How to Deal with Competition Nerves thread

[Caleb Valenzuela]

This is a thread where people can share tips to deal with nerves. Nerves is something that holds our fellow speedcubers back from achieving maximum potential in competition. It really depends on whatever makes that cuber nervous, like becoming nervous because they are afraid to fail, because they are nervous that they may be judged, and etc.
My method of dealing with nerves is not expecting much of myself. Which means hoping to succeed, and NOT expecting to do good. And if you fail, know that there is always another comp waiting for you in the future. Don't be pressured to improve fast like the top cubers, don't be in a hurry to get better quickly, because everybody has their own pace, their own timing. Just enjoy cubing, that will make you one of the best in the world.

 

[bldcuber314]

Not taking the solve too seriously is a good way to reduce nerves(even if in reality you really care about the solve)

 

[Caleb Valenzuela]

What makes you nervous at competitions?

 

[Kami]

Just do compsims all the time and boom. No comp nerves

 

[Caleb Valenzuela]

Just do compsims all the time and boom. No comp nerves

comps sims don’t decrease my nerves, but going to more competitions do.

 

[NmeCuber]

I might not be able to give an opinion since I usually do better in comps, but I like to visualize it as "I only have to perform well for 5 solves" and that's why I usually do better in the SS comp and in WCA comps.

 

[Spencer131]

quote from max park

dont think just solve

 

[Caleb Valenzuela]

quote from max park

dont think just solve

forgot about that but yeah that is good advice

 

[CubeLite]

quote from max park

dont think just solve

That is probably the best advice, I did that with skewb one time, where I just solved it, I didn't looked at my averages, and got my first sub 4 ao100

 

[Caleb Valenzuela]

That is probably the best advice, I did that with skewb one time, where I just solved it, I didn't looked at my averages, and got my first sub 4 ao100

yeah I guess everyone has their ways of managing nerves

 

[FineGeoduck2211]

quote from max park

dont think just solve

this is literally the best advice, what gets me nervous is when I know I'm good at an event, or at least I can get to finals or podium, and if I start off well, that gets me really nervous because I know I have a shot, but it could be my only one sometimes. My advice would be this, DON'T EVER think about the solve , the time, if the scramble is good or not, just DON' THINK about anything, solve it like nothing is happening, if a thought comes to you like "I need a sub X on this solve" or "This scramble is so good I can easily sub X it", that can mess you up so hard (I'm talking from experience)

So in conclusion,

Don't think about anything, go blank, just solve the cube as fast as you can no matter what, try your best, just pretend every solve is the last solve of a bad avg and you just don't care about it


Don't think, just solve

 

[GeographicalCuber]

I just think, "It's no big deal, just try to have fun"

It also helps when I pretend it's just a casual solve.

 

[Sombi McJunior]

One thing that really helps me is to just be ready to fail. When you’re not afraid of failing, you won’t be as conscious and stressed, you can say that negative thinking just works in my favor big time.

 

[IsThatA4x4]

Pretty much all of my PR averages I've just been joking around with friends in the waiting area, taking your mind off the solve until you actually need to do it really helps. If something bad happens you can always think of it as something funny happening instead - that way you might have done really badly but you have a funny story to tell and it doesn't really matter.

 

[Caleb Valenzuela]

I really haven't been to enough competitions to give concrete advise, but you guys probably have been to way more comps than me, and have more experience overall. But all the replies in this thread so far has made me see the differences between everyone of us. Thanks for replying everyone, I will try to use these in my comp in 4 days.

 

[Bingus Ringus McDingus]

As someone who has stayed up for thirty-one hours at a cubing competition just three weeks ago, I can safely say that competition nerves are easily negated by a quick talk to a friend and a few push-ups (try going for just 10-15 so you don't feel like it's an actual exercise, which may start unnecessary stress in the moment), which helps you feel more at home. I DNFed my 2x2 average, but after doing the steps outlined above, I felt ready to tackle the rest of the events like no big deal.

Good luck at your competition!

 

[Caleb Valenzuela]

As someone who has stayed up for thirty-one hours at a cubing competition just three weeks ago, I can safely say that competition nerves are easily negated by a quick talk to a friend and a few push-ups (try going for just 10-15 so you don't feel like it's an actual exercise, which may start unnecessary stress in the moment), which helps you feel more at home. I DNFed my 2x2 average, but after doing the steps outlined above, I felt ready to tackle the rest of the events like no big deal.

Good luck at your competition!

Thanks you for the advice!

 

[Caleb Valenzuela]

sorry for the bump, but i feel that music and noise reduction really do help with nerves. I also really think that “don’t think, just solve” is more true to me now. In my recent comp, I knew that i had a good chance at getting a good average in 2x2, but instead, i DNFed out of 1st place. I was pretty lucky as well in 3x3 Finals, where I felt my nerves more than ever, but luckily i was able to manage them well. I’ll try practicing more of the suggested methods since i have a pretty major comp coming soon.

 

[Deleted member 36445]

if you're nervous then relax

 

[Kami]

Turn the plastic square