Why Do You Change Under Pressure (PNS vs SNS)

About this episode

Gira Schofield discusses how the nervous system affects tennis performance under pressure.

In this episode of BreakPoint Battle , Gira Schofield breaks down one of the biggest missing links in tennis performance: the nervous system. Have you ever walked off the court after a match wondering: “How did I just lose like that?” You know deep down that’s not how you normally play. Your strokes were there in practice. Your confidence was there before the match. But then the pressure kicked in—and suddenly your body felt completely different. This episode explores: Why your game changes under pressure The difference between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems How “fight or flight” impacts your breathing, timing, confidence, and movement Why practice doesn’t always transfer into matches A simple awareness tool players can use during competition Gira also shares personal experiences from her own tennis career and explains why feeling nervous before matches does not mean something is wrong with you. Instead of fighting your body during pressure moments, this episode teaches players how to begin working with their nervous system. Key Topics: Parasympathetic vs. sympathetic nervous system Impact of pressure on performance Practical nervous system regulation…

People in this episode

Host: Gira Schofield

Topics covered

• nervous system
• tennis performance
• pressure
• parasympathetic nervous system
• sympathetic nervous system
• fight or flight
• performance techniques

Keywords

• nervous system
• tennis
• pressure
• performance
• fight or flight
• breathing
• confidence
• practice
• competition

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