Turns, nerves and panic before the goal – why athletes sometimes suddenly lose the ability to play

Turns, nerves and panic before the goal – why athletes sometimes suddenly lose the ability to play

In elite gymnastics, few names shine as brightly as Simone Biles, known for her challenging routines and seemingly unwavering confidence. Biles surprised the world at the Tokyo Olympics when she experienced a bout of what she called “turns.”

This phenomenon, where gymnasts lose spatial awareness in mid-flight, can turn a well-practiced sequence into dangerous jumpFrom a psychological perspective, the turns highlight how the shift in focus from performance to fear and anxiety can unsettle even the most experienced athletes.

Imagine an athlete at the peak of his career, executing a intricate exercise with precision. Suddenly, an insidious doubt creeps in. His mind, once a finely tuned machine of muscle memory and instinct, becomes a battleground of overthinking and fear.

Known as turns in gymnastics and diving, yips in golf and cricket, choking in basketball, Target panic in archery and precision sports, generally perceived as a mental block, it is a deep-rooted psychological problem in which the attention is focused on the task and begins with fear.

For Biles, the turns manifested as a terrifying inability to sense her body’s position in the air. Psychologically speaking, this happens when an athlete’s focus shifts from executing a well-practiced skill to the potential consequences of failure.

The beginning of turns is a recognition that “something” is wrong. The brain, trying to find the “right moment,” moves away from the automatic processes necessary for high-risk maneuvers, and the athlete instead develops a heightened awareness of his or her thoughts. Finding that moment to come out of the turn, release the ball, or shoot the arrow takes the athlete out of automatism flow statewhich leads to over-thinking and ultimately to a significant drop in performance.

The longer this search continues, the more likely it is that this cognitive change will intensify. somatic anxietywhen physical symptoms such as rapid heart rate and muscle tension make it harder efficiency.

Treatment of sprains

After the Olympic Games in Tokyo, in an interview for Cosmopolitan magazine, Biles sincerely shared: “I was so nervous about getting physically injured that I neglected my mental health.” That revelation underscored how essential wellness is in competitive sports. To overcome her struggles, Biles began therapy, joining many athletes who work with psychologists to address their mental health. These professionals operate scientific techniques to optimize thinking and performance, helping athletes stay ahead of the demanding world of elite competition.

If you have experienced a mental block, it is unthreatening to say that you can overcome it, and the experience will make you better. Rebuilding takes time, reflection, and when you are ready, a mental model that fits the way you work. This is where psychologists are best at, helping to develop this mental scaffolding for managing your thinking, especially under pressure.

Building a mental model

Mental models or performance routines These are structured ways of managing thinking, usually involving three phases, that support athletes refocus, plan and take action.

To refocus, athletes operate pre-planned cues, such as a deep exhale or a snail-paced sip of water. The rationale behind cues, particularly deep exhales, is their ability to shift the body from a sympathetic state (characterized by racing thoughts and elevated heart rate and cortisol levels) to a parasympathetic state, which relieves anxiety. In addition, the cues trigger the next step—planning through the operate of imagery.

In my work with Olympic athletes, we explore different performance scenarios using multi-sensory imaging: the sounds of the crowd, the smell of the track, the movements of the competition, the colors, the sights and strategies for controlling emotions. This process develops familiarity and creates motivation.

The model ends with a behavioral signal of engagement, such as self-talk or foot tapping. For example, during the Paris Olympics, Biles’ mental model could be seen in action on the balance beam. She takes a deep breath to focus her attention, plans by visualizing her routine (we know this because her body moves as she acts out what’s about to happen), and uses a signal of engagement to confirm, “You can do this!”

The path to perfection

Twisties, yips, and the like reveal an essential truth about elite athletes: They experience mental blocks precisely because they know what great performance looks like, and they have difficulty finding the perfect moment. But these mental blocks can be overcome with the right training, support, and techniques.

By implementing training programs, athletes can prepare for the pressures they face by developing their ability to cope with stressful situations and events.

When we watch athletes like Simone Biles push the boundaries of human performance, they remind us of the power of the mind and the importance of fit, high performance. Their stories inspire us to recognize that excellence is not just about physical fitness, but also about mastering the mental game. Whether on the balance beam or in our daily lives, understanding and overcoming mental blocks can lead us to our own moments of greatness.

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