Tournament pressure is real but doesn't have to be debilitating. Acknowledge its presence first then understand that what you are feeling is normal. These feelings are part of you and not the enemy.
An increase in heart rate when you step into the tournament box is normal, not abnormal. It's OK to experience this. Once you begin to accept this is normal, you've considerably reduced the damaging affect it can have on your performance. Some competitors actually use these feelings to motivate themselves. They wisely turn a negative reaction into a positive one, using it to their advantage. The increase in adrenaline flow, when balanced with a reasonably calm mind, can be a real performance advantage.
