Written by When we think about the beginning a sport season, enthusiasm is high. Athletes and coaches are so excited to get things going. Effort is off the charts and everyone is supportive. Fast forward a couple months and it’s only natural to go on autopilot during practices. Individual drills become a “check the box” activity.
The irony is that sports culture emphasizes the importance of routines. Routines helps us sharpen our skills and help things become muscle memory. The irony is that to achieve a higher more consistent level of success, we also want to embrace the “anti-routine” routine. Mindfulness.
Mindfulness is defined as de-atomization. To be mindful is to be thoughtful and engaged. The opposite of muscle memory or auto-pilot. Quite the different perspective on how typically discuss routines.
Enter “Mental Warm-Ups”
This is one of the simplest things to begin implementing with athletes to develop a culture of intentionality. Before practices start, simply have athletes engage in 2-5 minutes of anchoring in the present moment. Observing of their breath, or surroundings are a simple way to get them in the habit of recognizing what it feels like to be here and now. There is a higher level of focus, prior to the start of training and performance.
This type of daily routine will pay dividends under pressure as more athletes will understand how to stay composed and support each other. You are literally building a culture of deliberate and intentional thought.