Welcome
to the monthly newsletter from
Conquering Ring Nerves
The
Unique Dog Handlers' Training Program to Combat Ring
Nerves!
"If
you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you
can dream it, you can become it." - Wm.
Archer Ward
Issue:
March, 2002
Publisher & Editor: Diane
Peters Mayer
President, Conquering Ring Nerves
Co-editor:
Vanessa Klapper - Director of Fitness
A.
PeakSpeak
B. Ask the Coaches
C. Training Tip of The
Month
D. Readers Reply
E. Handlers Tales
F. Book Picks
G. Coming Events
A.
PeakSpeak
Hello
and welcome to all of our readers and new subscribers!
PeakNews
offers a range of information about ring nerves,
the ways to conquer it, and how to really enjoy competition.
Our training tip for March focuses on physical fitness.
A
handler from PA has submitted a very interesting
question to Ask The Coaches.
We
begin a new column this month, Readers Reply, with
an idea for easing ring nerves sent by a Maine reader
who responds to last month's Handlers' Tales.
The
same Maine reader also submitted to Handlers Tales.
Book
Picks reviews two outstanding titles that can help
you become a winner, and a third for fitness and
health.
Second
Chances will not appear this month. Please submit
your story about the work you are doing with your
dog to turn it into a great companion and competitor.
Upon publication, we'll make a donation in you and
your dog's name to the shelter or rescue group of
your choice. Rescues have so much to offer, so let's
hear about yours.
PeakNews
offers a unique format in which to engage and connect
with handlers from the US, Canada, Australia, New
Zealand, Finland and South Africa on a topic that
may be difficult to think about and discuss otherwise.
Please send along your submissions for the April
issue now. Length is unimportant and we'll be glad
to edit for you, if you wish.
Since
PeakNews began, we've heard from readers in the USA
on the East coast. Let's hear from other parts of
the US, our neighbors in Canada, and friends in other
countries. We would love questions and comments and
stories. Are you trying out the tips and exercises?
Do they help? Maybe you've improved on them? We all
want to know.
Please
join us to become the handler of your dreams. Your
dog will thank you!
Enjoy.
Diane & Vanessa
B.
Ask the Coaches
A
CAYP seminar alum feels self-conscious at shows using
the techniques that she learned. Any readers have
a similar experience? Write what it's like for you,
and if you solved this problem.
Dear
Coaches:
Right before entering the ring, I do
my breathing and calming exercises. I close
my eyes and try to concentrate on what
you taught me. Though the breathing helps,
doing it there makes me feel "peculiar" because
my friends don't know what I am doing and
ask me what's wrong. I get upset because
people "won't get it" or understand
and will "sniggle" behind their
hands. What can I do? J.M.,
Pennsylvania
Dear
J.M.:
It's great that you are doing the exercises and that they help. Remember,
in the on-deck position your nerves and physical sensations are heightened,
and it sounds like you are imagining that you are "on display",
that everyone is staring at you, which is an uncomfortable sensation.
Just keep on practicing and doing Yoga Breath,
plus the other calming exercises, and as your confidence builds, these
feelings will diminish, because your ability to relax and focus will
override them. Being able to concentrate in a pressured environment takes
lots of practice, and you're on your way to doing it. But here are a
number of things you can do now.
- Practice
Yoga Breath and all other calming exercises with
your eyes open at home and during training sessions.
At the seminar, we practiced with eyes closed and
open, then threw in distractions to see if you
would get rattled. Do the same while practicing,
using music, TV, or anything else you can come
up with to try to shake your focus. With eyes open,
no one should notice what you are up to.
- Attend
shows without competing. Practice all your exercises
with your eyes open, to desensitize yourself to
the show environment and to strengthen your ability
to concentrate in it.
- If
friends ask "what's wrong", tell them
the truth, that you are preparing for competition.
If they "don't get it", there's nothing
you can do about it. You have to decide what is
more important, doing what is best for yourself
and your dog and possibly standing out from the
crowd, or giving in to the opinion of others.
- Remember
too, you're not the only handler who's anxious,
most everyone is feeling the pressure too, some
even more than you. The "being on stage" ,
that makes you seem so vulnerable, is just part
of ring nerves which often distorts thoughts and
the way one look at things. Think about what you
do at shows. Do you spend time trying to figure
out what other handlers are doing, or are you mostly
focused on your up-coming event? People may be
looking at you, but are probably thinking about
themselves, and are taking very little notice of
what you are doing.
- By
training yourself to be the best competitor you
can be, and with more experience in the ring, you
will eventually become self-assured, and feeling "peculiar" will
become a non-issue.
Happy
training. Keep practicing and let us know how you
are doing.
Diane & Vanessa
Note:
To submit a question, please send an email to: CAYPNews@aol.com
C.
Training Tip Of The Month
Tighten
Those Abs For a Better Performance
This
month's training tip and exercise is about body strengthening,
specifically the abdominals, which can help you feel
solid and centered during competition.
No
matter what sport you compete in, how you move will
have an effect on your success. If you are a confident
competitor, you will be more mentally and physically
balanced in the ring.
But
ring nerve symptoms can create havoc with your body
and the way it acts. Mental distress may make it
difficult for you to move smoothly through your event.
Anxiety can make you shaky, awkward, unsteady, and
physically exhausted. Your dog will certainly pick
up on the physical differences in your body between
training sessions, when you're feeling relaxed and
having fun, and the stomach-churning competition
arena.
Being
out of shape will only add to your struggle. Strong
abdominal muscles can aid in good posture and help
you to control pace and movement in the ring. Being
physically fit will increase stamina, allow you to
handle stressful situations better, and play a part
in channeling your nervous energy into the kind of
performance that you desire.
The
abdominals, commonly called "abs", are
composed of four major muscles, the internal and
external obliques, the rectus abdominis and the transverse
abdominis. These muscles support the torso's motions,
such as rotation, bending to one side and forward
motion.
The following exercise will strengthen the transverse abdominis, which
makes up the deepest layer of muscle in the abdomen.
Exercise:
- Sit
on the floor Indian style, with your back against
a wall, or sit in a straight-backed chair with
your feet flat on the floor.
- Make
sure your back is flat against the wall or back
of chair.
- Keep
your upper body relaxed.
- Your
eyes can be open or closed.
- Try
to concentrate deeply on what you are doing. If
your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the
exercise.
- Now,
without strain, pull your belly button back toward
your spine as far as you can, and at the same time,
exhale slowly.
- Relax
and inhale slowly.
- Repeat,
and this time, without strain, try to pull your
belly button in a little further, and "hold" for
5 seconds, but continue to breathe.
- Relax
your abdomen.
- Keep
your movements as controlled and smooth as possible.
- Repeat
for 10 repetitions, pulling your belly button in
as far as you can.
- Work
up to a "hold" time of 10-15 seconds.
- Your
goal is to do 3-5 sets of 10 repetitions at each
practice session.
- Practice
no more than 3 times per week.
Training Rules:
- Always
take it slow and exercise at your own pace. Listen
to your body!
- If
you plan to exercise, but feel tired or sore, rest
instead.
- Do
not do strength training daily. Muscles need time
to recover, so give yourself a 24- 36 hour rest
between exercise sessions.
- If
you have any health concerns, check with your doctor
before doing any exercise.
- Add
other exercises to your program to work the entire
set of abdominal muscles. See Book
Picks for a recommendation.
- Don't
work out regularly? Think about starting an exercise
program that you will enjoy, for overall health
and fitness.
D.
Readers Reply
D.P.
a reader from Maine replied to Karen's
story in the February issue. We also thank her
for submitting to Handlers' Tales.
"Hello,
I'm new at Competition Obedience, having had to work
hard to overcome a dog aggression issue. Now have
1st leg of CD.
I
just spent 10 hours last weekend as a steward at
a sanctioned match. I was the one moving the jumps
around and being a post. After watching well over
100 dogs and handlers, my anxiety level about showing
is greatly reduced. I'd recommend it highly. Leave
your dog at home, just go to enjoy, soak up the atmosphere,
and learn".
Has
anyone else tried this, or something else that worked?
Please let D.P. and the rest of us know about it.
Submit to Readers Reply.
E.
Handlers' Tales
Here
are D.P.'s answers to a PeakNews interview.
- Can
you detail what it is like for you to prepare for
a show?
I
try to get my dog more focused on me - lots of interactive
games, especially tug. Of course, we work on areas
that I think are weak, but try to make it fun instead
of drill.
- What
kind of feelings and symptoms do your experience?
Butterflies
while driving to show or match. Once I'm there, they
usually go away. I go early to get Leika and myself
acclimated, zero in on the restrooms, find where
my ring is, where I'm going to set up. If it's not
too hot, I'll leave Leika in the car while I do this.
Having sorted this part out, then I can concentrate
more on her.
I'll
always be conscious of her history of fear aggression
toward dogs. It's pretty well under control now with
clicker training - another dog means look to me for
treats, but I'm aware of the potential of her "snarking" at
another dog. She's never bitten, just telling them
to keep out of her face, but....
- What
is it like for you at the show? How do you prepare
yourself right before you go into the ring?
I
generally enjoy myself. I enjoy seeing the different
breeds, seeing different handling techniques. OTOH,
I'm nervous because of the dogs in close proximity
because of Leika's history. This, of course, doesn't
help Leika. Just before I go into the ring, I know
there's nothing more I can do. I try to give Leika
a hug, get her focused on me, and assume we'll do
well.
- How
does Leika react to your nerves?
I
didn't think she really did, until the last show.
We got there just in time (got lost on the way) and
went immediately into the ring. All was fine until
the heel off lead. I've trained her to come up between
my legs "peek" as a fun thing. She kept
trying to get between my legs for part of the pattern.
Actually, I thought it was funny. A stern cue brought
her into position for the rest of the exercise. We
barely qualified so I guess she did the rest OK.
- How
do you feel after a show?
On
a high for a few hours. Must be an adrenaline reaction.
- What
kinds of things do you do to calm yourself and
Leika?
I'm
working on visualization of the perfect leg. Seems
to help if the eve before a show or match, I think
about each step and how well we're going to do.
Unfortunately,
Leika is one of the German Shepherd "spooks",
so I try to get her to play with me before we go
into the ring. It's hard to distract her from all
the dogs so close, though.
I
enjoy the showing. It's still very new to me and
I'm learning all the time. Wish I had started sooner.
Thanks
so much D.P. We'd love to interview you too, so contact
us!
Note: Please share with us your experiences in the ring: achievements
and successes, difficulties and how you coped, funny and/or embarrassing
moments, etc. To submit a story, please write to us at: CAYPNews@aol.com
F.
Book Picks - These books can be purchased from
Amazon.com by clicking on the book title.
 That
Winning Feeling!
by
Jane Savoie
This book swept the competitive dog world when it first appeared in 1992.
If you haven't read it since then, it's worth a reread. Never read it?
It's worth the price. Savoie's approach to performance training is based
on "Psycho-Cybernetics" begun by Dr. Maxwell Maltz, who states
that we can program our subconscious mind "as a WIN mechanism or
as a LOSE mechanism", by changing what we say, think and imagine.
Savoie includes her own inspirational story as well as those of others,
and exercises.
 The
Psychology of Winning
by
Dr. Denis Waitley
Written in the late 1970's and revised in the mid-eighties, Waitley's
writings have a timeless quality. A nationally acclaimed motivational
coach and teacher on personal development and peak performance, in this
book, Waitley reveals his philosophy and "formula for developing
ten qualities of a total winner". He weaves stories, quotes from
famous people and exercises into the text.
Other
books by Dr. Waitley: The Double Win and The
Winners Edge.
 The
Complete Book of Abs
by
Kurt Brungardt
Contains more than 100 exercises rated from easy to difficult with scientific
data. Brungardt includes training routines, and basic information about
exercise and diet. Remember to check with your doctor before beginning
any exercise program.
G.
Coming Events
SIGN
UP FOR OUR JUNE SEMINAR!
Ring
Nerve Workshop - For Handlers Without Dogs
Saturday, June 15th, 10:00am-2:00pm in Blairstown, NJ
Are
you struggling in the ring? Stopped competing or
thinking about it? Conquer ring nerves and learn
to feel secure in the dog show environment.
Get
back into competition!
Click
here to register
or call Diane at 215-348-8836
GROUP
TRAINING
Stop ring nerves from home. If you can't make a
seminar or workshop then join us for a dynamic learning
experience. Groups forming now.
You're
only a phone call away from success!
Click
here for more information
or call Diane at 215-348-8836
FREE
CONFERENCE TELEPHONE CALLS
Talk
with other handlers who also have ring nerves, get
training tips and your questions answered.
On
Tuesday, April 23rd, from 9:00-10:00pm EST, we feature
Mike Bailey, a personal trainer who coached Olympians
competing in the Decathlon, Hepthalon, 400 meters
and Javelin during the 1988 and 1992 Olympics. Mike
will talk about preparing for competition, how to
cope with anxiety , and the ways to channel it into
a great performance.
Don't
miss Mike's talk and Q&A!
Register
now and invite a friend, or call Diane at 215-348-8836.
We'll
Be in the Philadelphia Area this Spring!
If
you missed our March 23rd Seminar for Handlers and
Dogs, Y2K9s in Suburban Philadelphia will host us
on Saturday, May 11th.
Register
Now by contacting Ann at chironud@aol.com
or call 215-654-1822.
Thank
you! See you next month.
**Note:
Columns may vary from month to month.
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