Tai Chi Training and Pre-Competition Anxiety in High-Level Competitive Athletes: A Chain Mediation Model of Flow and Mental Toughness.
Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) January 23, 2026 Runze Guo, Jing Liu
An 8-week randomized controlled trial with 86 high-level competitive athletes found that Tai Chi training reduced pre-competition anxiety. The effect was mediated sequentially by enhanced flow experience and improved mental toughness, with the chain-mediation pathway accounting for 78.9% of the total mediated effect. The experimental group received standardized Tai Chi training while the control group maintained regular training. Data were collected at baseline, week 4, and week 8 using validated questionnaires. The findings suggest that mind-body exercises like Tai Chi can alleviate pre-competition anxiety through psychological mechanisms, offering a practical alternative to traditional interventions.