ABSTRACT
The ability to focus is an important mental skill for an athlete in a competitive situation. The athlete must be able to concentrate on relevant aspects of the situation and block out distracting, irrelevant information. The component skills involved in a winning focus include attentional skills, self-talk, and control of physiological arousal. Anxious feelings and thoughts are normal reactions to competitive stress and are experienced by most athletes. Successful competitive athletes learn to recognize and control their level of physical tension. Mindfulness can improve mood by enabling psychologists to let go of negative thoughts by focusing only on the present. This process helps psychologists regulate their emotions. Deep breathing is an effective and straightforward technique to release tension and to relax. This type of breathing is known as rhythmic breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, abdominal breathing, belly breathing, deep breathing, or relaxation breathing.
