How to Use Pre-Competition Nerves to Improve Performance: The Power of Stress Reappraisal
Why Stress Before Competition Isn’t Always the Problem
Many athletes interpret pre-competition nerves as a sign that something is wrong.
A racing heart, sweaty palms, and heightened alertness are often labelled as anxiety or loss of control. This interpretation can quickly escalate stress and undermine performance.
However, sport psychology research suggests that the physiological response athletes experience under pressure is not inherently harmful. In fact, the same stress response can either support or hinder performance depending on how it is interpreted.
Research led by Jeremy P. Jamieson has shown that reappraising stress — interpreting it as helpful rather than harmful — can significantly improve how individuals respond to acute pressure (Jamieson et al., 2013).
For athletes performing in high-stakes environments, learning to reinterpret stress responses can be a powerful psychological skill.
Understanding Acute Stress in Performance Situations
Acute stress refers to the immediate physiological and psychological response to a demanding situation.
In sport this might occur during:
The moments before competition begins
A decisive point in a match
Returning from injury
Performing in front of large crowds
These situations trigger the body’s stress response system, activating the sympathetic nervous system.
This activation increases:
Heart rate
Breathing rate
Adrenaline release
Alertness and attention
Traditionally, athletes are often told to calm down or eliminate nerves before performing. While relaxation strategies can be helpful in certain contexts, research suggests that attempting to suppress stress responses may not always be optimal.
Instead, how athletes interpret those responses plays a crucial role.
The Concept of Stress Reappraisal
Stress reappraisal refers to changing how you interpret physiological stress responses.
Rather than viewing signs of stress as harmful or performance-debilitating, individuals reinterpret them as functional and performance-enhancing.
For example, instead of thinking:
“My heart is racing — I’m too nervous to perform.”
An athlete might reframe the response as:
“My body is preparing me to perform.”
This shift in interpretation can influence both psychological experience and physiological functioning.
Research by Jamieson and colleagues (2013) demonstrated that individuals who were encouraged to reinterpret stress responses as helpful showed more adaptive physiological responses during performance tasks.
In other words, simply changing the meaning attached to stress can change how the body responds.
Why Reappraisal Matters in Performance
In high-pressure environments, athletes cannot eliminate stress entirely.
Competition matters. Goals matter. Outcomes matter.
Stress responses occur because the situation is meaningful.
Attempting to eliminate these responses may create an additional problem: athletes begin to fight against their own physiology.
Reappraisal shifts the focus from eliminating stress to working with it.
This aligns with research on challenge and threat states in athletes (Jones et al., 2009; Meijen et al., 2020), which shows that when individuals believe they have the resources to meet demands, stress responses can actually facilitate performance.
Reinterpreting stress responses helps athletes maintain the perception that their body is preparing them for action rather than signalling danger.
The Physiology Behind Reappraisal
One reason reappraisal is powerful is that it influences the cardiovascular response to stress.
When individuals interpret stress responses negatively, the body can enter a threat pattern, characterised by:
Increased vascular resistance
Less efficient cardiovascular output
Greater physiological strain
However, when stress responses are interpreted positively, the body is more likely to display a challenge response, which is associated with:
Increased cardiac output
Efficient blood flow
Greater mobilisation of energy resources
These physiological patterns can influence how effectively athletes perform under pressure.
By reframing stress as functional, athletes may support the body’s performance-facilitating stress response.
Reappraisal Does Not Remove Stress
An important point is that reappraisal does not eliminate stress.
The athlete still experiences:
Elevated heart rate
Increased alertness
Physiological activation
The difference lies in how those sensations are interpreted.
Instead of interpreting activation as a signal of danger, athletes recognise it as preparation.
This small shift in interpretation can significantly change the psychological experience of competition.
Practical Examples in Sport
Consider two athletes standing on the start line of a race.
Both experience the same physiological symptoms:
Rapid heartbeat
Heightened focus
Muscle tension
Athlete A interprets this as:
“I’m too nervous. I might mess this up.”
Athlete B interprets it as:
“My body is ready to perform.”
Although the physiological response may initially be identical, the interpretation shapes the psychological experience and subsequent behaviour.
Athlete A may become cautious, distracted, or overwhelmed.
Athlete B is more likely to channel that activation into focused performance.
Developing Reappraisal Skills
Stress reappraisal is a skill that can be practiced and strengthened over time.
Below are several practical approaches athletes can use to develop this skill.
1. Reinterpret Physical Sensations
Instead of labelling sensations as “anxiety,” athletes can reinterpret them as performance readiness.
Examples include:
“My heart rate is increasing because my body is preparing for action.”
“This energy will help me perform.”
“This feeling means the competition matters.”
This reframing helps shift the meaning attached to physiological responses.
2. Expect Stress Rather Than Fight It
One common mistake athletes make is expecting themselves to feel calm before competition.
In reality, high-level performers often experience intense activation before performing.
Accepting that stress responses are normal prevents athletes from interpreting them as signs of failure.
3. Practice Reappraisal in Training
Psychological skills are most effective when practiced outside of competition.
Athletes can deliberately simulate pressure during training by:
Creating performance challenges
Practicing under time constraints
Introducing competitive scenarios
During these situations, athletes can practice interpreting stress responses as helpful rather than harmful.
4. Focus on Performance Demands
Reappraisal is easier when attention shifts toward task execution.
Athletes can use cues such as:
“Focus on the process.”
“Execute the technique.”
“Commit to the next action.”
Focusing on controllable actions reinforces the interpretation that the body is preparing for performance.
5. Use Performance Language
Language influences interpretation.
Athletes who regularly describe stress responses using negative language may reinforce threat interpretations.
Replacing phrases such as:
“I’m too nervous.”
with:
“I’m activated.”
“I’m ready.”
“My body is preparing.”
can help support reappraisal.
Reappraisal and Long-Term Performance
Although reappraisal primarily targets acute stress responses, the benefits can extend beyond individual competitions.
Athletes who develop healthier interpretations of stress may experience:
Greater psychological resilience
Reduced fear of pressure situations
Increased confidence under stress
Improved consistency in performance environments
Instead of viewing pressure as something to avoid, athletes begin to see it as a normal and potentially helpful part of competition.
Final Thoughts
Stress is not the enemy of performance.
In fact, the body’s stress response evolved to prepare individuals to meet demanding challenges.
For athletes, the key question is not:
“How do I eliminate stress?”
But rather:
“How do I interpret it?”
Research on stress reappraisal demonstrates that changing how we interpret physiological responses can significantly influence how we perform under pressure.
When athletes learn to view stress as preparation rather than danger, they begin to harness the energy that competition naturally creates.
In high-performance sport, that shift in interpretation can make a meaningful difference.
Contact information
Bradley Birch
Sport & Exercise Psychologist in Training | QSEP Stage 2
GMBPsS - Member ID: 806679 | MSc Sport & Exercise Psychology
References
Jamieson, J. P., Mendes, W. B., Blackstock, E., & Schmader, T. (2013). Turning the knots in your stomach into bows: Reappraising arousal improves performance on the GRE.
Jamieson, J. P., et al. (2013). Reappraising stress arousal improves cardiovascular and cognitive responses to stress.
Jones, M., Meijen, C., McCarthy, P., & Sheffield, D. (2009). A theory of challenge and threat states in athletes.
Meijen, C., Jones, M., Sheffield, D., & McCarthy, P. (2020). Revisiting challenge and threat in athletes.