A: Tension, stress, nervousness, anxiety, what do they all mean? Boston Celtic Hall of Fame center, Bill Russell, used to vomit prior to every game he played. Not bad for a guy who took home 9 World Championships. Breathing is a main culprit in tension. As you begin to worry about playing your breath gets shallow and quickens. This causes a shortage of oxygen to the muscles, which makes them tense. The body senses the tension as danger and responds by bracing itself even more, which you sense as being more nervous. This causes you to worry and become even more tense. So the cycle continues.

It sounds funny, but take a deep breath. Slow, deep breathing is a great way to relax the body. Use a deep breath whenever you feel tension and combine it with a key word or phrase such as "easy" or "I am relaxed and ready." Anything which eases your mind and allows you to release negative, stress producing thoughts.