SUMMARY
- Former UFC champion Georges St-Pierre claimed that James-Lange theory of emotion helped him overcome fear before his fights.
- Check out what this theory is and how it helped GSP become the one of the greatest fighters.
Georges St-Pierre was one of the greatest fighters to ever step foot inside the Octagon. He has several records to his name in the UFC. He was a two-division champion and defended his UFC Welterweight Championship nine times consecutively. Naturally, you’d think he was scared of no one. You might be wrong there.
∙ 13 wins in title bouts.
∙ Nine consecutive title defences.
∙ Most wins and fight time in the UFC welterweight division.
∙ Fourth two-weight UFC champ ever.
∙ 2,237 days as a UFC champion.GSP enters the UFC Hall of Fame 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/xyPOEhfbxW
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) September 24, 2021
GSP has opened up several times about being scared before any fight. He claimed he used the James-Lange theory of emotion to get through this fear of nervousness. So, what is James Lange’s theory of emotion?
In simple language, the James-Lange theory of emotion says our feelings come from our body’s reactions, not the other way around. Imagine, you are walking alone at night and see a shadowy figure. Your heart races, you breathe faster, and maybe you even start to sweat. According to James-Lange, you feel scared because your body is reacting this way. Your brain interprets these physical sensations as fear.
So, it’s not that you see the figure, feel scared, and then run away. Instead, you see the figure, your body reacts, and then you interpret those reactions as fear, making you run. Let’s find out how Georges St-Pierre used this theory to get ready for his fights.
Georges St-Pierre would act confident even though he was nervous before fights
During his recent appearance on the Pound 4 Pound podcast hosted by Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman, GSP opened up about his pre-fight routine and what was his mindset. He explained how he used to have trouble sleeping the nights before his fights. He used to build scenarios in his head where he would win or lose. This would, in turn, put him in a dull mood in the morning. He would lose his confidence.
To overcome this, he said, “I use James Lange Theory… James Lange is a philosopher… He’s revolutionized ways of thinking… James Lange says that if you start acting like someone you will become that person in a way.
(Watch from 16:45 minutes)
“So, every morning I wake up I don’t feel great I feel like I’m under-rested because I had a sh*tty night of sleep. But I always put a mask on myself. When I go in to have breakfast with my team, they all know I had a sh*tty night of sleep and I don’t want to be there. But, they always ask me the question, ‘Hey how you feel, Georges?’ I always answer the same thing, ‘I feel great! It’s going to be a good day tonight. We’re gonna kick a*s guys, I can’t wait.'”
Further, GSP explained how his team and coaches know this is a usual thing with him. He gets more and more nervous as the fight gets closer. He even said that his stress levels go off the roof while he is in the locker room and he sees fighters come in injured and in stretchers.
Georges St-Pierre reveals his pre-fight routine that puts him in cruise control of his emotions
The former UFC champion opened up about a pre-fight ritual he had that helped him attain cruise control of his emotions. Right before he had to go for his walkout, he would enter the washroom to talk to himself and give himself confidence. “So, I look at myself in the mirror and I tell myself all the reasons why I’m going to win. I’m stronger than him, I’m faster than him, I have better coaches than he does. I’m more well prepared.
I’ve done all the sacrifices I sparred this guy, this guy is a freaking killer, and I was able to do well. There’s no way [he] would have done the same thing. I tell myself every single reason why I’m gonna win that fight and when I step outside the room I’m different. Now, I’m on cruise control.”
Clearly, each of his tactics, routines, and beliefs worked out for him. He holds a 26-2 overall record in pro-MMA. He is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame and the Canadian Pro-Wrestling Hall of Fame. He is considered by many as the greatest fighter ever.