Watching the Summer Olympics in Rio can be nerve wrecking, but just imagine what these athletes are going through. They have to perform their very best in front of dozens of cameras, thousands of people on the stands and millions watching on TV around the world–and what about the criticism that comes from social media? It can be an extremely stressful time, but Laurie Hernandez still manages to blow us away with her performances, and she’s only 16!
How Does She Do It?
Calming your nerves when you’re in that much pressure can be a challenge within itself. Which is why we could learn a lot from watching Hernandez perform. Robert Andrews, Sports Psychology Consultant told Health how the pre-routine behaviors we saw her do prior to her performances are valuable tools that require the right mindset.
Breathing in & Out
“I like to say that oxygen is the cure for stress and anxiety,” says Andrews. “A lot of athletes, when they’re stressed out, start breathing a lot shallower and faster. So learning how to monitor and be aware of breathing patterns under stress is important.” Andrews actually runs the Institute of Sports Performance in Houston and has worked with hundreds of professional athletes, including Hernandez and Simone Biles.
He taught Hernandez the diaphragmatic or simply put “belly” breathing where she moves her diaphragm down so that her lungs can open up. “Laurie, like a lot of people, tends to hold her stress in her stomach—so she’s connecting her mind to her stomach and her breathing patterns.” These deep breaths can help release tension in the body, which also help relax the mind. This changes hormonal function in the brain and even lowers the production of cortisol, which is the stress hormone.
Show Confidence
Hernandez has amazing postures, her lines are near perfection, and her body language and posture screams confidence. Her very upright, straight posture tells the judges how good she is, but it also sends a signal to her brain. “Strong body language like that can actually increase the production of testosterone and lower the production of stress-related hormones,” he says. “It creates brain chemistry that increases assertiveness and confidence, which you need just the right amount of when you’re on the bars, the beam, the floor, wherever.”
We also saw her wink at the judges during her floor routine and even whisper the words, “I got this” to herself prior to beginning her routine, which are small things related to positive thinking. “Where you point your mind, your body follows—so Laurie has figured out that those words are very empowering for her mind and body, and they’re going to help her bring out that fierceness that she needs,” he says. “I can’t think of a better powerful, affirmative statement of belief in herself.”
These are all things that people can use during their everyday lives, for example: prior to a big meeting, job interview, when asking for a raise, or any other stressful situation where you’re feeling nervous. Follow these tips from Andrews:
- Close your eyes and sit or stand up straight.
- Find the spot in your body where your stress is building up. Is it in your throat? Your chest? Your stomach? Focus on that spot.
- Inhale deeply, so that your stomach expands out and not up. It can help to put your hand on your stomach to feel this movement happening.
- Concentrate on slowly breathing in and out, and feel your stress levels come down.
You’ll be surprised at how well you can control your nerves with just these easy steps. If anything, follow Laurie’s lead and enforce positive thinking by saying: “I got this!”
Laurie Hernandez, The Youngest of the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team