Put simply, pre-performance routines are activities that an athlete engages in before practices and games. They can range from one activity to many, are flexible to time and place, and can be adapted if needed.
To better understand how pre-performance routines can be implemented into our own lives, we spoke with VIS Expert Anna Hennings, MA, CMPC, to get her advice on the ins-and-outs of pre-performance routines.
Hennings explained that pre-performance routines typically include a combination of different mental skills like “encouraging, energizing, or grounding self-talk (depending on what you need), listening to certain songs or a playlist (to help you cultivate your ideal energy), deep breathing, and/or watching a ‘mental movie’ (or highlight reel, i.e., using imagery skills) of previous accomplishments to remind you of all the reasons you have to feel confident.”
She emphasized that pre-performance routines should not be mistaken for superstitious rituals and do not always have to occur prior to performance.
So, where to start? Hennings offered up the following advice for developing our own routines:
Reflect on past peak performances to clarify what behaviors we are already employing effectively to prepare ourselves. By identifying the specific behaviors we already implement into our preparation, we infuse them with meaning and intentionally repeat them.
Include our “why,” motto and/or mission statement to stay tapped into our motivation for doing our sport.
Study our sport or performance to understand when and where along the way a routine would most benefit us: The night before? When you arrive at your location? Immediately before you execute an action (like a serve)? During pauses in play (e.g., between sets, races, events etc.)? After a practice or performance? Start where you believe a routine will make the most impact in our feelings of readiness.
Be patient, and practice our routine often. Mental skills, like physical skills, require reps to be effective.
According to Hennings, “effective routines can help an athlete feel calm, comfortable, confident, and in control while also enhancing their ability to play consistently.”
VIS Mentor Pre-Performance Routines in Action
To get an inside look at how athletes are using pre-performance routines on the regular, we spoke with VIS Mentors Brianna Pinto, a professional soccer player in the NWSL, and Samantha Watson, professional runner and former star at Texas A&M, to hear about their own pre-performance routines.
“Effective routines can help an athlete feel calm, comfortable, confident, and in control while also enhancing their ability to play consistently.”
Brianna Pinto’s Pre-Performance Routine
Pinto says that she has a pre-game routine that she follows every game day without fail. Her routine kicks off with her breakfast meal — a fruit smoothie and her breakfast of choice. If the match is in the evening, she will have her classic pre-game meal from Panera — historically a Panera Bread You Pick Two throughout college and [her] first two seasons as a professional (a Bacon Turkey Bravo Sandwich, Caesar Salad, and chips).
Right before she gets dressed to head to the stadium, she jumps in the shower and takes that time to review her objectives, responsibilities, and expectations for the upcoming game. She enjoys listening to music on her commute to the field and admits that she bases her song selections on her mood, which she monitors throughout the day. If she feels a need to hype herself up, she opts for rap music. If she is feeling particularly anxious, she will listen to gospel music.
(She shared with us that her favorite pump up song is “Dreams & Nightmares” by Meek Mill!)
Just before game-time, she says a quick prayer before exiting the locker room and right before kick-off she does a quick lunge stretch to each side, two quick high jumps, a leg shake out and she is ready to go!
Samantha Watson’s Pre-Performance Routine
Watson walked us through her pre-performance routine from start to finish. She explains that after waking up on race day, she hydrates with water and electrolytes and eats a simple breakfast of oatmeal and sausage. If the race is in the morning, she will do some light yoga and breath work to get herself in the proper mental zone for performing at her best.
She says that on her way to the track, she typically listens to some sort of hype-up music. She shares with us that it has the ability to boost her mood and allows her the opportunity to be mindful about what she is doing to prepare for her upcoming race.
Watson shared that “when [she] really enjoys the songs [she’s] listening to, [she] can be present and appreciate what is going on.” Like Pinto, she selects her music based on how she is feeling internally – if she is anxious, she opts for lo-fi beats to calm herself down, but if she is feeling good, she goes with hype music (like Drake’s “Honestly Nevermind”).
Watson shared with us a few of her other favorite hype up songs:
“I Can Tell”, by George Fitzgerald
“Don’t Forget My Love” by Diplo
And her favorite calm down songs:
“Builder Home”, by Kudo
“Starry Sea”, by Charlee Nguyen
At the end of the day, our pre-performance routine is entirely our own. Play around with making our own pre-performance routine to find what feels right for us!
