With the "nerves" you're describing, you're also feeling your heart racing, hands clammy, and hyperventilating, right? If so, then you're describing a mild case of anxiety attack. This is a normal physiological response when you're under severe stress; biologists call it a "fight or flight response", in which your adrenal glands suddenly release a whopping dose of adrenaline into your system to help you stay and fight, or run for your life! However, too much adrenaline causes the body and mind to be too edgy and can impair how we perform, kinda like after having 4 cans of Coke or coffee! A little bit of adrenaline is good when we train and practice and play, but then too much of it signifcantly impairs the mental game and muscle performance. If you find yourself in that situation, the best thing you can do immediately is to take control of your breathing by slowing it down and breathing deeply, closing your eyes and visualize a serene calm place that you've been to before, and block out your surrounding. As macazteeg has mentioned earlier in this thread (go read it!), then visualize what shots you have to make and imagine that every one of them will be as you intended, perfectly where you want them.
well, your not the only one who gets nervous before or even in a match, everyone does. I remember taufik being nervous at the start of the Olympic finals at athens. Anyways, the way you cope with it is the same that i do, i usually shout at the end of long rallies that i've won. Probably to serve as an outlet for the pressure and nerves you maybe having. being nervous as what i've said is normal, but it all boils down on how you control it. The question is do you let it control you and make the way you play even worse, or you control it and make it fire you up get you all hyped up and all. Which is in both cases is bad, especially in a sport like badminton, you just can't take all the rage and hype get over you, or else you'll end up like lin dan, the only problem is all you can do is smash, smash, and smash that shuttlecok even though its way below the net. As What you need to do is to relax, take control of your nerves and stay calm whatever the situation is, which is a very hard thing to do. As in the case, here's what you can do, what visor said is right, you need lots of visualization. But its more of visualization combined with relaxation. Every before and after training, try to sit in the middle of the badminton court, if its possible, feel the air going in and out of your nostrils, relax until your body becomes quite heavy from head to feet. Then think of the scenario, may it be a tournament, try making it even worse like playing with a very tough opponent in a finals match. Try to visualize all the details, the smell, the sight, and everything you should do in that particular match, do this as you relax and feel the air going in and out as you inhale and exhale. This process will make your brain associate the situation ( in that case, a badminton match/ tournament) with relaxation. So that when you get in that very same scenario, the conditioned response of your brain will be to calm down, relax, and think of what you have to do. Also, some final notes, before you play the first rally of the match, right after you warm up, drink a gulp of water, say a little prayer, then close your eyes and take one big breath. This process is like pouring water into a hot steaming engine so that it will not overheat ( in your case to neutralize overflowing adrenalin). And of course to get some divine intervention, that way you'd be more comfortable, calm and collected knowing that He is guiding you with each and every shot you make!
I have a question for you why whenever i play with some one i know i can beat easily and then suddenly i get this pressure and start losing many points?
Performance anxiety? On the flip side, do you also feel the same pressure if you know your opponent is a tough one?
well no i dont actually i feel less pressure because i know that my tougher opponent will be more of a challenge but somehow when i play with some one i know i can beat easily its the other way around?
I also feel that whenever i play with a stronger opponent i get this feeling that i must keep defending no matter what
Sounds like failure anxiety...where your fear of failing to win (especially when you should easily win) affects your performance. Maybe you need to be super aggressive right from the very beginning of the game. Winning several points in a row may boost your confidence that you can do it. And after that don't let up your aggression until you win it.
I have no question,but I read some of your reply for other menbers' question ,and I want to say it is useful and interesting .
hey, macazteeg here, well im on my girlfriends pc right now, i'll try to reply at you when i get home, by the way, you remind me of Taufik Hidayat, losing to lesser opponents..
talk about overconfidence, but thats usually one of the factors you have to consider with dealing with a lesser or weaker opponent. But I think what gets you pressured is the mere mentality that you have nothing to gain against a weaker opponent while a weaker opponent has everything to gain having a match against you, that is official bragging rights if your opponent wins, or at least having a good score and experience against you. what i suggest is having a different frame of mind, that is, thinking and believing that all your opponents are equal. thinking taht there's no such thing as a weak or good opponent, all of them are equal. they are all up to get you tired, earn as much points as they can against you, and maybe shove your own racket into your own behind, well the last one is just me so it isnt really true. what im trying to say is that all players have their own strengths and weaknesses. in a match all you have to do is exploit their weakness and win. think of every match as a unique challenge that you have to deal with regardless of whether your opponents is just an amateur from the streets or your up against lin dan. do your best whoever it is on the other side of the court, and i promise you'll always come out victorious, not against your opponent, but against yourself
thanks guys! anyways sorry for the late reply, just keep those questions coming and i'll try to reply as fast as i could, im really glad to have helped improve your game!
hala, i dont really play that good, but if you want i do teach at Philippine airlines fitness center, its located near the airport before Naia terminal 3, i am there every saturday and conduct badminton lessons 10-12am for kids and 1-3pm for adults but its all basic badminton lessons right now. if you want we can play after, here my no. 09054541888
Hi macazteeg its me again . I have a question that needs to be answered . Why is it that some times im not ussually in my top form . When im not in my top form my stamina drastically decreases and i cant focus or return shots properly . But when im at my top form i could even beat a state player and im just at a district level .
I have a similar problem with ChaChaTea on page 5. If I play a greater opponent, I am able to perform so much better than I normally can, and when I play a lesser opponent, my skills sucked. It's like I'm on a totally different skill level, even though the 2 games can be 5 min apart. I really liked Macazteeg's suggestion on believing that all my opponents are equal, and that we just have to find their weakness and exploit it. I'll definitely try it out on the court! Anybody else has a similar situation?
The difference is incentive. When faced with a greater opponent, there is more incentive to survive so as not to be embarrassed, or even try to beat them for bragging rights. When faced with a lesser opponent, most of us civil people do not try to annihilate them... maybe out of courtesy or pity. But guess what? On the other side of the court, they are feeling the incentive to perform because you happen to be the greater opponent! And here you are trying to be "nice". So, bottom line, as macazteeg said, treat all your opponents equally. And don't be afraid to be "mean" if it's a lesser opponent. Just put them out of their misery and get it over with...
