6 Steps for Pregame Mental Preparation
Do you know that the warm up routine is also a time to become mentally prepared for the game?
What mental game strategies help you get mentally ready before a game?
When I ask my athletes: what’s your pregame routine? Most will answer this by describing their physical warm up.
In today’s sports insights, you’ll learn the top mental game skills to use in your warm up routine prior to competition…
Also, keep in mind that the warm up routine is not a time to practice your skills. Your skills are already set that day–the goal is to prepare to get the most out of your game.
Pregame anxiety is a major obstacle to a relaxed and effortless performance for athletes.
This is where a pregame warm up routine can help you relax, focus, and be confident for competition.
I work with athletes every day to help them prepare a pregame routine so that they can perform well in competition.
(I also created The Relaxed Athlete workbook and CD program to help you do this as well.)
Here’s the purpose of your warm up or mental prep routine:
- Feel poised and relaxed about an upcoming competition.
- Feel confident in your skill at the start of competition.
- Enjoy competing and overcome pregame jitters.
- Trust in your skills you have trained in practice.
6 Steps for Pregame Mental Preparation:
- Transition from life to sports and enter the role of the athlete. Focus only on the role of athlete and park any worries from life.
- Discard outcome expectations or strict demands. Let go of the expectations you feel to be perfect or win.
- Be proactive with confidence prior to competition. Take full control of your confidence level before the start.
- Focus on execution or the process and not results. Stay into the moment and don’t think too far ahead.
- Rehearse your performance and game plan. Visualize how you want to perform and execute you game or race plan.
- Prepare your mind and body to trust in your skills. Get ready to become a performer and stop practicing so you can get into the zone.
Do you want to learn all my mental game strategies to help you mentally prepare and relax before competition?
Check out The Relaxed Athlete Today…
Check out our video on Pregame Mental Strategies
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- How Consistent Preparation is Key to Performance
- Athletes Who Worry About Preparation
- Mental Preparation And Performance in Football
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The Relaxed Athlete
The ability to relax and play your game under pressure is what separates the winner from the loser in any competition. Champion athletes train hard in practice, are motivated for the right reasons, and are able to raise their game in crunch-time with two minutes remaining in the game..
A relaxed and confident performance begins in the mind! When you are mentally prepared to compete, you can have an optimal level of intensity AND poise!
The Relaxed Athlete program is ideal for any athlete that wants to overcome pregame anxiety, worry, or excess tension and learn to perform with poise. It’s also ideal for any coach or parent who wants to teach athletes to perform with poise and relaxation in competition.