Learning to Transfer Training to Competition (When It Feels Like a Mismatch)
Understanding the Mismatch
A mismatch happens when:
• Training performance is strong, but competition results or execution don’t reflect it.
• The athlete’s physical ability and preparation are ahead of their psychological readiness to express it.
• External factors (pressure, fear of mistakes, expectations, crowd, comparison) hijack focus.
Key insight:
Competition doesn’t test your fitness, it tests your ability to access your fitness under stress.
Why It Happens
• Outcome focus: Thinking about results, rankings, or mistakes rather than process.
• Fear of judgment: Trying to “prove” instead of “express.”
• Nervous system mismatch: Practice = controlled environment; competition = high arousal, different physiology.
• Inconsistent routines: No clear bridge between training mindset and competition state.
• Overthinking: Losing trust in instinctive execution.
The bridge from training → competition happens by deliberately training the mental and emotional states of competition.
Train under pressure: simulate stress in practice (time limits, public scoring, watchful eyes, mini-competitions).
Use cue words: consistent anchors that trigger confidence and rhythm (“free”, “trust”, “attack”).
Reflect after each session: what internal state produced my best training performances?
Visualize competing in that same internal state.
Debrief after: what shifted, and what can be reproduced from training?
Worksheet: Bridging Training and Competition
Goal: Identify the gap, train the mindset, and build consistency between practice and competition.
Step 1: Identify the Mismatch
1. When do I feel I perform better in training than competition?
________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
2. What’s different about my mindset, body, or focus between the two?
In Training: ________________________________________
In Competition: ____________________________________
Step 2: Define My “Training Self”
When I’m performing well in training:
• What am I thinking about? ___________________________________
• How do I feel in my body? ___________________________________
• What’s my attitude toward mistakes? ___________________________
• What’s my focus on? ________________________________________
Step 3: Define My “Competition Self”
When I compete:
• What changes? (thoughts, tension, body, emotions)
• What am I trying to control that I can’t?
Step 4: Find the Bridge
What specific elements from training do I want to bring into competition?
(Examples: my breathing rhythm, tempo, light feet, patience, playfulness)
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
My competition anchor words:
_______________________________________________
When to use them:
(Pre-match? After mistakes? During resets?)
_______________________________________________
Step 5: Visualization Drill (2 minutes)
• Visualize yourself competing as your “training self.”
• See yourself calm, expressive, moving freely, focused on controllables.
• Feel how that version of you handles nerves or misses — steady and composed.
• Finish with your cue word (e.g., “Free,” “Reset,” “Trust”).
Step 6: Reflection After Competition
• What parts of my training self showed up today? _____________________
• What shifted under pressure? _____________________________________
• What’s one adjustment I’ll make next time? _________________________