First, calm your breathing. I find this a useful skill, particularly if you find yourself very nervous before a competition. Counting your breaths should do the trick. Practice doing this while you warm up and cool down, and soon I'm sure you'll get the hang of it and be able to call upon this skill even under competition stress.
Secondly, imagine yourself to be made of glass -- completely. It might be difficult or ludicrous if you're not used to something like this; give it a try and release your inhibitions, you'll soon see and feel its benefits. I usually start by concentrating on my breathing, becoming fully aware of my chest movements while I breathe. Slowly, with each inhalation and exhalation, I picture my chest as transparent. My lungs would be next. Finally, I reach my heart. With practice, you might even be able to visualise your head and even entire body to be so.
Thirdly, imagine, as you breathe in -- that you are breathing in not air, but a stream of white energy. If you can, picture that stream entering your nose and travelling down into your lungs and then mixing with your heart. This centre of white energy then becomes your core.
Focusing on this energy, I usually imagine the flow from this centre towards the ends of my limbs. Moving my limbs in both my body and mind, I try to follow each movement. Keeping focus on this dynamic mix, I use this to direct my attention towards gaining control of my body. During competitions, especially vertical comps, conditions can be distracting and very daunting. For example, the fear of falling, the distractions of dicey footholds and barndoor swings during vertical comps. For bouldering, there is the fear of not being able to read routes, the inability to perform and (habitual) fear of making that last throw.
Before you dismiss these words and think I'm fooling around again, I ask of you only one favour. To try this technique and develop a variation suitable for you. Visualisation has been acknowledged to help atheletes in all sports. Although we do so in various ways -- some listen to music, some rely on the crowds' cheers, and some just scream bloody fury (heh) -- the main point is to understand the principles behind it and start practising it early. There are no shortcuts to developing focus and concentration. In fact, some people have even found that it helps them in other areas of their life!
Hope this helps you guys improve.
