Episode 334

How Elite Athletes Respond Under Pressure

August 24th, 2026

29 mins 23 secs

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golf basketball baseball tennis nhl coaching sport science high-performance sport performance psychology recovery athlete monitoring wearable technology frustration emotional regulation pressure performance decision-making fatigue heart rate heart rate variability self-talk athlete wellbeing behavioural science sports psychology mental performance

About this Episode

This week, Richard Graves is joined by Dr Alicia Naser, behavioural scientist and founder of The Naser Institute for Behavioral Sports Psychology.

Dr Naser works with professional athletes and organisations across hockey, tennis, baseball, basketball and golf, helping them understand the relationship between behaviour, physiology and performance under pressure. In this episode, she explains why mental performance should not sit separately from physical preparation, and how fatigue, heart rate, self-talk and emotion can all influence an athlete’s ability to execute when it matters.

The conversation explores the practical value of becoming more aware of internal responses during competition. From using frustration constructively rather than trying to suppress it, to striking the right balance with wearable data, Dr Naser offers a behavioural-science lens on high-performance sport that will be useful for practitioners, coaches and athletes alike.

In this episode you will learn

  • Why mental health and mental performance are related, but not the same thing

  • How physical fatigue can affect clarity, decision-making and execution

  • The relationship between heart rate, anxiety and an athlete’s self-talk

  • Why emotional awareness can itself be a useful performance intervention

  • How frustration can be used to create focus and competitive intent

  • Where breathing strategies fit within performance under pressure

  • How to use wearable data without becoming overly dependent on it

  • Why mental and physical preparation should be integrated across a performance programme

  • How practitioners can use pre- and post-intervention data to build organisational buy-in

  • A simple journalling exercise athletes and coaches can use to identify performance barriers

About Dr Alicia Naser

Dr Alicia Naser, PhD, BCBA-D, is a behavioural scientist, Board Certified Behavior Analyst and founder of The Naser Institute for Behavioral Sports Psychology. Her work combines behavioural science, physiology and mental performance to support professional athletes, coaches and organisations. Dr Naser has more than 12 years of advanced study, research and applied work in behavioural psychology, and works across a range of elite sports including the NHL, ATP Tour, MLB, NBA, PGA and Premier League.

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