# data[].attributes.body
A technique developed by Jacobsen in 1932. The technique is about learning to feel the 'tension' in your muscles and then to rid of it by 'letting go'. Even though the process is more extensive than self-relaxation, it can be much more effective.
It becomes more effective with practice, helps to achieve a better nights sleep and can be good preparation for imagery exercises.  Although it takes longer to acquire, many top sports people have found it to be the most helpful, specifically when leading up to competitions.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a somatic technique used in aim to relax and control breathing, through taking deep and controlled breaths. This is the most basic way to lower stress/anxiety, deep breathing has many important benefits: it ensures enough O2 is circulating so the body can exercise effectively, due to an increase in O2,  you will feel more controlled and relaxed therefore less stressed. This will lead to increased confidence and help to oppose any negative thoughts, helping to take your mind off things that are making you feel anxious.
This technique is used for sports people who participate in short term events eg tennis/golf. Deep breathing can help and are often part of routines between performances eg walking in between shots when playing golf.

# data[].attributes.body
This gives  an anxious person in sport the opportunity to understand their physiological responses to stress.
When an athlete becomes stressed or anxious some changes can occur :
- an increase in heart rate
- rapid breathing
- increase or decrease in skin                temperature
-an increase in muscle tension
Biofeedback is a process by which different kinds of equipment are used to collect information on a number of physiological responses.
The information collected includes: heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rates.
The performer records this information and is now aware of how their body is working at a given time.
This affects the emotions and levels of stress they experience.
Sports coaches use this method to encourage an athlete to deal effectively to the body's reaction to exercise.
E.G. a heart monitor may be used to collect data on heart rate during exercise or at rest. if the athlete realises that their heart rate is increased too much at the beginning of the race and causing too much stress/anxiety, they can then develop strategies to combat this stress response by using slower, deeper breathing techniques and mental imagery.
Biofeedback can help with visualisation to reduce stress and to enhance relaxation.
E.G. if blood pressure is raised too much in a situation where there is an audience which cause stress/anxiety, the athlete can maintain focus by directing their attention to a specific aspect of their performance.
his can help them develop mental cues to eliminate distractions, such as the noise of the crowd.
Some sports, biofeedback can involve stimulation machines to help the performer prepare for the event both physically and emotionally, helping to control  the level of stress/anxiety and therefore manage stress.
E.G. Bobsleigh, athletes have used a computer-controlled simulator to precisely replicate or copy the sensations they may experience on specific bobsleigh track.
The biofeedback data, such as heart rate during a run while experiencing  the effect of gravitational forces,  are noted.
An athlete may experience high stress/anxiety when they know a difficult corner of the course is ahead but once they realise this they can turn the negative into a positive by anticipating when it will occur in the 'real' world, and therefore be more prepared for the actual event.
Biofeedback teaches the individual how to control the brain's activity and maintain the proper brainwave levels to achieve a calm and focused state.
by returning the body to a healthier physiological state, the feelings of doubt as well as fear and panic, are removed.

# data[].attributes.body
This combines both somatic and cognitive responses that is used by sports performers to control stress/anxiety.
It is similar to mindfulness in that you focus on the here and now, and concentration is shifted to the centre of the body (just behind the naval).
The mind recognises that the body i responding to a stressful event in a particular way.
E.G. by increasing heart rate or sweating and shaking.
This feedback occurs as a result of energy flowing throughout the body.
The athlete  will then redirect this energy to the centre of their body and thus achieve a calm and steady state.
For effective centring, the basic skill to focus on is breathing.
you pay attention to the inhale and exhale, taking notes on every sensation that occurs as the air flows in and out of the nostrils and as the air enters the lungs.
You may notice the sensation of heat, cold or the speed of the air flow.
To do this find a quiet place with no distractions and focus your attention on your rate of breathing while maintaining a slow, steady pace.
For this to become a useful skill on the sports field, you should practise this regularly so that you can use it automatically, thus reducing stress/anxiety and distractions when you need to most, during competition or training.

# data[].attributes.body
Mental rehearsal is the technique of forming a mental image of the skill or event that you are about to perform. Athletes mentally rehearse a skill in their head and this creates a metal image in their head. There is no physical movements involved within this process. Mental rehearsal can be used to either improve an existing skill, learn a new skill or control anxiety or stress. An example of this could be a diver who is mentally rehearsing their routine and going over the techniques of what they have to do.

Imagery
Imagery is slightly different to mental rehearsal as there is more mental images created that don’t have to be necessary to the related sport topic. Imagery can improve concentrations and develop confidence which ensures that the correct response is given. Imagery is used to create a mental image and to get athletes to get a realistic feel for the skill /movement, it is used to control anxiety/ stress by imaging calm and relaxing situations to calm us down, this is called visualisation. Imagery is also used to recall sounds so you can actually hear the sounds when performing the skill. There are 2 different types of imagery; external- this is where you see yourself from outside your body, looking at yourself and the second type is internal- which is were you see yourself within.

# data[].attributes.body
Positive self talk can be used to motivate a performer and also to control stress or self-doubt which may build up before a performance. it is a cognitive process which involves the performer thinking about attaining success and winning rather than losing. It is about being positive about past performances and future strategies and can help self-confidence and performance in sport. An example of a performer using positive self talk could be a football player who may be stressed before a cup final game and they will focus their thoughts on the victories and success prior to the final and will use that to focus on positive thoughts about their performance in the final.

# data[].attributes.body
Performers may have thoughts which are negative prior to a performance. Examples of these could be "I will never get any better" or a netball player thinking "I am not going to get this shot in". Negative thought stopping is simply the act of the performer halting these negative thoughts which may stress them out and the removal of these will help manage their stress and improve their performance.

# data[].attributes.body
Rational thinking is a process involving your cognitive thoughts. This is a stressor that athletes get stressed about and depends on the response of the given stressor. The athletes interpretation dictates the level of stress causes to the athlete in the situation. Rational thinking looks at the real aspects and logical points of the situation and this challenges any of the negative thoughts. Some athletes may be scared and fear injury so they try and avoid the situation to limit their risk of gaining an injury.

# data[].attributes.body
Mindfulness is the physchological process of bringing ones attention to experiences occurring in the present moment... such as meditation. In a sporting context this is viewed as the performers attention to their perceived environment whilst performing the given skill; this enables them to remember cues for future performances of the skill.

# data[].attributes.body
Mindfulness can be used to take away worries about the current situation. For example if a boxer is nervous about their fight and getting hit they can instead focus on their technique and their movement to block shots

# data[].attributes.body
Goal setting is an important strategy used by teachers, performers and coaches and can be used to control a performers stress and anxiety levels. It can increase a performers motivation and confidence.

# data[].attributes.body
Goal setting can be broken down into its type, of which there are three:
1. Outcome goals- these are related to the end result
2. Performance goals- this is concerned with the individuals performance judges against others
3. Process- orinetated goals- concentrate on the performers technique and tactics.

# data[].attributes.body
Goal specificity
This is how clearly defined goals are... better defined goals usually lead to better performance
E.g. “play well” is not as good as “make sure your passing is... and remember to ... when this happens try to...”