Day 13: Pre-Competition Routines

When we think of preparation we always default to “physical preparation”, but mental preparation, and more importantly connecting physical, mental, and cognitive (our thinking skills) is often an after thought.

How do we do this - pre-competition routines!

What are Pre-Competition Routines?

Pre-competition routines are a set of structured activities and habits that you follow before a game/competition. These routines are carefully designed to help you achieve optimal focus, mental clarity, and perform at your best. Pre-competition routines often involve a combination of physical warm-ups, mental exercises, and exercises to warm up your thinkings skills (i.e. go over the playbook), and much more!

The Importance of Pre-Competition Routines

1. Enhances Mental Preparation: Pre-competition routines provide an opportunity to mentally prepare for the upcoming game/competition. By engaging in activities such as mindfulness or deep breathing exercises, you can calm your mind, reduce anxiety, and increase focus. This mental preparation helps us maintain a clear and positive mindset, allowing you to enter the competition with confidence.

2. Creates Consistency and Control: Athletes thrive on routines. Pre-competition routines establish a sense of familiarity and control in a high-pressure environment. By following a specific sequence of actions, you can create a comfortable and predictable environment where you can perform at your best. This consistency helps us eliminate distractions, reduce nervousness, and channel your energy towards your performance.

3. Activates Muscle Memory: Physical warm-ups are a crucial aspect of pre-competition routines. These warm-ups not only prepare the body for the demands of the competition but also activate your muscle memory, and warm up your skills. By performing familiar movements and exercises, you cement these skills and increase the chances of executing precise actions during the game/competition. Muscle memory helps you react quickly and precisely, even under immense pressure.

4. Boosts Confidence: Pre-competition routines provide you with an opportunity to build confidence. By engaging in visualization techniques for example, you mentally rehearse your performance, envisioning success and overcoming potential challenges. This mental rehearsal reinforces positive self-belief and boosts confidence. When you step onto the competition field, you carry the mental assurance that you have already succeeded in your mind.

5. Facilitates Focus and Concentration: Pre-competition routines are designed to help you enter "flow state" or "peak performance" - a mental state where time seems to slow down, and performances become effortless. Through a combination of mental exercises and routines you shift your attention away from distractions and fully immerse yourself in the task at hand. This intense focus and concentration are instrumental in achieving peak performance.

Why Do Pre-Competition Routines Work?

Pre-competition routines work due to a combination of psychological, physiological, and cognitive factors. By engaging in specific activities, you signal to your brain and body that it is time to transition into the high performance mindset. These routines trigger the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and endorphins, which promote feelings of alertness, focus, and well-being. Additionally, the familiarity and repetition of pre-competition routines create a sense of comfort and confidence, reducing anxiety and increasing mental resilience…..all things that enhance performance!

Key Take Aways:

1. Enhanced mental preparation: Pre-competition routines help you mentally prepare for competition by reducing anxiety, increasing focus, and promoting a positive mindset.

2. Consistency and control: Following a structured routine creates a sense of familiarity and control, allowing you to eliminate distractions, reduce nervousness, and perform at your best.

3. Improved performance through muscle memory: Physical warm-ups activate muscle memory, helping you execute precise actions during competition and react quickly under pressure.

Self-Reflective Moment:

For more on pre-competition or game day preparation, please check out our game day preparation guide.