Week 5

Date: Monday 3rd February 2013
Time: 13:00 - 13:20
Location: Training Grounds - Outside (During Hours)
Skill: Breathing Control
Measuring Tool: One on One

Breathing techniques in sport can help an athlete maintain focus and control in high stress situations. Deep breathing triggers the body's relaxation response which is beneficial for when an athlete is feeling tense or nervous such as prior to a serve in volleyball.

Action: This anxiety control exercise can be performed while you are standing up or sitting upright. It is ideally used just before competition, or whenever you feel particularly tense. You should inhale slowly, deeply and evenly through your nose, and exhale gently through your mouth.

1. Take a deep breath. Allow your face and neck to relax as you breathe out.
2. Take a second deep breath. Allow your shoulders and arms to relax as you breathe out.
3. Take a third deep breath. Allow your chest, stomach and back to relax as you breathe out.
4. Take a fourth deep breath. Allow your legs and feet to relax as you breathe out.
5. Take a fifth deep breath. Allow your whole body to relax as you breathe out.
6. Continue to breathe deeply for as long as you need to.

This skill is quick and easy to use and is very effective for making an athlete feel relaxed during sports perfromance. If an athlete were to use this as often as possible they will find that they have reduced their anxiety levels majorly because they are not so tense any more and can therfore let their performance flow nicely without hesitation which enables them to do a better job.


Evaluation: This skill had a positive effect on althete X's performance and this is because when the athlete was excited and focused and had built on their confidence levels which allowed them to have a successfull performance.

Progression: When athlete X is ever in a position where they feel nervous, worry or tense then I suggest that they use this breathing skill because it had found to be effective for them. I would say that they use this skill as soon as those feelings come into play, the reason for this is because it only takes a couple of minutes to complete so they would have time to use it during a game for example.

Measure: I had a convosation with the athlete and they clearly stated that they wish to use this method in the future because it is quick and easy to use and they feel that it helps them to get into a zone where they can concerntrate without any problems occuring and this is because thye are essentially blocking everything out. From this convosation I was able to determine that athlete X's stress levels had been reduced during their session in training which means that this technique is effective which enhances their performance so it is advisable that they use it again in order to keep these levels at the standrard they are at.



Date: Thursday 7th February 2013
Time: 09:00 - 09:20
Location: Training Grounds - Outside (During Hours)
Skill: Breathing Control
Measuring Tool: One on One


Action: This exercise involves focusing attention on the centre of your body. This is a technique that is particularly effective during sports that have breaks in the action, such as in between sets. Centering has a calming and controlling effect, providing a simple but effective way to counteract the negative effects of anxiety, here is a guid on how you should carry it out:

1. Stand with your feet flat on the ground, shoulder width apart, arms hanging loosely by your side.
2. Close your eyes and breathe evenly. Notice that when you breathe in, the tension in your upper body increases, but as you breathe out, there is a calmer, sinking feeling.
3. Inhale deeply from your abdomen and, as you do, be aware of the tension in your face, and your neck, and your shoulders, and your chest. As you exhale, let the tension fall away and focus on the feeling of heaviness in your stomach.
4. Continue to breathe evenly, focusing all your attention on the centre of your body.
5. Maintain your attention on that spot and breathe normally.
6. On each out-breath use a word that encapsulates the physical feelings and mental focus that you want for example calm, focused and strong.

Evaluation: The athlete thought that this exercise worked for them because when they were in training they had high anxiety levels as they were put on the spot to perform the block which made them tense and eager at the same time, they knew that they had to control these emotion so the athlete used the breathing technique and those feelings or emotions soon went away and they were able to perform the block with no problem.

Progression: Athlete X can use this when ever they feel the need to as it has shown to be very effective for them so in order for the athlete to increase their confidence further they will need to use this technique as often as possible which would result in them having a successful performance.

Measure: When I had a convosation with the athlete after they had training they said that they found the skill easy to use and stated that they found it usefull when they had those feelings of anxiety and stress and the reason behind this is because when they started to use this skill they were able to focus and get themselves into a zone where all their worries went away and this made them perform better.