Fitness: How do athletes get out of the doldrums?

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You know it’s the cut-off season when the word “stagnation” starts making its way into the news cycle. Whether it’s used by the media to describe a star underperformer (think Mitch Marner, who was goalless during last year’s playoff series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens), a teammate about the lackluster performance of the main scorer in the domestic beer league, or the average ​Joe or Jill complains of a sustained period of less than stellar training, slack affects athletes in all sports, regardless of age and ability.

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Sports psychologist Jim Taylor defines stagnation as “an unexplained decrease in performance from a pre-determined baseline level for a given athlete that extends longer than would be expected from normal cyclical variations in performance in a particular sport.” Not much is known about why they came and left, but there is no shortage of theories. Injuries, overtraining, lack of confidence, non-sports personal issues, technical errors, and problematic relationships with colleagues or coaches are often cited as underlying causes.

How frequent is depression? In a survey of 70 athletes, 23 percent said it was a recurring problem, 54 percent said it occurs infrequently, and 23 percent claimed it was not a problem at all. But beyond that definition above, there’s plenty of room for interpretation, especially since athletic performance naturally fluctuates and flows throughout the season. For some athletes, slack can mean going a game or two without putting any points on the board. For others – especially individual athletes such as runners, cyclists or swimmers – it may take weeks before a persistent decline in performance is recognized.

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If stagnation is inevitable, how can athletes regain their magic? To help shed light on the dynamics of this misunderstood but common problem, three researchers from Leeds Beckett University in the United Kingdom reviewed 18 studies and attempted to identify the causes, symptoms, and ways out of recession. The studies included athletes from a variety of sports and levels of competition, from professional basketball, baseball, and cricket players to college and high school athletes.

Not all athletes react the same way when going through a rough patch. Those who previously worked during a recession are better able to handle the stress of poor performance than those who experienced it for the first time. Research suggests that the more athletes believe they can control the cause of a slump, or that it is a natural event, the less anxious they are about finding their way through it.

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As for advice on getting out of the slump, theories abound again. However, no surefire method has been identified to help Marner put the puck into the net or help Kyle Lowry make three-pointers. However, British researchers have discovered that athletes who choose a problem-solving approach to get back on track are more likely to break a slump than those who find themselves mired in wishful thinking, denial or avoidance.

“Setting specific goals enhances performance, builds self-confidence, and develops mental flexibility,” the researchers said. “Likewise, mental images can anchor or increase confidence.”

Another popular approach to breaking the slack is to focus on skill development, which athletes often refer to as going back to basics. But while there is reason to believe it is a beneficial process, there is also concern that excessive interest in retooling technology could prolong the slack.

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“Recessive performers need to redefine their goals as a way to get them out of the doldrums,” the researchers said. “More work is needed to see if paying attention to this skill perpetuates the problem or helps expert athletes and/or athletes out of the doldrums.”

One of the best ways to break the chain of poor performance is to change practices or training systems. In less organized and stressful situations, athletes or their coaches can manipulate the conditions so that the athlete can regain mastery and confidence. Modified exercises and game formats can restore the joy of playing and competition, and can restore control and certainty in their athletic abilities.

“If an athlete believes they can control stagnation by reducing anxiety or adopting goal-directed (or task) coping strategies, they may accumulate positive performance under stress that reverses a trend of sustained low performance,” the researchers said.

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If you’re feeling the pressure of underperforming, repeating the same routine isn’t likely to pull you out of the slump. Instead, you need to create conditions that help find your flow, which happens when there is the right balance between challenge and skill mastery, along with well-defined goals and simple but clear reactions.

“The conditions that allow for flow and symptoms that athletes exhibit in a flow state may be polar opposite to conditions that lead to decreased performance and symptoms that athletes experience in a stagnant state,” the researchers said.

Finally, slacks in performance are limited. So if you struggle with one, reduce the negativity, re-set goals, and find a way to make small gains in less stressful circumstances. It won’t be long before that winning level returns.