Coaching Harmony - Balancing Relaxation and Intensity for Peak Performance

By: Michael Moore (Senior Technical Analyst)

As performers we can often fail to achieve our best when we are too uptight or anxious. The problem is usually a consequence of losing perspective. In a high-stakes?match, anxiety can cause hesitation, impacting both you and the team unity. Personal best often occurs when the mind, body and soul are in harmony.

In this article, I will explore the concept of discovering a state of balance and comfort within demanding environments and competitions.

In the thrilling 2024 Champions League semi-final between Real Madrid C.F. and FC Bayern München , as stoppage time ticks away in a stadium erupting with energy, viewers at home are on the edge of their seats. Amidst the chaos, Carlo Ancelotti stands out, calm and collected, his hand casually in his pocket, yet orchestrating crucial tactical moves from the seat of Coaching Harmony.

As a coach you must try to develop your ability to relax your body and mind, it allows you to control your intensity and channel focus both of which enhance performance. A certain amount of tension is needed to be able to compete. On the other hand, if you are gone too far, you can lose balance and control.

Struggling to excel when feeling tense or anxious, often stemming from a loss of perspective and the inability to achieve harmony among mental, physical and emotional states, results in suboptimal performance outcomes. You must get to know your signals and patterns that contribute to this.

Ask yourself - What do you feel when you start to feel uptight? Try to identify early stress signals, you can use them as cues to shift focus. You must understand your own patterns and begin to identify and manage them before they take control of your thoughts, before auto pilot performance is knocked out of rhythm.

Try to come familiar with different ways of relaxing such as:

• Self Relaxation like breathing or meditation.
• Assisted Relaxation, using your environment like calming settings, silence or just look and listen to what’s around you.

Two things happen with effective relaxation:

1. A physiological response, oxygen consumption decreases, your breathing slows down, you become calmer.

2. A psychological response, a shift in thoughts and focus, clearing the way, for a peak performance mindset through a calm mind.

Take time to reflect on your feelings when tension arises, understanding your personal stress patterns are crucial to pre-emptively managing them before they overpower your thoughts, disrupting your focus. Doing this will help you better trigger your auto-pilot performance response.

When harmony is lacking, individual performance is compromised. Doubt sets in, motivation can diminish and an increased focus on personal concerns tends to build up.

Harmony within a coaching environment cultivates several key elements that are crucial to optimal performance. It fosters trust in your decisions, ensures smooth communication among the team. In essence harmony is the cornerstone of an environment where both you and players can flourish, unlocking full potential and energies.