What A Rush!!

[sensei8]

Adrenalin!! Oh what a rush!!

To be anxious is to be human. Performance anxiety that is felt just prior to walking into the octagon, or just prior to doing Kata/Kumite, or just prior to given a speech, or just prior to walking onto a stage to perform your piano recital, or just prior to your attacker throwing down on you, imho, are normal.

The good news is that for most people, these fears can be overcame. Well, it can!!

Have you ever been severely inhibited by your nerves? Have you had the classic dry mouth, total distraction, sweaty palms, loss of concentration, loss of fine motor control, inability to sleep or focus? In short, you were a wreck! You couldn't even remember your name, home address, home phone number, wife/husbands name, or your kids' name. You swallowed a lump in your throat that felt like it was about the size of a basketball.

Can one control their anxiety? There is overwhelming evidence testifying to thousands who have learned to control anxiety. Control of this kind is not learned overnight, but like with anything, comes with practice.

Our aim is not to banish nerves completely. In fact, research supports the notion that some anxiety is helpful to an artist. There is an optimum level of anxiety which enhances our performance. If we can control the amount of adrenalin pumping through our bodies to this optimal level, adrenalin becomes a wonderful servant. Under its control anxiety levels soar out of control. Performance in this state is near impossible for everyone, not just martial artists.

Adrenalin is a terrible master! Anxiety is displayed in 3 responses; mental, behavioral and physiological.

We must discipline ourselves to replace the self-destructive, negative text with positive ones. We can choose the way we think about our current situation. We can choose to see it as a threat. Our body translates this as danger and the fight/flight response is triggered.

Emotional content mastery takes time, but is quite doable across the board. Mizu No Kokoro and Tsuki No Kokoro are key to controlling the anxiety, and thus, the adrenalin from being a negative rush. Martial artists mustn't propel themselves into areas that they're not ready to conquer without first arming themselves with the most proper weapon of all...our calm mind.

Putting on a calm behavior is an effective precursor to feeling calm. Techniques such as progressive muscular relaxation help us replace a panicky response with controlled behaviors. Our natural inclination when stressed is to surrender to hyperactivity. We tighten up unnecessary muscle groups, for example in the hands, shoulders and face, which hinders our techniques, albeit, our ability to transition from square A into square B.

Deep breathing can break the escalating loop of increased heart rate, respiratory rate and rising blood pressure. Deep breathing is my key element in controlling both my adrenaline and my anxiety, no matter the situation. True threat or false threat; either one of them will trigger my perception for the moment.

I use deep breathing, which I'm sure most of you do as well. However, what other ways have you found to be successful in controlling your own adrenaline rush and/or anxiety?

[Lupin1]

I try to concentrate on my successes in the past and remember that life goes on even if I screw up-- it's not the end of the world. That tends to calm me down just enough.

[Jeffrey]

I was lucky and learned this at a young age. The adrenaline rush is something I have learned to control. The military does well to remove these feelings. Now when I am fighting someone new this is what I watch for. If I see it I know I will win. It is my best tactic. I have had some people come up after a match and ask why I was smiling just before I moved in. LOL! This adrenaline rush can also be used as a tool. If you can take the good stuff out and control the rest you in good shape.

Geoff Thomspon writes about the it as his old friend. Any of his books not a bad read.

[GeoGiant]

I have to public speak with my job and most of the time my speaking engagements involve addressing angry residents.

My company may be applying for a state grant to rebuild a road that residents have been complaining about for 10 years. Well, most of grants require public participation where we explain to the public the same things they have been complaining about for years. This environment can get hostile pretty quick if you don't inject humor... lucky I'm a goof so I handle well.

The side effect of these meetings is that I'm able to handle an adrenalin rush fairly well.