Competition Panic

[archer_thom]

Ok, I know that "tournament nerves" have been covered before, but I feel that this is much more severe than anything mentioned in those threads. Hence the term "panic" rather than "nerves".

For the last five years or so I have had problems of getting extremely nervous in competitions because of setting impossible goals. This lead me to shoot very badly; shake and sometimes just release like a muppet because of fear. However over the last 6 months I've started shooting much better, but I am now feeling physically sick from about 2am before a competition until it finishes. This doesn't make sense to me because I no longer really set myself any goals at all ("as long as I get them all in the target", when I can comfortably group in the 8 all day, for example), and the competitions in question have been "friendlies" where there aren't even prizes for winning.

I have been doing the meditation/breating exercises throughout this time, its about all that has allowed me to do my archery standing up rather than passed out on the line, but it just doesn't seem to work.

What can I do? I don't even understand why I get so frightened of it.

[Furface]

The main thing is to find what it is about competition that so affects you. You could start off by trying a mind-map, covering all the aspects of a competition - organisational, technical, psychological, physical - that you can think of. As you draw it up, it could be that a particular leg starts off the feelings you are getting, or is one that you are deliberately not expanding, or leaving till last. Make yourself explore that leg. If nothing immediately springs out, show the map to a fellow competition archer. They could well spot some things you have left out, the things about a competition you are trying to avoid.
Another approach, which can be threatening, is to sit in a quiet, "safe" place with a fellow archer, and describe to them all the processes you go through before, during, and after a competition. Their job is to say nothing, simply to listen. Again, see if anything starts the feelings off, or, if not, your fellow archer can tell you if you have avoided anything. This can be pretty intense, so be prepared for the need to "come down" for both of you afterwards.
Or, create a detailed checklist and a linked diary. As you go through each step, tick off what you have done, and note any feelings that might be present. When you start feeling sick, note exactly when that is, and, in more detail, what you are feeling and thinking of.
In all of this, it helps to have a coach, one who is trained in a modicum of Sports Psychology.
Let us know how you get on. And remember, we are all here for you if you need us.

[John (OSF)]

Life's too short (imo) so why put yourself through all this?

You could maybe just go to the comps and help out and you may find that you enjoy yourself just being part of it

If you feel you MUST go then try to understand that we all go to comps for ourselves to shoot our own scores, nobody really cares about your score except you, so there's no point in getting wound up about a hobby....especially a daft one like ours

[geoffretired]

Getting nervous before competitions is common enough, as you already said. Yours seem more extreme than most, but there are others like you.
My reaction to your post is to ask how you feel when you shoot at your own club, for example. How do you shoot and how do you feel when you shoot a round on home ground? What about, just shooting and not scoring? What about the way you feel when you are trying to work on an aspect of form in order to improve?

[Watch_Man]

Have a chat with Alistair Whittingham at Performance Archery, he may be able to help.

[acehero]

Originally Posted by Watch_Man

Have a chat with Alistair Whittingham at Performance Archery, he may be able to help.

I was thinking the same thing!

[archer_thom]

Thanks for all your advice, I'll definitely be thinking about that.