MENTAL WARM-UPS: JUST AS IMPORTANT AS PHYSICAL ONES

You wouldn’t send an athlete into competition without stretching their muscles. So why send them in with an unprepared mind?

Mental warm-ups help athletes:

• Regulate nerves and energy

• Sharpen focus

• Establish confidence

Mental warm-up routine (5–10 mins):

1. Breathing: 3 cycles of box breathing to center the mind

2. Visualization: Rehearse key moments—first pass, first serve, first shot

3. Self-talk: Use phrases like “I’m ready,” “Trust the work,” or “Compete with joy”

4. Intention setting: Choose a word or phrase to anchor the performance (“Effort,” “Attack,” “Poise”)

Make it consistent and brief, just like physical warm-ups. Over time, this becomes an essential part of every athlete’s routine.