Mental Jumping Jacks

Athletes are familiar with warming up before a game or competition. They run, stretch and perform drills to get their physical bodies ready. Most mistakes, however, are mental and are a direct result of mental tightness before game time. While it is important to physically warm up, failing to prepare your mind results in mental mistakes during competition, especially in the beginning. Athletes and coaches must learn and perform "mental calisthenics" before games to make certain their mental motors are as primed as their bodies.

Get Off to a Great Start
Every athlete and coach knows that getting off to a quick start in competition means a rapid increase in confidence and an edge over opponents. It does not always guarantee success, but it dramatically improves the likelihood of it. If you look at sport statistics, there is a higher win percentage among athletes and teams who take a quick lead. Don't ever underestimate the importance of getting off to a great start - it sets the tone for the rest of the game, week, season and year.

Mentally Stretch Before Bedtime & On the Morning of Competition
Although mental training must be performed throughout the week, the night before and morning of competition is a critical time for mental preparation. Athletes must practice visualization during these times and get their minds in the right place to compete. They may see themselves executing skills, implementing the game plan, or remaining relaxed when under pressure. For example, a tennis player will see great serves right from the beginning; a quarterback will imagine perfect passes in the first series; or a basketball player will picture being an aggressive defender. Athletes' skills are set the day before competition; the only remaining factor is mental. Make sure it is ready.

Perform Mental Jumping Jacks During Physical Warm-UpWhen athletes are going through physical warm-up before games, they should be mentally preparing as well. The mental warm-up needs to be just as efficient and routine as the physical one. Yet many athletes fail to warm up their minds and forget that the majority of their mistakes will be mental ones. Athletes must be thinking about their role, visualizing success, and simplifying the thought process for competition. They need to write their cue word and begin to hone their mental state. For example, baseball players must think about their first at bat, basketball players their first five minutes of defense, golfers must play the first three holes on the range, and tennis players serve out the first game during warm up. These mental calisthenics make certain that athletes' minds are as ready as their bodies.

Play Smart, Play Hard, Play Well!