A woman on the ski erg: When pressure rises, your mind can work with you or against you.
© Leo Francis/Red Bull Content Pool
Fitness Training

How to turn anxiety into energy: Simple hacks you need to know

Feeling the nerves before you perform? Mental training expert Kate O’Keeffe explains how to turn that anxiety into fuel using visualisation, breathwork and self-talk.
By Valerio Mammone
3 min readPublished on

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“Mental coaching used to be stigmatised. Now it plays a key role,” says Kate O’Keeffe. She works as a mental training expert at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center (APC) – a high-performance facility in Thalgau, near Salzburg. O’Keeffe supports world-class athletes who face intense pressure, where even the smallest error can change everything. And while most of us aren’t steering a race car through a tight corner or launching off a mountain bike ramp, we do know the feeling of nerves before a race, an event or even a tough training session.
Japanese ski jumper Ryōyū Kobayashi seen focused at the top of the ski jumping hill.

Ryōyū Kobayashi prepares to fly to a new ski jump record

© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool

The same tools that help elite athletes stay focused under extreme pressure can help all of us perform better when it matters, whether it's your first HYROX, a local 10K or simply getting out of your own head on a stressful day.

In what ways does mental training improve an athlete’s performance?

Mental training expert Kate O’Keeffe: Mental training and physical training go hand in hand. Techniques such as visualisation, self-talk, mindful breathing and intentional mental rest improve concentration, reduce stress and promote recovery, helping athletes to give the best of themselves.

New Zealand's pro alpine skier Alice Robinson training in the weight room.

Alpine skier Alice Robinson refocusing before the next set

© Miles Holden/Red Bull Content Pool

How has your discipline changed over the years?

Sports psychology used to focus on isolated actions and was often stigmatised as something that only ‘weak-minded’ people needed. Nowadays, research and practical application have turned mental coaching into a recognised discipline that’s key to improving performance.

How does a mental training expert help athletes to recover following an injury?

Injuries often come with fear, anxiety and dips in motivation. Recovery is based on gradual exposure, monitoring progress and rediscovering a sense of safety in movements. Fear is natural, but if it’s channelled correctly, it can shift from being an obstacle into becoming a tool.

Winter sports are stressful by nature. How do athletes deal with the tension?

Grounding techniques help athletes reconnect with the present moment and take back control in a fraction of a second. Mindful breathing, self-talk and simple reset gestures – a breath, a word – help athletes to maintain concentration and immediately recover from mistakes.

What role do mental routines or rituals play in their performance?

Little repeated habits send a signal to the brain that it’s time to act. For example, a snowboarder might visualise their first jump, or a biathlete might repeat a breathing pattern before firing a shot. These rituals create a sense of certainty and help to improve athletes’ control over their emotions.

Maddie Mastro performs at the Laax Open in Laax, Switzerland on January 17, 2025.

Maddie Mastro soars at the Laax Open 2025

© Ondrej Kolacek/Red Bull Content Pool

Can you share a simple mental exercise for managing stress or improving concentration?

Try the ‘physiological sigh’: Focus on your breathing. Breathe in deeply through the nose. Hold it for a moment, then breathe in again briefly to maximise the amount of air in your lungs. Breathe out slowly through your mouth. Repeat this two or three times. This quick exercise reduces stress, lowers the heart rate and refocuses the attention. It’s useful in sports and also every day life.

Fell stressed? Follow this expert-approved simple mental exercise

Mental training expert Kate O’Keeffe suggests trying the "physiological sigh" to manage stress.
  • Focus on your breathing.
  • Breathe in deeply through the nose.
  • Hold it for a moment, then breathe in again briefly to maximise the amount of air in your lungs.
  • Breathe out slowly through your mouth. Repeat this two or three times. This quick exercise reduces stress, lowers the heart rate and refocuses the attention. It’s useful in sports and also every day life.
Fitness Training
Athletics