A new research has revealed that top sportsmen and women need psychological training as well as physical exercise in order to achieve success in their respective choice of sport.
The research revealed that competition nerves could adversely affect an athlete's performance and thus came up with the advice to undergo psychological training.
According to the Daily Express, scientists subjected 18 fit and healthy young adults to two identical physical tests, one described as a practice session and the other a competition.
The results reportedly revealed that in the competitive trials, the participants' ability to anticipate and co-ordinate actions such as catching a ball or striking a moving object had been significantly impaired, with a raise in their mental anxiety level while competing.
However, detrimental effects had not been evident during practice trials.
Lead researcher Dr Michael Duncan, of Coventry university, said that anxiety really does affect performance abilities in physically active people and the same is likely to apply even for trained athletes.
The results have backed the views of sports coaches who are of the opinion that increased stress levels holds back the athletes.