The value of a pre-performance routine
One of the most common questions athletes ask when we start working together is, “how can I perform more consistently?”
It’s an excellent question, one that acknowledges the fickle nature of performance.
Performance is determined by a number of factors - some within your control (e.g., your physical conditioning, your mental skills) and many outside of your control (e.g., the weather, other people’s performance, referees). In an effort to increase your chances of performing well day in and day out, you want to maximize the variables within your control.
How can you do that? One evidence-based strategy is to implement a pre-performance routine, which is defined as “a sequence of task-relevant thoughts and actions which an athlete engages in systematically prior to his or her performance of a specific sports skill” (Moran, 1996). That definition was later expanded to include “cognitive and behavioral elements that intentionally regulate arousal and concentration” (Foster, Weigand, and Baines, 2006).
Think about a basketball player at the free throw line. He might dribble the ball a couple of times, spin it, and take a deep breath before putting up his shot. Or consider a surgeon just prior to a routine surgery. She has a series of actions that she takes to prepare her body (e.g., washes hands), her mind (e.g., eliminates distractions), and her work space (e.g., sets up medical instruments). What about a Broadway actor? Before taking the stage, they might listen to a particular playlist through their headphones and go through a specific series of stretches and vocal warm-ups. All of these performers have different pre-performance routines, but the objective is the same: to prepare mentally and physically for the task at hand.
In addition to improving consistency, here are a few additional benefits of implementing a good pre-performance routine:
It hones focus and helps eliminate distractions
It triggers well-rehearsed movement patterns
It quiets mental chatter
It optimizes physiological arousal levels
Anyone who performs consistently well at a high level implements a pre-performance routine. The stakes are just too high to leave the mental component of performance up to chance. So, let’s borrow a page from their playbook and create our own pre-performance routines.
Start experimenting with simple routines and pay attention to how your performance is affected. Make adjustments and over time, you’ll settle into an effective pre-performance routine. You won’t perform perfectly 100% of the time (you’re human), but with a solid pre-performance routine, you’ll certainly increase your chances of performing well more consistently.
Foster, D. J., Weigand, D. A., & Baines, D. (2006). The effect of removing superstitious behavior and introducing a pre-performance routine on basketball free-throw performance. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 18(2), 167-171
Moran, A. P. 1996. The psychology of concentration is sport performers, East Sussex, UK: Psychology Press.