Self-Regulation

Participation in sport and exercise requires self-regulation. Examples of self-regulation include an individual fighting the urge to stop during an intense exercise class; a golfer trying to ignore feelings of excitement and focus on a simple putt to win a tournament; and a soccer player resisting the desire to strike an opponent who has repeatedly fouled him. The process by which individuals consciously attempt to constrain unwanted thoughts, feelings and behaviours and bring these in line with ideals or goals is termed self-regulation, or self-control. The ability to self-regulate has been shown to contribute positively to performance and behaviour in a number of domains, including sport and exercise.