If you’re ever felt a little anxious or even panicky on the pickleball court, you’re not alone.
In rec play, I can get anxious if negative or overly aggressive vibes are wafting over the net from my opponents.
And in tournament play, my body can kick into “fight, flight or freeze” just as I’m about to step onto the court for the first few games. This is especially true if the women I’m facing are wearing expensive, matching pickleball outfits, that’s another blog topic :()
Happily, there are tons and tons of great tips to stop panicky feelings in their tracks, they often aren’t doable on the court.
For instance, the proven and effective tip of the mammalian diving reflex method is all great but not many of us can get our faces wet with really cold water in the middle of a pickleball game. At best we can use the mammalian diving reflex hack and have ice packs in our gear bag to put on our eyes and cheeks in between games…this hack triggers a pretty instant decrease in your heart rate, calming you down.
But PickleballChicks, I will not let you down. Here is a tip you can actually use in real life, courtside.
Eat a sour piece of candy (or bite into a lemon) can help.
The intense tartness can give your brain a much needed distraction from the pickleball panic spiral you’re in, potentially disrupting it enough to end the panic attack and let you get on with the order of the day: Winning the pickleball game!
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