Relaxation Techniques for Performance Anxiety

I had shared some techniques at a previous Spivey concert, for last Sunday's concert I decided to ask ChatGPT to elaborate: (download the .pdf below which is nicely formatted)

Phase 1: Physical Stabilization & Breathing

Target: Stopping hand tremors and calming the nervous system.

The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique: Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds. Repeat for 4 cycles to lower adrenaline—the direct cause of shaky hands.

Box Breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, short sharp chest exhale and hold for 4, exhale slowly and hold empty for 4 to lower your heart rate.

2:1 Breathing: Exhale for twice as long as you inhale to quickly activate your body's calming response.

Diaphragmatic Breathing: Breathe deeply into your belly rather than your upper chest to stop shallow, rapid panic breathing. [1, 2, 3]

The Isometric Hand Press: Press your palms firmly together in front of your chest (like a prayer position). Push hard for 7 seconds, then completely relax your hands. Repeat 3 times. Why it works: Shaky hands are caused by trapped adrenaline; forcing the muscles to contract firmly burns off that excess energy and stabilizes the fine motor muscles.

Warm-Up Friction: Rub your hands together vigorously until they feel warm. Shaky hands often turn cold due to restricted blood flow. Warming them manually restores circulation and flexibility.Phase 2: Tapping & Tactile Warm-Up

Phase 2: Reducing anxiety and activating finger muscle memory.

Anxiety & Focus Tapping: Use two fingers to gently tap the following points 5 to 7 times each while breathing deeply. As you tap, mentally focus on the word "Steady":

Side of the hand (the fleshy "karate chop" area)

Inside edge of the eyebrow

Side of the eye (on the bone)

Under the eye (on the cheekbone)

Under the nose

The collarbone (just below the throat)

Cross your arms and tap your shoulders

High-Contact Silent Tapping: Find a flat surface. Instead of just moving your fingers loosely, tap your fingers down and intentionally feel the hard surface with your fingertips. Why it works: Memory slips often happen when we lose “tactile awareness." Forcing your brain to focus on the physical sensation of your fingertips grounds your muscle memory.

The Wrist Drop: Let your arms hang loosely at your sides and gently shake out your wrists like you are shaking water off your hands. Keep your fingers completely limp.

🧠 Phase 3: Anti-Memory Slip Mental Visualization

Target: Securing structural memory checkpoints to prevent freezing.

Checkpoint Visualization: Do not try to mentally practice the whole piece (this can cause panic). Instead, mentally visualize only the starting notes of your main transitions or sections (e.g., the beginning, the development, the recap).

Why it works: Memory slips usually happen at transition points. Knowing exactly where your "safety nets" are ensures that even if you slip, your brain instantly knows where to jump next.

The "Blackout" Protocol: Mentally rehearse your recovery plan. Remind yourself: “If I miss a note, I will not stop or go backward. I will keep the rhythm going and glide seamlessly to the next section.”

The Cue Word: When you are ready to walk onstage, take a deep belly breath, exhale and repeat your grounding phrase: "Heavy elbows, steady hands." Focus on keeping your forearms and elbows heavy, which naturally stabilizes shaking wrists.

SUMMARY:

Box Breathing

Isometric Hand Press

Tapping - Body

Tapping - High-Contact Finger

Wrist Drop and Shake

Starting Notes - Checkpoint

DEEP BREATH AND EXHALE

“HEAVY ELBOWS, STEADY HANDS!!!”

ENJOY THIS BEAUTIFUL HALL, AND GLORIOUS PIANO!!!

Relaxation Techniques.pdf

Download PDF • 137KB