COPING STRATEGIES ([COPING])

Cognitive restructuring to interpret anxiety as useful activation.

A fundamental strategy for managing competitive stress is cognitive restructuring, which involves changing the athlete's interpretation of his or her own sensations and thoughts.

Instead of viewing physiological arousal (butterflies in the stomach, racing heart) as a sign of fear or weakness, the athlete is taught to relabel these sensations as a signal that the body is "preparing for battle" or activating its energy potential.

For example, a public speaker before taking the podium might notice his hands shaking and think, "I'm terrified, I'm going to fail."

Through restructuring, he learns to identify that same feeling and think, "My body is giving me extra adrenaline to project my voice and stay alert."

By transforming the internal narrative from a threat to a challenge, the emotional response changes, allowing energy to be channeled toward task performance rather than self-protection or avoidance.

Use of music for mood regulation.

The strategic use of music has been validated as a powerful tool for psychophysiological regulation in sport.

Music can be used to modulate arousal levels (increase energy or induce calm), improve focus, dissociate the mind from fatigue, and reinforce self-confidence.

Research has shown that appropriate music can reduce the perception of effort and psychological stress.

In practice, a rowing team might use up-tempo, rhythmic music during warm-up to synchronize their movements and elevate their heart rate together, promoting cohesion and physical readiness.

Conversely, an ultra-distance runner might use specific playlists to manage moments of pain or boredom, or soft instrumental music during recovery periods to speed the return to calm and reduce post-exertion cortisol levels.

Music acts as an emotional anchor that helps the athlete get into the optimal mental state for performance.

Summary

Cognitive restructuring allows the interpretation of sensations to be changed. The athlete is taught to see physical activation not as fear, but as energetic preparation to compete.

By transforming the perception from a threat to a challenge, the emotional response changes. This allows adrenaline to be channeled into effective action rather than self-protection.

Music is a powerful tool for psychophysiological regulation. It is used strategically to modulate energy, improve focus and dissociate the mind from the feeling of fatigue.