Helping Your Wrestler Handle Pre-Match Anxiety

Hey wrestling parents, let’s talk about pre-match nerves—that jittery, heart-racing feeling wrestlers get before stepping on the mat. If your athlete has ever told you, "I'm so nervous," right before a big competition, you’re not alone.

But what if I told you that nerves aren’t a bad thing? In fact, they’re part of a built-in survival system designed to help your wrestler perform at their best. The key isn’t getting rid of nerves—it’s learning how to use them.

Let’s break down the psychology behind pre-match anxiety and how your wrestler can turn it into an advantage.

Why Do Wrestlers Feel Nervous? It’s Science.

Nerves happen because of the brain’s natural response to high-pressure situations. When a wrestler gets ready for a match, the brain releases a flood of chemicals to prepare them for action.

Adrenaline & Cortisol: These stress hormones increase heart rate, sharpen focus, and send more oxygen to muscles.
Dopamine & Norepinephrine: These chemicals help heighten awareness, making your wrestler more alert and responsive.
Fight-or-Flight Mode: The brain activates survival instincts, making wrestlers feel restless or anxious.

This response is hardwired into humans as a way to prepare for danger. Back in ancient times, this helped people outrun predators or prepare for battle. For wrestlers, it prepares them to compete.

Reframing Fear as Excitement

Here’s where it gets interesting—the same chemicals that make wrestlers nervous are the ones that make them excited.

Your brain can’t actually tell the difference between fear and excitement—it’s all about how you interpret it.

When a wrestler says, "I'm nervous," the brain thinks: "This is bad, I should panic."
When a wrestler says, "I'm excited," the brain thinks: "This is good, I’m ready to perform."

This is a technique used by elite athletes, public speakers, and even Navy SEALs to override fear and take control of their mindset.

Try This: The "I’m Excited" Trick

Before a match, have your wrestler:

Acknowledge their nerves ("I feel my heart racing, that’s normal.")
Reframe the feeling ("That means I’m ready. I’m excited for this match.")
Channel it into focus ("I’m about to go out there and do what I’ve trained for.")

This simple shift tells the brain to use adrenaline as fuel instead of fear.

Other Strategies to Help Wrestlers Handle Nerves

1. Focus on the First 30 Seconds

One of the best ways to calm nerves is to narrow the focus. Instead of thinking about the entire match, wrestlers should focus on just the first 30 seconds.

What’s their first move?
How will they set the pace?
What’s the game plan for the opening exchange?

Breaking the match into small, manageable pieces makes it feel less overwhelming.

2. Control Breathing

When wrestlers feel anxious, they tend to breathe fast and shallow, which can make the body feel even more panicked. Slowing the breath tells the brain to relax.

A simple technique is box breathing:

Inhale for 4 seconds
Hold for 4 seconds
Exhale for 4 seconds
Hold for 4 seconds, then repeat

Doing this 3-5 times before stepping on the mat can reset the nervous system and reduce jitters.

3. Visualize Success

Many elite wrestlers use mental imagery to calm nerves and build confidence. Before a match, encourage your wrestler to:

Picture themselves executing moves perfectly
Imagine staying calm and focused
See themselves winning and walking off the mat feeling proud

The brain doesn’t know the difference between real experiences and imagined ones, so this technique helps build confidence before they even step on the mat.

4. Stick to a Pre-Match Routine

Routines create a sense of familiarity and control, which helps reduce nerves. Encourage your wrestler to:

Have a warm-up routine that gets them in the zone
Listen to a specific playlist or hype song
Repeat a confidence-building phrase (ex: "I’m ready. Let’s go.")

The more predictable their routine, the easier it is to get in the right mindset before matches.

Nerves Are an Advantage, Not a Weakness

If your wrestler feels nervous before big matches, that’s a good thing. It means their brain is getting them ready to compete.

By reframing nerves as excitement, focusing on small actions, using breathing techniques, and sticking to routines, wrestlers can turn their pre-match anxiety into an edge.

So next time your wrestler says, "I'm nervous," remind them:

"That’s just your brain getting you ready. You’re not nervous—you’re excited. Now go out there and wrestle."