Importance of a Pregame Routine

A strong pre-game ritual helps you prepare your body and mind for the intense ups and downs you’re about to experience. If you’re a seasoned athlete, you might already have a pregame ritual or game-day routine. 

There are plenty of complex, superstitious, or weird pregame rituals out there to serve as inspiration, but not all of them include basic steps that can make or break your performance. 

Below, we’ll outline an overall pregame ritual that can help athletes of all kinds feel equipped to dominate the field. Then, we’ll explore some additions that might benefit athletes who play specific sports.

Two Phases of Preparation:

No matter which sport or activity you’re gearing up for, the steps in this basic pregame ritual will help you feel prepared and ready to tackle whatever comes your way.

Phase 1 - The Night Before

These tips are not limited to just the night; it all depends on when the game is, it could also be the morning before or the day before. The important thing is that you incorporate it into your routine and do it consciously to get the best results out of it.

Rest up:

Make sure you get a good night’s sleep the day before your game. When the big day rolls around, consider taking a quick nap before you get ready. This can help you ensure you’re firing on all cylinders and that you’re as rested as possible.

Try to keep your nap short, though, to avoid entering deeper sleep stages that will leave you feeling drowsy. About 30 minutes is a good place to start.

Refresh Yourself with Body Cleaning Products

Put your mind in the right headspace by taking good care of yourself. After all, you are about to put your body through something strenuous and potentially stressful. 

An effective skincare routine for your face and body is an excellent first step. Make sure you’re fresh and clean to project confidence on and off the field.

OffCourt’s All the Way Bundle has all you need to feel prepared and reinvigorated. It features our Deep Cleansing Body Wash, Exfoliating Soap, Body Spray, and Fragrance in matching, luxurious scents. You’ll also get our lightweight Facial Hydrator, which is designed to work with your sweat and keep your skin hydrated for hours. 

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We offer some of the best-smelling body wash and hygiene products on the market to help you compete with your best foot forward. 

OffCourt knows body cleaning isn’t the only way to target post-game stink, though. Our aluminum-free spray deodorant will keep you fresh all game long. 

The main benefit of aluminum-free deodorant is that it does not clog sweat-producing pores, allowing you to perspire freely. Instead, it targets bad bacteria and strengthens good bacteria to keep your sweat from smelling while still letting it cool you off as it’s meant to. 

When you get in the habit of using the same products with the same scents, motions, and benefits, you establish a routine that tells your brain it’s game time. And studies show that a solid routine and ritual help reduce anxiety before matches and increase performance.

OffCourt products make it simple to find the best-smelling body wash, aluminum-free spray deodorant, face moisturizer, and anything else you might need to put your game face on.

Gather Information:

Knowledge is power, so it’s a good idea to think about all the variables that can impact your performance on the game day, depending on which sport you practice some ideas could be, researching your opponent, or checking the weather forecast to know in advance how the conditions of the court are going to be

Phase 2 - Gameday

If you have completed all the steps of your Pre-game routine, you are more than ready to succeed! On the day of the game, you have to stay relaxed and focused to let the magic happen. If you overthink about not wanting to mess up, you might fail due to so much pressure. The best way to avoid that is to keep yourself busy on the following tasks:

Arrive Early

This might seem irrelevant, but it’s not. Arriving early gives you enough time to warm up properly both physically and mentally. This will help you feel more confident and ready to perform.

Grab a bite

You are what you eat. If you want to be a winner, you need to fuel like one. 

Make sure you’ve had something substantial to eat before you suit up for game time. A balanced and complete meal that features protein, fiber, and plenty of carbohydrates gives you a quick energy boost that can last for hours.

Visualize success

Some people find it helpful to visualize what they’d like to happen during the game. They see themselves scoring, winning, and doing so with ease. Others might pray or chat with loved ones before a game starts to seal the deal.

Whatever you decide to do, enter your game with intention and purpose. Let your passion guide you throughout its duration, and take comfort in knowing you did all you could to prepare.

Breath Work

It involves consciously and mindfully changing your breathing patterns to improve relaxation. Deep breathing can help calm the nervous system, it sends your brain a signal to reduce the feelings of stress and anxiety.

Focus on being in the moment

This is a great piece of advice to keep in mind, not only on game day but in life in general. Focusing on the future can make you feel anxious and if you focus too much on the past it might make you feel fear or nostalgic.The best way to overcome this is to focus on the present moment; it gives you more chances to play in the flow and show your best performance

Music

Music is undoubtedly a great way to get your energy up and adrenaline pumping. It also increases motivation to perform, which can boost focus and willingness to push past mental and even physical barriers.

Warmups

Take your time. Do deep stretches, drills, and anything else that helps your body feel prepared to move. Warming up increases your heart rate and therefore your blood flow. This enables more oxygen to reach your muscles

Final Thoughts

Your pregame ritual can look however you want it to, but it should always promote your safety and well-being above all else. Establishing a ritual that makes you feel motivated and meets your needs helps you stay ahead of the game (literally), score, and win.

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