Hello everyone... As some of you will remember I was training for my fitness test.
The training has been going very well....However I did the test today and failed.
I got self in such a panic over the possibility of failing that I felt like I had a ball in my chest and I felt like I could hardly breath...... I have never had a panic attack but I think it was something similar. I failed by quite a bit in the morning and then had another go in the afternoon and did so much better, I was only five runs off.
I know its in my head but I cant stop the panic of failing setting in. I have done it and passed on my own but as son as there is an audience I fall to pieces!
Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Is there anything I can take to calm me down or keep my chest from closing over to the space of a straw??? Arrrghhhhh

A very Tearful and Down in the Dumps Angeleyes

oh you poor thing, I am sorry to hear that it is such a shame as you know you are capable.

I wouldn't know what to recommend really except maybe concentrate on your breathing, before the test take some big deep breaths and let them out slowly this should help keep you calm, and during the test try counting your breathing in and out if this is possible, it should take the pressure of the test off your mind, by giving you something else to think about.

When will you get the chance to do another one?

__________________
A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots Oh what have I done FLM09

Obviously its ultimately you that has to overcome this, but there's two ways of looking at it to help ease teh pressure...

One, remind yourself that you've done it in practice, and reassure yourself that you CAN do it, the circumstances ARE NO DIFFERENT!

Or two... accept that under assessment, you can't do it and you fail, and you start it expecting to fail, but with the thought that you'll do your best regardless! Then who knows, you might just pass! I guess this one isn;t so easy to implement though.

__________________
RF Winter Social @ Castle Combe - Judgement day has arrived
www.richardsimkiss.co.uk - 'Lady Godiva Half Marathon' Race Report Added 27/10/08

I'm sorry but I've been away for ages, what fitness test is this for? I'm sorry to hear you failed though, that must be tough... but you KNOW you can do it, so don't worry too much, next time you get a chance, just keep that thought in mind and you'll be fine It pays to be cocky sometimes!

__________________
Mr Octopus has taken over, and you will all bow down his awesome power of massage-magic. Bow little ones... Bow.

Thanks for getting back to me... I am a very positive person and I am often in pass or fail situations with other things and NEVER PANIC and always pass.. but I have some sort of mental block with this darn bleep test. I have been given 6 weeks to get a pass. But there is another one next Wednesday and I want to try and pass it then so its not hanging over me. Others keep telling me to use the 6 weeks to train but I think I just need to try and calm myself and do it next week. I am 30 yr old adult and actually found myself crying like a baby after I had done it but t was only through sheer frustration!!
God I sound like a misery.

Angeleyes

you get to do it again so that is good, you know what to expect now.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

__________________
A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots Oh what have I done FLM09

I'm sorry you failed But at least you get a chance to try again.

Since you can do it on your own, it's obviously all in your mind, as you say. It's so easy for people to tell you what to do, but so hard to actually do it yourself and besides, I've always found with these things that you have to find what works for you. Other people have told me all sorts of things for dealing with stressful situations and most of them just don't work for me.

Maybe though, if we all give you some ideas as to what works for us, you can pick something that feels like it might work for you?

For me, I have to shut out the audience. I simply pretend to myself that they aren't there. I've been doing TaeKwon Do for a couple of years now, and I find the gradings so difficult - I'm being watched by the examiner, my instructor, and all the families and friends of the others who are grading (I don't let my husband come ) So I turn my mind inwards and focus completely on what I'm doing, and simply pretend that no-one else is there (until I have to do some moves with someone else, but even then, it's just them and me). I take deep breaths to calm myself, but mostly it's just a trick of simply ignoring what my eyes can see. Those other people just stop existing for me as I focus 100% of my attention on me and what my body is doing.

Good luck for next time

__________________
I feel good... da da da da da da

Thanks again for all your advice..... I think next wednesday I will just have to take some deep breaths and think of something else. I have a habit of counting how many levels I have to go and I dont think that helps. I NEED TO THINK POSITIVE!!! Either that or find a double who can run like a rabbit and pass it for me.
Failure sucks!!!!
Grrrrrrrrr

Hi Angeleyes,

I'm really sorry to hear your news. You might find that Bach flower remedies help. They are natural remedies available at health food shops that you can take to relieve stress and anxiety. I have known several people to take them before exams and competing in equestrian events. It might be worth a try ... even if it just takes the edge off the nerves a bit!

I hope you have better news for us when you re-take the test. Good Luck

Bach Flower....Just done a bit of reading up and that sounds great. Holland and Barret sell it so thats where I am off to tomorrow. Even if its just to take the edge off my nerves that would be great.
Thanks again.... Fingers crossed

repeat after me I CAN IWILL I MUST!

that the most sense you have made this evening

__________________
A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots Oh what have I done FLM09

you wait till you get to my age!

or mine

__________________
100k on a Crosstrainer.. for the bears
https://www.bmycharity.com/V2/100kcrosstrainerchallenge

Well if getting to your age means running as good as you two do then I would be happy with that....

__________________
A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots Oh what have I done FLM09