Pre-performance routines

Pre-Performance Routines (PPR) are a sequence of task-relevant thoughts and actions an athlete engages in systematically before the performance (Rupprecht et al., 2021). We may unknowingly see this while watching our favorite basketball player breathe before a free throw shot or watching athletes warm up before a game. However, do you realize your morning coffee or Starbucks run may be part of your pre-performance routine?

Whether you are a top-level athlete or someone working a 9-5, we are all performers. You must have the right mindset, emotional state, and focus to perform at your best. We all have days where we underperform or days we overperform. PPRs seek consistency in those performances to help someone achieve their longer-term goals. PPRs start by understanding what happened or what it felt like when you performed at your best. This is called an optimal state, which is the mental, physical, and emotional state you are in when you perform your best or overperform. After understanding our optimal state, we work backward from right before the event to even weeks in advance to help someone achieve their optimal state. Working backward, you will explore what gets you to that optimal state. Is it Breathing? Meditation? Music? Humor? Or a daily cup of coffee? By studying what actions get you ready, you can better understand how to create that moment more consistently. There is a wealth of techniques and strategies to develop your best PPR.

If you are interested in working with our sports psychology providers to learn more about how to make your pre-performance routine call 510-981-1471 or email admin@endurancecenter.org

Check out Quentin Baldwin's Bio.