Performance Under Pressure

The ability to stay calm under pressure is a trainable skill, not an innate trait. Elite athletes exhibit sleepy, relaxed expressions before competition and are undisturbed by external conditions. Fear dissolves through systematic, repeated exposure over time. Excessive nervous tension degrades athletic performance by causing choking, impaired thinking, and muscle over-activation. The goal of stress training is a carefree, calm viewpoint — a trained attitude toward stress, not the elimination of adrenaline.