In the pre-championship stage, on those days preceding graduation or, the most common of all: that strange feeling just before stepping on the competition mat. What all these situations have in common? Anxiety.

Considered to be the disease of the century by one of the greatest psychologists of the world, Augusto Cury, anxiety is one of the human mind problems that most affects people worldwide. This problem can be even more prevalent among athletes who are under pressure and with a routine of intense training. But how to mitigate the effects of anxiety? According to the doctor Arthur Frazão, there are 7 tips to help you control it:

1. Change your attitude toward the problem. Try to find out about what is causing the anxiety;
2. Respect your limitations and, when necessary, ask for help;
3. Take a deep and calm breath. Close your eyes, imagine yourself at a beach and the sea with increasingly slow waves;
4. Keep positive thoughts and avoid situations that may refer to negative or self-defeating thoughts;
5. Value and live the present. If anxiety is caused by the past, nothing can be done to change it; if it is related to the future, it can keep you from actually living the present;
6. Identify what causes the anxiety or sadness and keep yourself away from those things;
7. Engage in any activity and keep your mind focused on this goal, avoid distractions and especially those situations that can cause anxiety.

And, of course, in addition to following these tips and besides the practice of jiu-jitsu, look for other “calmer” physical activities like walking on the beach, swimming and cycling. After learning this, it will be surely easier to deal with the pre-championships anxiety. OSS!

Source: www.tuasaude.com