Alejandro Ochoa: "The athlete, besides being an athlete, is also a human being".

We interviewed Dr. Alejandro Ochoa, expert in Sports Psychology and pre-competitive anxiety.

Sport is much more than the performance of coordinated movements according to the rules of a game. Behind all these exhibitions of physical dexterity, there is the field of psychology, a field in which many times the most important battles are fought in each of the athletes, as well as within the teams they may form.

Pre-competitive anxiety is an example of this: a physiological and mental phenomenon that can make the difference between victory and defeat. between victory and defeat, between coordination and mental blockage. To better understand what it is, we have interviewed Dr. Alejandro Ochoa, a psychologist expert in Sport Psychology based in Tepic.

Interview with Dr. Alejandro Ochoa: pre-competitive anxiety

Alejandro Ochoa Pimienta is a psychologist and Dr. in Humanistic Education trained in the field of psychological assistance to adults and adolescents, as well as in Sports Psychology. He is also a researcher and teacher at the Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Mexico. In this interview he explains what is pre-competitive anxiety and what are the characteristics of this phenomenon.

What exactly is pre-competitive anxiety?

It is a feeling of alteration of the organic functioning that manifests itself both physically and mentally. On the physical level, there is an increase in Heart rate, sweating, and in some cases an increase in body temperature, among other symptoms. Regarding the mental aspect, a series of mental images are presented, precisely related to the competitive immediacy, which may cause in some cases a perception of limitation and/or reduction of competitive skills.

However, it does not always cause harmful alterations, since this sensation is related to stress, which in particular is an activation at the corticoid level, which gives rise to two stages called autrés and distrés. In the first one, the athlete experiences an irrepressible desire to start the competitive demand, since he/she perceives him/herself capable and skilled to face everything that is presented during the competition, and in what corresponds to distress, the athlete experiences an unpleasant sensation that depending on the competitive demand can cause more severe somatic alterations, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and desires to flee from the sporting demand.

Is it limited to the field of sports competitions?

In the first instance it could be said that yes; however, in some athletes it is possible that the sensations may extend to other areas such as family, social, emotional, etc.

What vulnerabilities does this type of anxiety expose us to?

I consider that the greatest vulnerability can manifest itself in a loss of self-confidence, which in simple words means the individual's ability to rely on his or her own physical, mental and strategic resources to cope with his or her demands.

Thus, once such anxiety is experienced, it is possible that cognitive alterations may occur that limit decision making and cause hesitant states that transcend in imprecise executions with high possibilities of altering other dimensions in which the athlete is immersed.

What particularities does this form of anxiety have that distinguish it from other alterations of this type?

That it is presented before the imminence of a sporting demand, although it can happen that pre-competitive anxiety is experienced months, weeks, days and hours before the competition. That is, the athlete focuses his attention permanently on what will be his sports performance, so the experience of anxiety is more prolonged, which can contribute to the development of psychosomatic disorders that hinder an efficient performance.

Is it possible to transform that mental tension and activity generated by anxiety into motivation?

Definitely yes. Motivation we can say colloquially, that it consists of finding a reason for action, therefore, it is possible to direct the attention to the establishment of objectives of accomplishment and results based on personal evolution. Example: in the case of soccer, to develop greater dexterity in kicking the ball with different points of the same foot, kicking with both feet, etc.

Specifically, it is about implementing objectives that are directly related to one's own ability and skills rather than focusing on the outcome alone, since the latter depends on more variables that the athlete cannot control. In addition to avoiding, as much as possible, setting expectations of high "flights".

As an expert psychologist in Sport Psychology, in your opinion, in what aspects can having the support of a professional specialized in this field of intervention make a difference from the point of view of athletes and sports clubs?

The main function of the sport psychologist is to accompany the athlete in all aspects of the activity. Cases of loss of motivation, self-confidence, perspective, interpersonal relationship problems, social skills, etc. are frequently encountered.

That is, the athlete, in addition to being an athlete, is also a human being immersed in a social world that is part of his environment, so it must be considered that the athlete plays a dual role that per se is already a source of anxiety.

Could you briefly explain some of the techniques used in Sport Psychology to manage pre-competitive anxiety?

There is a wide range of techniques that are used depending on the multiple situations that may arise in an athlete, among the most used are those contemplated in the cognitive-behavioral approach. Among these we can name the establishment of result and achievement objectives, decision matrices, molding, contingency management, cognitive re-signification, creative approach, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, etc.