Relaxation Techniques

There are two main categories of relaxation techniques; those which target physiological (physical) tensions and those which provide a cognitive (mental) focus. Both categories of technique can often help with physical and mental relaxation; a relaxed mind often leads to a relaxed body and vice-versa.

Preparing to Relax

As with any new skill, relaxation techniques need to be learned and practised to be effective. When using a new method give yourself a chance to perform it successfully and prepare the environment by removing any distractions or potential stressors.

Once you’ve practised and become successful in a calm environment with time it should be possible to transfer the skill to other situations.

  • Relaxation should initially be practised in a warm (but not hot or stuffy) room, which is quiet and has low levels of lighting.
  • Prevent potential interruptions by switching off your phone or putting a ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door.
  • Clothing should be loose and comfortable.
  • The body should be well-supported using pillows or cushioning as required.
  • Music can be used successfully, particularly using personal headsets but volume should be low, and tunes should be calming.
  • Try to assign some time each day specifically for relaxation.

This physical technique involves the tensing or medium contraction of large groups of muscles followed by release or relaxation of the same muscles. Different muscle groups are worked in sequence, often starting from the feet and progressing up to the head but may be performed in reverse, or in part. It does not matter whether your arms and/or legs are affected, these routines can easily be adapted to suit your needs.

Often an athlete will listen to a verbal recording of key cues that guide them through the relaxation process.

An outline of the cues for this technique is as follows:

  1. Pull up your toes/tense your calves, hold for 4-5 seconds then relax for 4-5 seconds. This may be repeated two to three times if desired. Remember to breathe in as you tense each muscle group, briefly hold that breath and then slowly breathe out as you relax.
  2. Now follow step one with the muscle groups below using similar contraction and relaxation times.
  3. Tighten your thighs and buttocks and relax.
  4. Tuck your stomach in and relax.
  5. Brace or shrug your shoulders and relax.
  6. Push your head back into your pillow/support and relax.
  7. Clench your teeth and relax.
  8. Frown or furrow your brow and relax.

Advantages:

  • This is a simple technique, which you can use by yourself.
  • It can easily be performed at an event.

Disadvantages:

  • Some athletes find it difficult to let go of the tension and prefer to just focus on the relaxing element of the technique.

Remember that even if you are not able to tense and relax a specific muscle group, concentrating on that area and focusing on good, slow breathing can help you feel emotionally calmer even though there might be little or no actual physical changes in your muscles. Imagining a pleasant and calm place can also help you relax.

Massage can also be used as a valuable form of relaxation, however as it requires another person it should not be your only method. You should make sure that you are able to relax by yourself without any help anywhere in the world. It is important to note that relaxation massages are different to remedial or sports massages. You might need sports massage as part of your training programme, but this type of massage is unlikely to be relaxing.

Unsurprisingly self-talk concerns all the talking we do to ourselves either out loud or internally when we think. Many of us do it naturally but sport psychologists have shown that it can have a big impact on how we feel and how we behave. As such it is important to keep our self-talk positive as this will lead to positive feelings and behaviours. Alternatively, shouting ‘you’re hopeless’ after a particularly tough training session won’t do you any favours; an obvious point but many people do it! Self-talk is usually divided into two main categories: motivational (‘keep going’) and instructional (‘speed up’).

Positive self-talk can be an important skill to call upon when we are struggling for motivation or lacking confidence. You might use simple words or phrases that remind you of a previous success or your motivations for taking part such as ‘BELIEVE’ or ‘STAY STRONG’. It is important that the words you choose mean something to you and can be associated with your own positive experiences.

Factors such as nervousness and tiredness can result in a dip in technical performance and when our energy is focused on just getting through, we can easily forget about our technique. For example, in events like Running, Cycling and Swimming, controlled and rhythmic breathing is very important but can easily be ignored in the heat of the action. Instructional self-talk such as ‘BREATHE SLOWLY’ or ‘CONTROL YOUR BREATHING’ can help to regain the technical focus necessary in such a situation.

The biggest problem can be keeping this talk positive. Sport psychologists often use ‘thought stopping’ to help athletes with this. Thought stopping uses trigger words or actions to stop negative thoughts in their tracks. As soon as you become aware that your self-talk is unhelpful, you counteract this by saying words such as ‘POSITIVE’ or ‘STRENGTH’ and then immediately focus on something positive and goal related. You can even try using a physical trigger to break the negative thought cycle such as a single hand clap or a fist clench.