{"id":5036,"date":"2016-04-07T16:54:15","date_gmt":"2016-04-07T16:54:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports_psychology_blog\/?p=5036"},"modified":"2025-06-10T07:07:07","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T11:07:07","slug":"6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/","title":{"rendered":"Do You Use Mental Strategies To Get Ready Before Your Game?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5508 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/pregame-mental-preparation.jpg\" alt=\"Pregame Mental Preparation\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/pregame-mental-preparation.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/pregame-mental-preparation-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Steps_for_Pregame_Mental_Preparation\"><\/span>6 Steps for Pregame Mental Preparation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Article Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0769bf;color:#0769bf\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0769bf;color:#0769bf\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#6_Steps_for_Pregame_Mental_Preparation\" >6 Steps for Pregame Mental Preparation<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#Related_Sports_Psychology_Articles\" >Related Sports Psychology Articles<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#The_Relaxed_Athlete\" >The Relaxed Athlete<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Do you know that the warm up routine is also a time to become <strong>mentally prepared<\/strong> for the game?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What mental game strategies help you get <strong>mentally ready<\/strong> before a game?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I ask my athletes: what&#8217;s your pregame routine? Most will answer this by describing their physical warm up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In today&#8217;s sports insights, you&#8217;ll learn the top <strong>mental game skills<\/strong> to use in your warm up routine prior to competition&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, keep in mind that the warm up routine is not a time to practice your skills. Your skills are already set that day&#8211;the goal is to prepare to get the most out of your game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Pregame anxiety<\/strong> is a major obstacle to a relaxed and effortless performance for athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where a pregame warm up routine can help you relax, focus, and be confident for competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I work with athletes every day to help them prepare a pregame routine so that they can perform well in competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(I also created <a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-relaxed-athlete-cd-program\/\"><strong>The Relaxed Athlete workbook and CD program<\/strong><\/a> to help you do this as well.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s the purpose of your warm up or mental prep routine:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Feel poised and relaxed about an upcoming competition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feel confident in your skill at the start of competition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enjoy competing and overcome pregame jitters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Trust in your skills you have trained in practice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6 Steps for Pregame Mental Preparation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>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.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Discard outcome expectations or strict demands. Let go of the expectations you feel to be perfect or win.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Be proactive with confidence prior to competition. Take full control of your confidence level before the start.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Focus on execution or the process and not results. Stay into the moment and don&#8217;t think too far ahead.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rehearse your performance and game plan. Visualize how you want to perform and execute you game or race plan.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>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.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you want to learn all my <strong>mental game strategies<\/strong> to help you mentally prepare and relax before competition?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-relaxed-athlete-cd-program\/\"><strong>The Relaxed Athlete<\/strong><\/a> Today&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out our video on <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/w8juY-jSJXk\"><strong>Pregame Mental Strategies<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-979ef383-5bc7-43ee-b8f9-249663ca1a6c\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Sports_Psychology_Articles\"><\/span>Related Sports Psychology Articles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"block-05642731-8752-4dbf-9c18-5cc4d276e821\" class=\"wp-block-list has-normal-font-size\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-consistent-preparation-is-key-to-performance\/\"><strong>How Consistent Preparation is Key to Performance<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/parents-athletes-quitting-sports\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/athletes-who-worry-about-preparation\/\"><strong>Athletes Who Worry About Preparation<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/parents-helping-young-athlete-who-wants-to-quit\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/mental-preparation-for-peak-performance-in-football\/\"><strong>Mental Preparation And Performance in Football<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\" id=\"block-5726d13f-f715-4ca4-8813-2f8a9ebd8bc3\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\" id=\"block-281f5afb-980b-4c71-9aa0-11d606b5f7c9\"><strong>Download a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/mental-toughness-report-athletes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free sports psychology report<\/a>&nbsp;to improve your mental game!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\" id=\"block-94138e75-d591-4645-bb1d-212cf57a8841\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sport-psychology-training-athletes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more about our one-on-one mental game coaching.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Relaxed_Athlete\"><\/span>The Relaxed Athlete <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/relaxed-athlete-small.jpg\" alt=\"Relaxed athlete\" class=\"wp-image-3919\" style=\"width:180px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>The ability to relax and play your game under pressure is what separates the winner<\/strong> 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..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A relaxed and confident performance begins in the mind! <strong>When you are mentally prepared to compete, you can have an optimal level of intensity AND poise!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Relaxed Athlete program<\/strong> is ideal for any athlete that wants to overcome pregame anxiety, worry, or excess tension and learn to perform with poise. It\u2019s also ideal for any coach or parent who wants to teach athletes to perform with poise and relaxation in competition.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-e17df0d5\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-68994dee gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-relaxed-athlete-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-89319240 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/collections\/the-confident-athlete-series-cd-workbooks\/products\/the-relaxed-athlete-cd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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&#8217;s your pregame routine? Most will answer this by describing their physical warm up. In today&#8217;s &#8230; <a title=\"Do You Use Mental Strategies To Get Ready Before Your Game?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Do You Use Mental Strategies To Get Ready Before Your Game?\">Sport Psychology Article&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5509,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[142,40,38],"tags":[340,339,333],"class_list":["post-5036","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports-psychology-tips","category-mental-preparation","category-pregame-anxiety","tag-mental-game-strategies","tag-pregame-mental-preparation","tag-the-relaxed-athlete"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 4.9.6.2 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Do you know that the warm up routine is also a time to become mentally prepared for the game or practice? Read more about pregame mental strategies.\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Patrick Cohn\"\/>\n\t<meta name=\"keywords\" content=\"mental game strategies,pregame mental preparation,the relaxed athlete\" \/>\n\t<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"generator\" content=\"All in One SEO Pro (AIOSEO) 4.9.6.2\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sports Psychology Articles | Sport Psychology Articles for Athletes, Coaches, and Sports Parents\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"6 Pregame Mental Preparation Steps | Sports Psychology\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Do you know that the warm up routine is also a time to become mentally prepared for the game or practice? Read more about pregame mental strategies.\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/blue-logo-512.png\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:image:secure_url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/blue-logo-512.png\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"512\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"512\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-04-07T16:54:15+00:00\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-10T11:07:07+00:00\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PeakPerformanceSports\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PeakPerformanceSports\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@PeaksportsCoach\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"6 Pregame Mental Preparation Steps | Sports Psychology\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Do you know that the warm up routine is also a time to become mentally prepared for the game or practice? Read more about pregame mental strategies.\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@PeaksportsCoach\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/blue-logo-512.png\" \/>\n\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"aioseo-schema\">\n\t\t\t{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\\\/#blogposting\",\"name\":\"6 Pregame Mental Preparation Steps | Sports Psychology\",\"headline\":\"Do You Use Mental Strategies To Get Ready Before Your Game?\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/author\\\/doccohn\\\/#author\"},\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/04\\\/pregmae-mental-preparation1.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"caption\":\"Pregame Mental Preparation\"},\"datePublished\":\"2016-04-07T16:54:15-04:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-10T07:07:07-04:00\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\\\/#webpage\"},\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\\\/#webpage\"},\"articleSection\":\"Mental Performance Articles, Mental Preparation, Pregame Anxiety, mental game strategies, Pregame Mental Preparation, The Relaxed Athlete\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\\\/#breadcrumblist\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog#listItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\",\"nextItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"Mental Performance Articles\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/#listItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Mental Performance Articles\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/\",\"nextItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/pregame-anxiety\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"Pregame Anxiety\"},\"previousItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog#listItem\",\"name\":\"Home\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/pregame-anxiety\\\/#listItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Pregame Anxiety\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/pregame-anxiety\\\/\",\"nextItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"Do You Use Mental Strategies To Get Ready Before Your Game?\"},\"previousItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"Mental Performance Articles\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\\\/#listItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Do You Use Mental Strategies To Get Ready Before Your Game?\",\"previousItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/pregame-anxiety\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"Pregame Anxiety\"}}]},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Peak Performance Sports, LLC\",\"description\":\"Sports psychology coaching, articles and tips for athletes, coaches, and performers excel in sports.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/\",\"email\":\"coach@peaksports.com\",\"telephone\":\"+14079091700\",\"foundingDate\":\"1996-08-01\",\"numberOfEmployees\":{\"@type\":\"QuantitativeValue\",\"value\":5},\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/06\\\/cropped-2022-Logo-Ball-Blue.jpg\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\\\/#organizationLogo\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Sports Psychology for Athletes\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\\\/#organizationLogo\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/PeakPerformanceSports\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/PeaksportsCoach\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/sportspsychcoach\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.tiktok.com\\\/@peakperformancesports\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/MindsetForSports\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/author\\\/doccohn\\\/#author\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/author\\\/doccohn\\\/\",\"name\":\"Patrick Cohn\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/patrick-cohn-mental-coach-web-sq.jpg\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/PeakPerformanceSports\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/PeaksportsCoach\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/sportspsychcoach\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.tiktok.com\\\/@peakperformancesports\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/peaksports\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/MindsetForSports\"],\"description\":\"Mental Performance Coach Dr. Patrick Cohn has helped athletes for over 40 years enhance their performance. Dr. Cohn earned a master's degree in sports psychology from CSUF and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, specializing in Applied Sports Psychology. He is also the creator of The MGCP Mental Game Coaching Professional program. He's worked with athletes in the NFL, NHL, Olympic Athletes, Motocross Champions, and NASCAR drivers. Today, he is the president and founder of Peak Performance Sports, LLC in Orlando, Florida, where his team offers mental performance coaching to individual and team athletes.\\u00a0\\u00a0Visit full bio&gt;&gt;\",\"jobTitle\":\"Master Mental Performance Coach\",\"alumniOf\":[{\"@type\":\"EducationalOrganization\",\"name\":\"University of Virginia\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.virginia.edu\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"EducationalOrganization\",\"name\":\"California State University\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fullerton.edu\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"EducationalOrganization\",\"name\":\"University of Buffalo\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.buffalo.edu\\\/\"}],\"knowsLanguage\":[\"english\"]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\\\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\\\/\",\"name\":\"6 Pregame Mental Preparation Steps | Sports Psychology\",\"description\":\"Do you know that the warm up routine is also a time to become mentally prepared for the game or practice? Read more about pregame mental strategies.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/#website\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\\\/#breadcrumblist\"},\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/author\\\/doccohn\\\/#author\"},\"creator\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/author\\\/doccohn\\\/#author\"},\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/04\\\/pregmae-mental-preparation1.jpg\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\\\/#mainImage\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"caption\":\"Pregame Mental Preparation\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\\\/#mainImage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2016-04-07T16:54:15-04:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-10T07:07:07-04:00\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Sports Psychology Articles for Athletes\",\"description\":\"Sport Psychology Articles for Athletes, Coaches, and Sports Parents\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/#organization\"}}]}\n\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro -->\r\n\t\t<title>6 Pregame Mental Preparation Steps | Sports Psychology<\/title>\n\n","aioseo_head_json":{"title":"6 Pregame Mental Preparation Steps | Sports Psychology","description":"Do you know that the warm up routine is also a time to become mentally prepared for the game or practice? Read more about pregame mental strategies.","canonical_url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/","robots":"max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1","keywords":"mental game strategies,pregame mental preparation,the relaxed athlete","webmasterTools":{"miscellaneous":""},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#blogposting","name":"6 Pregame Mental Preparation Steps | Sports Psychology","headline":"Do You Use Mental Strategies To Get Ready Before Your Game?","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/author\/doccohn\/#author"},"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/pregmae-mental-preparation1.jpg","width":150,"height":150,"caption":"Pregame Mental Preparation"},"datePublished":"2016-04-07T16:54:15-04:00","dateModified":"2025-06-10T07:07:07-04:00","inLanguage":"en-US","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#webpage"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#webpage"},"articleSection":"Mental Performance Articles, Mental Preparation, Pregame Anxiety, mental game strategies, Pregame Mental Preparation, The Relaxed Athlete"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog#listItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog","nextItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/#listItem","name":"Mental Performance Articles"}},{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/#listItem","position":2,"name":"Mental Performance Articles","item":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/","nextItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/pregame-anxiety\/#listItem","name":"Pregame Anxiety"},"previousItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog#listItem","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/pregame-anxiety\/#listItem","position":3,"name":"Pregame Anxiety","item":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/pregame-anxiety\/","nextItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#listItem","name":"Do You Use Mental Strategies To Get Ready Before Your Game?"},"previousItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/#listItem","name":"Mental Performance Articles"}},{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#listItem","position":4,"name":"Do You Use Mental Strategies To Get Ready Before Your Game?","previousItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/pregame-anxiety\/#listItem","name":"Pregame Anxiety"}}]},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/#organization","name":"Peak Performance Sports, LLC","description":"Sports psychology coaching, articles and tips for athletes, coaches, and performers excel in sports.","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/","email":"coach@peaksports.com","telephone":"+14079091700","foundingDate":"1996-08-01","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","value":5},"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/cropped-2022-Logo-Ball-Blue.jpg","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#organizationLogo","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Sports Psychology for Athletes"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#organizationLogo"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PeakPerformanceSports","https:\/\/x.com\/PeaksportsCoach","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sportspsychcoach\/","https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@peakperformancesports","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/MindsetForSports"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/author\/doccohn\/#author","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/author\/doccohn\/","name":"Patrick Cohn","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/patrick-cohn-mental-coach-web-sq.jpg"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PeakPerformanceSports","https:\/\/x.com\/PeaksportsCoach","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sportspsychcoach\/","https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@peakperformancesports","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/peaksports\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/MindsetForSports"],"description":"Mental Performance Coach Dr. Patrick Cohn has helped athletes for over 40 years enhance their performance. Dr. Cohn earned a master's degree in sports psychology from CSUF and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, specializing in Applied Sports Psychology. He is also the creator of The MGCP Mental Game Coaching Professional program. He's worked with athletes in the NFL, NHL, Olympic Athletes, Motocross Champions, and NASCAR drivers. Today, he is the president and founder of Peak Performance Sports, LLC in Orlando, Florida, where his team offers mental performance coaching to individual and team athletes.\u00a0\u00a0Visit full bio&gt;&gt;","jobTitle":"Master Mental Performance Coach","alumniOf":[{"@type":"EducationalOrganization","name":"University of Virginia","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.virginia.edu\/"},{"@type":"EducationalOrganization","name":"California State University","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.fullerton.edu\/"},{"@type":"EducationalOrganization","name":"University of Buffalo","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.buffalo.edu\/"}],"knowsLanguage":["english"]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#webpage","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/","name":"6 Pregame Mental Preparation Steps | Sports Psychology","description":"Do you know that the warm up routine is also a time to become mentally prepared for the game or practice? Read more about pregame mental strategies.","inLanguage":"en-US","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/#website"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#breadcrumblist"},"author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/author\/doccohn\/#author"},"creator":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/author\/doccohn\/#author"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/pregmae-mental-preparation1.jpg","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#mainImage","width":150,"height":150,"caption":"Pregame Mental Preparation"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/#mainImage"},"datePublished":"2016-04-07T16:54:15-04:00","dateModified":"2025-06-10T07:07:07-04:00"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/","name":"Sports Psychology Articles for Athletes","description":"Sport Psychology Articles for Athletes, Coaches, and Sports Parents","inLanguage":"en-US","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/#organization"}}]},"og:locale":"en_US","og:site_name":"Sports Psychology Articles | Sport Psychology Articles for Athletes, Coaches, and Sports Parents","og:type":"article","og:title":"6 Pregame Mental Preparation Steps | Sports Psychology","og:description":"Do you know that the warm up routine is also a time to become mentally prepared for the game or practice? Read more about pregame mental strategies.","og:url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/","og:image":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/blue-logo-512.png","og:image:secure_url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/blue-logo-512.png","og:image:width":512,"og:image:height":512,"article:published_time":"2016-04-07T16:54:15+00:00","article:modified_time":"2025-06-10T11:07:07+00:00","article:publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PeakPerformanceSports","article:author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PeakPerformanceSports","twitter:card":"summary","twitter:site":"@PeaksportsCoach","twitter:title":"6 Pregame Mental Preparation Steps | Sports Psychology","twitter:description":"Do you know that the warm up routine is also a time to become mentally prepared for the game or practice? Read more about pregame mental strategies.","twitter:creator":"@PeaksportsCoach","twitter:image":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/blue-logo-512.png"},"aioseo_meta_data":{"post_id":"5036","title":"6 Pregame Mental Preparation Steps | Sports Psychology","description":"Do you know that the warm up routine is also a time to become mentally prepared for the game or practice? Read more about pregame mental strategies.","keywords":null,"keyphrases":{"focus":{"keyphrase":"","score":0,"analysis":{"keyphraseInTitle":{"score":0,"maxScore":9,"error":1}}},"additional":[]},"primary_term":null,"canonical_url":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"og_object_type":"default","og_image_type":"default","og_image_url":null,"og_image_width":null,"og_image_height":null,"og_image_custom_url":null,"og_image_custom_fields":null,"og_video":"","og_custom_url":null,"og_article_section":null,"og_article_tags":null,"twitter_use_og":false,"twitter_card":"default","twitter_image_type":"default","twitter_image_url":null,"twitter_image_custom_url":null,"twitter_image_custom_fields":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"schema":{"blockGraphs":[],"customGraphs":[],"default":{"data":{"Article":[],"Course":[],"Dataset":[],"FAQPage":[],"Movie":[],"Person":[],"Product":[],"ProductReview":[],"Car":[],"Recipe":[],"Service":[],"SoftwareApplication":[],"WebPage":[]},"graphName":"Article","isEnabled":true},"graphs":[]},"schema_type":null,"schema_type_options":null,"pillar_content":false,"robots_default":true,"robots_noindex":false,"robots_noarchive":false,"robots_nosnippet":false,"robots_nofollow":false,"robots_noimageindex":false,"robots_noodp":false,"robots_notranslate":false,"robots_max_snippet":"-1","robots_max_videopreview":"-1","robots_max_imagepreview":"large","priority":null,"frequency":"default","local_seo":null,"seo_analyzer_scan_date":"2025-08-15 23:45:03","breadcrumb_settings":null,"limit_modified_date":false,"reviewed_by":null,"open_ai":"{\"title\":{\"suggestions\":[],\"usage\":0},\"description\":{\"suggestions\":[],\"usage\":0}}","ai":null,"created":"2020-12-21 15:06:13","updated":"2025-08-15 23:45:03"},"aioseo_breadcrumb":"<div class=\"aioseo-breadcrumbs\"><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\" title=\"Home\">Home<\/a>\n<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">\u00bb<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/\" title=\"Mental Performance Articles\">Mental Performance Articles<\/a>\n<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">\u00bb<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/pregame-anxiety\/\" title=\"Pregame Anxiety\">Pregame Anxiety<\/a>\n<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">\u00bb<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\tDo You Use Mental Strategies To Get Ready Before Your Game?\n<\/span><\/div>","aioseo_breadcrumb_json":[{"label":"Home","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog"},{"label":"Mental Performance Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/"},{"label":"Pregame Anxiety","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/pregame-anxiety\/"},{"label":"Do You Use Mental Strategies To Get Ready Before Your Game?","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/6-steps-pregame-mental-preparation\/"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5036","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5036"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5036\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}