How to Manage Nerves on Fight Night (or Race Day)
Let’s be clear:
If you’re an athlete, you will feel nerves before competition.
If you don’t, you’re either lying or underprepared.
But here’s the key difference between those who crumble under pressure and those who rise:
They don’t try to get rid of nerves, they know how to work with them.
Why You Feel Nervous Before Competition
Nerves before competition are not a mental weakness.
They’re your brain’s natural threat response: your amygdala, hypothalamus, and adrenal system firing up to get you ready. Heart rate spikes, stomach flips, hands shake. It’s a physiological activation, not a personal failure.
In fact, research shows that athletes who interpret pre-competition arousal as challenge (rather than threat) perform better under pressure (Moore et al., 2012).
3 Strategies to Work With Your Nerves
1. Reframe the Feeling
Instead of thinking, “I’m freaking out,”
say, “My body is waking up to perform.”
This simple mental shift helps change your cognitive appraisal of stress, reducing the negative emotional load while keeping you sharp.
2. Use Breath to Regulate
Try this before you step into the ring, onto the track, or up to the line:
Inhale for 4 seconds
Exhale slowly for 6 seconds
Repeat for 2–3 minutes
This taps into your parasympathetic nervous system, lowering unnecessary tension without dulling your edge.
3. Focus on Task, Not Outcome
Bring your mind back to what you’re doing, not what’s at stake.
Examples:
Fighter: “Tight guard. Sharp jab. Move the feet.”
Runner: “Relax shoulders. Smooth cadence. Eyes ahead.”
Outcome anxiety (“What if I lose?”) triggers panic; task focus brings you back to action.
The Science (for the Nerds Like Me)
A 2012 study by Moore, Vine, Wilson, and Freeman found that athletes who viewed their arousal as a challenge state (associated with approach and resource mobilization) rather than a threat state (associated with avoidance and worry) demonstrated better cardiovascular responses, improved visual attention, and superior performance under pressure.
(Reference: Moore, L.J., Vine, S.J., Wilson, M.R., & Freeman, P. (2012). The effect of challenge and threat states on performance: A meta-analysis. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 5(2), 141–153.)
Final Takeaway
Nerves are fuel- if you know how to burn them right.
Want to train these mental skills systematically?
Check out Essentials of Mental Performance or book a 1-on-1 session to work directly on your fight or race mindset.