Elyce Lin-Gracey on sports psychology and managing competition nerves

Meet 18-year-old figure skater Elyce Lin-Gracey as she shares her approach to the mental side of competitive skating in this insightful clip. Training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Elyce emphasizes that mental training is a huge part of the sport—especially when managing competition nerves and handling whatever comes your way on the ice.

Elyce works with a sports psychologist who provides strategies and solutions for maintaining mental health under pressure. She demonstrates specific techniques she uses, including breathing exercises and tension-release methods. One particularly effective strategy: tensing every muscle in your body for five seconds then releasing it, which helps you feel looser and more relaxed.

She also shares a personal tell—when nervous or stressed, her shoulders rise, and she has to consciously remind herself to lower them and focus on her breathing. Her philosophy going into competitions is simple: trust your training, focus on what you've worked on, keep your mental state in check, and take it one step at a time. The outcome will be what it is.

FULL INTERVIEW

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