"The best way out is always through." Robert Frost

Issue: May, 2002

Publisher & Editor: Diane Peters Mayer
President, Conquering Ring Nerves
Co-editor: Vanessa Klapper - Director of Fitness

A. PeakSpeak
B. *** Contest ***
C. Interview with Coach Mike Bailey
D. Second Chances
E. BookPicks
F. Announcements & Coming Events
G. Invitations

A. PeakSpeak

Hello. Welcome to all of our readers and the many new subscribers who have signed on!

PeakNews offers a range of information about ring nerves, the ways to conquer it, and how to really enjoy competition. Plus, you'll read great stories, and questions and comments from readers.

This is a special issue featuring an Interview with Mike Bailey, a personal trainer and former Olympic coach who was on our April conference call. Want to get tips on how to channel anxiety into a great performance? Then you'll want to read Mike's interview.

In Second Chances, you'll meet Rowdy, who went from street urchin to "dog extraordinaire."

BookPicks features a guide to living "in the now" and finding the road to serenity and success.

We are extending *** Funniest Ring Nerve Story *** contest into June. We've gotten some wonderful stories, but need more!! Please send yours in now. Writing experience is not necessary.

PeakNews aims to serve as a worldwide forum for dog handlers who suffer from ring nerves, so we need you to share your personal stories, questions and comments. Your confidentiality is assured if you request it and length is unimportant. If you want us to, we'll edit for you.

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. So, please, send along your submissions for the June issue now. Deadline is June 20th. Thanks.

Please join us to become the handler of your dreams. Your dog will thank you!

Enjoy.

Diane & Vanessa

B. *** Funniest Ring Nerve Story CONTEST ***

PeakNews is running a contest to find the funniest ring nerve stories. If you had an experience in the ring that was humorous, send it in and you could win:

1st place: Competing At Your Peak's Combating Ring Nerves Audio Tape Program with companion Training Manual and Diary, and two hours of one-on-one coaching by phone.

2nd place: Competing At Your Peak's Combating Ring Nerves Audio Tape Progam with companion Training Manual and Diary, and one hour of one-on-one coaching by phone.

3rd place: Competing At Your Peak's Combating Ring Nerves Audio Tape Progam with companion Training Manual and Diary.

Note: If a winner lives outside of the USA, coaching will be via email.
Audio Tapes will be available late spring.

Rules:

Winners will be notified by email on July 19th, and will be announced in the July issue. Their stories will appear in PeakNews, Handlers' Tales column. If you request it, your confidentiality is assured.

To submit, please send an email to: CAYPNews@aol.com

C. Interview with Coach Mike Bailey (by CAYP Director of Fitness, Vanessa Klapper)

Mike Q. Bailey lives and works in New York where he is currently an Area Fitness Manager for TSI, a large company that operates 125 health clubs in the Metropolitan Area. Mike began his competitive career as a High School All-American in football, wrestling and track.

Other competitive accomplishments include:

• TFA-USA National Decathlon Champion
• NCAA Defensive Linebacker All-American
• All-WAC Defense Linebacker
• Three-Year Defense Team Captain, Univ. of Utah
• Four-Year Starting Middle Linebacker Univ. of Utah

Mike began coaching high school football, wrestling and track and field teams in 1979. In 1980 he switched to coaching college track teams, and at the same time played professional football in Calgary, Canada.

In 1980, he quit football to become a Decathlete. He trained with over 20 coaches throughout the US to fine-tune the mental and physical components of competing in the Decathlon.

Mike competed until 1987 when he tore his Achilles tendon. Prior to injuring himself, in 1986 , he also started to coach track and field teams at the University of Southern California.

Throughout his career at USC, he coached 12 Olympians, 67 NCAA All-Americans and 18 NCAA Champions. Two of the Olympians he coached became gold medallists. Some of the people he coached included:

• Quincy Watts-400 meter and 4 X 400 meter. Mike worked on the mental aspects of Quincy's performance.
• Mark Creer in 110-meter High Hurdles.
• Wendy Brown and Sharon Hanson in Heptathlon.
• Yvette Bates in the Long Jump.

Currently Mike is training to compete in a Decathlon, Fall 2002.

V.K. What is the connection between physical fitness and managing the pressure of competition?

M.B. No matter what you're competing in, whether track and field or showing your dog, the more fit you are the better you'll be able to do. When you compete you feel a lot of mental pressure and that'll make you tired and fatigued, and fatigue will break down a competitor's mental state. When that happens, the pressures just multiply, and everything becomes harder to do, like concentrating and staying focused.

V.K. Though handler and dog are in the ring for minutes, many who suffer from severe nerves have said how exhausted they feel even before they get in the ring. The waiting around for your number to be called can be a killer.

M.B. Yeah, pre-performance anxiety can do you in, before you even start your event. So making sure you can keep your focus and energy high, with all the pressure and nerves, will take lots of stamina. Because, when you know your sport, when you have trained yourself well, then your mind can glide through what is required.

V.K. Many handlers we work with talk about how well their dogs do in training, how great a team they are, they both know what is required. But the show pressure just does the handler in, and those nerves are transmitted to the dog, and all the training seems to go down the tubes.

M.B. Well, I'd say to readers, get in shape, build your stamina and energy levels up high. You don't have to have a "hard body", but get physical on a regular basis. Get into a training program, and then they will see how fitness helps to fight nerves, and allow their mind, and all the training they've done to take over in the ring.

V.K. What about your personal experiences with performance anxiety?

M.B. I remember the first time I dealt with anxiety, the pressure almost broke me down completely during a race.

I was running the 400-meter and started feeling pain. The first thing I wanted to do was shut down and stop running the race. The only thing I could do was try to focus on finishing. So I began to concentrate hard on the technical aspects of running, like driving my arms and lifting my knees. Focusing on these two points helped me fight through the panic. I not only finished, but shaved1.5 seconds off my personal best.

V.K. What a story, that you could turn off the pain and anxiety! It's a similar technique to one that we teach, called "focusing on your body" , which helps handlers turn off those negative thoughts, that lead right into anxiety.

M.B. That's important to be able to do. I've worked long and hard on training myself physically and mentally to meet every circumstance. You never know what's going to happen. You have to be ready for anything.

V.K. And in competing with dogs, it's not just the handlers performance. Even with all the training in the world, dogs have off days too and get nervous at shows.

M.B. Look, everyone is anxious pre-competition and sometimes during their event too, that's normal for all competitors. But you have to learn how to stay relaxed and save your energy, that goes for dogs too.

When I was training for Decathlon, if during a competition I was to mess up in 1 of the 10 components, half an hour later I would have to be able to perform again. My relaxation cue was thinking of blue skies, the beach and the ocean waves. After a while, all I needed was to say "blue skies", and that put me back in the mental state to perform at my peak.

I had a coach who worked with me on my mental performance. He thought I was a basket case before competition. He suggested to my regular coach that when I got stressed and frustrated, my coach was to hit me with a soft foam bat. Now this sounds like a drastic move, but when you're eight weeks away from the biggest competition in your life, the Olympic trials, you need something that will correct things in a hurry.

My coach had to smack me twice during my Decathlon, and then never again. The actual thought of how stupid it was, embarrassed me and made so great an impact on me that I became very focused in my mental training and relaxation techniques. That's what lead me to "blue skies", which made me mentally stronger.

V.K. How do you coach athletes to prepare for the mental aspect of competition?

M.B. I break mental training down into three steps:

I ask myself, is it more important to focus on the mistake or the next sequence in the competition? Most people stay in the negative too long, and some people will carry a mistake into the next competition. Carrying around this negative mental "stuff" defeats one's ability to analyze the mistake and correct it.

V.K. We see this very often with handlers. Maybe their dog messed up a heeling pattern or missed an obstacle. Well, before and during the next competition they're worrying it will happen again, and often it does. Then the worry can become chronic, as they carry it from show to show.

M.B. That's why it's so important to let what happened go. "Learn from your mistakes and move on."

V.K. So how do you train athletes to channel anxiety into a great performance?

M.B. In a nutshell, anxiety is nothing more than energy needing to be used. In channeling anxiety you have to figure out how you're going to use this energy to make your performance better. If you use it in a positive way, it can make you stronger, more agile and faster. You can have quicker reflexes and be mentally sharper.

If you allow the anxiety to be channeled as a negative then your performance will become sluggish and your actions slower. Also, the fear factor becomes greater.

V.K. Specifically, what can one do to channel anxiety?

M.B. First, you've got to learn how to stay mentally and physically relaxed. For example, try not to pace around before competition. Your body knows what to do physically during your event. If your mind is relaxed, then that will enhance the technical aspect of your performance.

The best way to channel anxiety is to visualize your competition. Go through and perform every aspect of the competition in your mind. While visualizing, you will see common mistakes that you are making. Your goal is to visually correct them, and over time your training mistakes become less frequent, which leads to success during the actual event.

V.K. That's a great technique to use. What about when a competitor constantly worries that her performance will not be "perfect". This mindset seems to create lots of stress and tension. How do you deal with that?

M.B. When I coach the mental part of performance, I try to get every athlete to realize that each competition is only a grade, a number, one of many on a scale of preparation to being perfect. And I emphasize that you can ALWAYS take away a positive from EVERY competition.

Each competition is a building block for the perfect event. Practice. Practice. Practice. Both mentally and physically, that's the key!

V.K. Can you give us some examples of how you've used these techniques during coaching?

M.B. Here's how I used positive reinforcement with Yvette, an athlete I had who was competing in the Olympic trials. She was in the Women's Long Jump.

There are two rounds of trials and then the finals. During the first day of the trials, Yvette was performing poorly, but we managed to qualify with a few technical adjustments. The next day she took her first of three trial jumps, and it was terrible. I could see she was mentally tied in knots. I called her over to me and told her that even though technically she looked terrible, her mark was around 21'10", which would have been a best. Actually, she didn't jump near that. She looked up at me and said, "really?", to which I replied, "yes."

I could see that she changed how she felt about herself. She went back and jumped 22'71/4", the fifth best long jump by a female in the US!

V.K. Amazing! Yes, what we think about ourselves has such a great impact on how we do.

M.B. Let me give you another example, how I helped turn a negative into a positive during an event.

I have a friend named Mike, who was competing in the 1988 Decathlon Olympic trials. I wasn't coaching him, but I helped him out.

It was the third event, the Shot-Put, and it started to rain heavily. The first four competitors kept slipping in the ring and had terrible throws. Mike was having the same problems. Another round of tries went the same, just terrible. Every competitor gets three throws, so there was only one throw left. Mike is a good shot-putter, and he needed this event to get enough points to catch up to his competitors, and he had totally blown his first two throws.

I was watching him closely, and he was showing signs of stress. I knew he needed some guidance, but he coached himself. I decided to step in. I called him over to the bleachers and told him to look me in the eyes. I asked him point blank, "What the hell are you doing out there, because you're an embarrassment!" He felt really bad and started to walk away, and I stopped him. I said, "Mike, make a choice. Either stop and go home, or get your s--- together." I asked him what he wanted to do?

He looked at me with puppy dog eyes that had tears in them. I said, "Listen to me, go put your running shoes on because they have the waffle tread and won't slip as much. Take your last throw like it doesn't mean a thing, because right now it doesn't. Take a deep breath and go for it like you do in practice." He did, and threw a lifetime best and got back into the lead.

V.K. What a fantastic story. I love that you told him to throw like it didn't mean a thing. A great example of how letting go works.

M.B. It does. What have you got to lose if you just let go and risk it all? And sometimes you have to use extraordinary methods when you're coaching. It's like a chess match, and you learn what pieces to play and when to play them.

V.K. This has been just wonderful, talking with you, and I'm sure our readers will enjoy it and benefit from what you've said. Any last words?

M.B. You've got to look at training for competition as a total program. You've got to tie together the physical, technical and mental aspects of competition, and in your readers case, that goes for both the handler and the dog.

Know yourself, because you can't lie to yourself. Actions speak louder than words. Relax, and let yourself flow.

Note: To submit a question, please send an email to: CAYPNews@aol.com

D. Second Chances

When Linda met Rowdy…read on

Linda: I wanted to tell you about my rescue, Rowdy. She was wandering the streets with her mom, about 8 weeks old - a little Pit Bull puppy. I was looking for a Corgi puppy and wanted nothing to do "with a dog like that." My husband suggested I talk to our vet and get his opinion. He said she was a keeper, love her, train her and socialize her.

This led me to an obedience class and the journey has continued! We are working on her Utility title! She is ILP'd as an American Staffordshire Terrier so I can show her in the AKC events. We have also got another Staff, Bogey, who is working on her obedience titles also.

However, where Rowdy really shines is her Therapy work. She is a certified Delta Society Therapy Dog and we visit children at a residential psychiatric hospital. We will soon be making our 200th visit!

I am a member of the Downey Obedience Club and have been voted Outstanding Member 5 of 7 years! Due to my work with Rowdy, I'm sure. Rowdy was honored at the hospital as a Special Volunteer in 1998. In 1999, Rowdy and I received a Special Service Award from the Delta Society. Last year Rowdy was nominated for the AKC's Ace awards!

Right now we are working on a special project. It came to my attention that the kids we visit at the residential psychiatric hospital have no access to books. Even the hospital school had no library! So, with the help of friends and family, we have established "Rowdy's Reading Room", having collected over 1,500 books!

Rowdy is a wonderful dog and a joy to live with. She is the first dog I have trained. Bio: Rowdy and I live in Southern CA with Bogey and 3 cats, Sly, Misty (who is blind), and Buddy.

Thank you Linda for your wonderful story. Linda also sent along a favorite quote, Belief gives birth to reality. She says, You've got to believe in your dog and yourself. Amen.

Competing At Your Peak is honored to send a $25.00 donation along with Linda and Rowdy's story to:

Villa Lobos Pit Bull Rescue
P O Box 6039
Aqua Dulce, CA 91350

Note: Please send us the story of your rescued dog and how it became or is becoming a competitor. As a thank you for your contribution, Competing At Your Peak Inc. will donate $25.00 in you and your dog's name, to the shelter or rescue group of your choice. To submit a story, please write to us at: CAYPNews@aol.com

E. Book Picks - These books can be purchased from Amazon.com by clicking on the book title.

The Power Of Now

by Eckhart Tolle

In our continuing effort to give you information on why and how to stay in the moment (see April Training Tip), we are recommending Tolle's book. He states, that by surrendering to the now, we can find a state of inner peace, find our joy, and ....embrace our true selves.

A major philosophy of our training program is that, to combat ring nerves and reach success, keeping yourself present centered, or in the now, is one of the most important techniques for handlers to learn. This book will help get you there.

F. Announcements & Coming Events

SIGN UP FOR OUR JUNE WORKSHOP!

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? Learn to relax, concentrate and focus despite the pressure of competition. Learn to feel secure in the dog show environment.

Get back into competition!

Click here to register
or call Diane at 215-348-8836

Seminar - Combating Ring Nerves For All Dog Sports - For Handlers and Dogs.
Saturday, October 19, 2002, 9:00am-4:00pm in Blairstown, NJ

Make plans now to attend our popular six hour seminar!
Or call us about presenting at your club.

See the difference a day makes!

Click here to register
or call Diane at 215-348-8836

New!! Program for Handlers with Aggressive and/or Reactive Dogs.

Stop "freaking out" when your dog does. If your dog has major behavioral problems, your responses to its actions may be fueling the fire. Our program will teach you why your nerves stand in your dog's way, how to stay calm and collected in all circumstances, and much more.

One-On-One, Group Training, and Workshops available.
Click links above to learn more about it or call Diane at 215-348-8836.

We'll be presenting this program at:

The One and Only Camp for Aggressive Dogs (and their humans)!
Presented by Ted Turner and Pamela Dennison, Sept. 18-Sept. 22, 2002.
Contact info: dennison@goes.com

G. Invitations

We invite you to submit your questions to Ask the Coaches, and your stories to Handlers' Tales and Second Chances.

Please share your experiences and questions with your fellow readers, to help make PeakNews a dynamic arena in which to talk about the various aspects of ring nerves with handlers from all over the world.

We'd also love to hear from you with topics you want to see covered in future issues, and any comments you have about PeakNews.

Write to us at: CAYPNews@aol.com

We invite you to sign up for one of our free Ask the Coaches calls, where you'll meet and talk with handlers who also experience ring nerves. We'll teach exercises, give training tips, do problem-solving, feature guest speakers, and have fun.

So, take part in the group and invite a friend to sign up too.

Register early, the bridge is limited to 30 participants.

Click for more information
or call Diane at 215-348-8836.

Thank you! See you next month.

**Note: Columns may vary from month to month.

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