ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on understanding what pressure is and how it manifests, and explores how performers respond to pressure, and consider strategies that can be adopted to maximize performance under pressure. Choking has been defined as 'a critical deterioration in skill execution leading to substandard performance that is caused by an elevation in anxiety levels under perceived pressure at a time when successful outcome is normally attainable by the athlete'. Coping resources 'comprise a wide variety of behaviours and social networks that aid the individual in dealing with the problems, joys, disappointments, and stresses of life'. Coping then can modify a troubled person environment relationship, leading to a different emotional state. Pressure acclimatization training offers the potential to better prepare performers for competition. However, more research is required that explores using this technique in a more diverse range of performance domains. Priming has been suggested as another way to enhance performance under pressure.
