Issue 082
December 2011
Learn how to control the fight-night butterflies determined to hold you back
Joe Bell
Sport Psychologist
Joe Bell is a chartered sport psychologist and one of few leading mental performance coaches in the world specializing in combat sport psychology. fighterspsychology.com
Fighters experiencing pre-fight jitters in anticipation of an approaching contest prove two things: they are both human and normal. No matter if you’re Anderson Silva or an unknown amateur, no mixed martial artist on the planet is spared the onslaught of nerves that can ambush fighters.
Stepping into the Octagon or any combative arena awakens an inherent instinct in humans that is designed to protect and keep us alive when we sense danger. Our primal hardwiring unleashes a series of psychological and physiological responses that kick into overdrive to meet the threat head-on.
In the build-up before a fight, pre-fight jitters alter in frequency, intensity and intervals, but if channeled correctly can become a great ally of
a fighter.
1 COMMITMENT
The moment you stake your name to a fight, you instantly feel like adrenaline has just detonated a depth charge in your abdomen. As a fighter you need to accept this physical sensation with the other usual suspects; butterflies, sweating, loss of appetite, irritability, muscle tension and alongside emotional states; fear, doubt and anger as part and parcel of being a fighter. If you can’t live with them, you need to consider choosing a different sport.
2 TRAINING CAMP
Pre-fight jitters abhor any form of physical exertion and can easily be diffused with a good sparring session, heavy bag workout or a distance run. By simply utilizing nervous energy to fuel training, you can boost confidence and mental toughness as they can be viewed as minor victories.
However, pre-fight jitters always seem to have one more round left in them and like ruthless sucker punchers they can blindside you while you’re in relaxed state (i.e. watching TV, driving, or even dreaming). If left unchecked some fighters can quickly talk themselves out of training and even competing. To counter these, as they arise, quickly and effectively, use a technique in sport psychology we call ‘anchoring.’
The idea is for you to mentally connect with an event or stimulus (the anchor) that in this case reduces arousal and anxiety levels, which puts you back in the driver’s seat, bringing focus and control. Nearly 100% of fighters I have worked with use a simple yet powerful anchor that offers a unique sensation of anxiety relief almost immediately. They visualize themselves inside the Octagon with their actual opponent and vividly imagine the first punch has been thrown.
3 FIGHT DAY
Jitters have found a collaborator in the form of the waiting game. This can be torture for the less experienced fighter as it causes frustration and mental fatigue. Backstage it is critical that, as a fighter, you vary your level of arousal or ‘arousal modulation.’
Picture it as a volume control for your brain; too loud = psyched-out (angry), too quiet = psyched-down (vacant), moderate = psyched-in (focused).
To enable you to fire on all cylinders, you must enter the Individual Zone of Optimal Functioning (see diagram) in arousing your emotions just enough to psyche yourself in, that way you’ll find yourself in a place of optimal emotional arousal. Here your energy levels rev up, senses become lightning sharp, blood is diverted to the eight limbs, non-essential systems shutdown, blood vessels constrict and oxygen saturates your muscles to work harder and faster. Timing is everything. If you undershoot or overshoot arousal levels, energy stores can drain, hand-to-eye coordination becomes shackled and finely honed skills stall, leading to hesitation and delayed reactions.
4 CALM BEFORE THE STORM
As the fight edges closer, fighters need to remain calm and focused, even though the jitters have found a new gear and upped their ante. Legendary cutman Jacob ‘Stitch’ Duran agrees and believes that pre-fight jitters reveal their true colors away from the fight, weigh-ins and press conferences. “It’s really when a fighter gets into the dressing room, while wrapping their hands, I get to truly see the inner soul of them,” explains Stitch, who stated UFC 134 in Rio was no exception.
“All fighters that night experienced the jitters, one even cried like a baby (though went on to win his fight), while some breathed and exhaled heavily. What I try to do is to get fighters to relax by joking with them and letting them know their training will take over in the cage and that I am there to take care of them. Anderson Silva gave me a hug and said, ‘Thank you Papi,’ after I wrapped him. Hugging fighters lets them know I’ve got their backs. It’s an honor to see their confidence grow as I finish wrapping their hands.”
Teammates and trainers should take note. The reassurance Stitch’s techniques give fighters boosts confidence and self-belief.
5 PSYCH-UP TO PSYCH-IN
Going to war is imminent and the brain’s volume control (arousal modulation) needs cranking up halfway. Think of your body as a primed ticking bomb and those cornering you as a bomb disposal unit. Their job is to set you off at the right time. Try positive self-talk, padwork, sparring, high-tempo music, deep controlled breathing or even shocking the nervous system with a sharp slap, favored by UFC star Clay Guida. What distinguishes seasoned mixed martial artists from amateurs is they accept jitters as part of the game. They have learned how to react positively to them before they gather momentum. To control adrenaline dumps takes more than learning psychological theory, it requires putting it into practice.
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