Anxiety Management through Psychophysiological Techniques: Relaxation and Psyching-Up in Sport
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to describe the employment of relaxation and psyching-up techniques within the scope of support currently provided by psychologists in the Sports Science Department of the Brazilian Olympic Committee. The psychophysiological methods described here are used in the mental training of elite athletes in order to assist them in anxiety management and arousal regulation. The general principles of the practice of relaxation and psyching-up are presented, as well as the specific characteristics and procedures of each of the main techniques. This information is intended for sport consultants, coaches and other practitioners who use psychophysiological methods in their professional activities.
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By increasing awareness of muscle tension and learning to release it, athletes cultivate a state of calm that reduces cognitive anxiety, allowing better coping with stressful or pressure-filled situations.
“By increasing awareness of muscle tension and learning to release it, athletes cultivate a state of calm that reduces cognitive anxiety, allowing better coping with stressful or pressure-filled situations [101, 106, 107].”
From The Effect of Different Psychological Interventions on Athletes' Competitive Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis. (2026) · cites this paper as [101]
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- Authors
- Pineschi, G., & Di Pietro, A.
- Venue
- Journal of Sport Psychology in Action
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2013-09
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 181-190
- ISSN
- 2152-0704 (ISSN-L)
- 2152-0712
- OpenAlex
- W2008751033
- Cited by
- 47
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 2.76
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Sport Psychology in Action (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Sport Psychology and Performance
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Assessments
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Sports and Physical Education Research
- Keywords
- anxiety reduction, relaxation techniques, psychophysiological methods, arousal regulation, elite athletes, mental training, sport psychology, Olympic Committee
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