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