Pre-performance routines

The effects of pre-performance routines (PPRs) have been studied quite extensively, and the results are pretty convincing.
Studies on both golf-putting and basketball free-throws have shown that elite performers take a consistently longer time period in their pre-shot routines. Likewise, a qualitative study of U.S. wrestling medal winners in the 1988 Olympic Games contrasted a systematic and consistent approach to PPRs with non-medallists who reported greater deviation from pre-performance routines prior to matches.
However, scientists are still not certain why these rituals can be so effective. There are several competing theories—mainly attentional control, warm-up decrement, and automatic skill execution.  The attentional control model suggests that rituals help athletes block out task-irrelevant cues to focus on task-relevant ones.
Alana Sims of the Guelph Gryphons women’s hockey team describes her personal routine: “Individually, I like to take time to do the exact same stretches in the same order for warm up. I also tie my skates up outside the room to have time to myself to prep with music in.”
Taking a moment of alone time to tie her skates helps Sims to focus on the upcoming game.
Warm-up decrement argues that routines create psychological readiness. Sims also participates in a team ritual in addition to her own.
“Before games three different girls are called into the middle of a circle and have to do a little dance, to loosen everyone up, take away from the serious aspect of it, and we then do a cheer before heading into the locker room to get dressed.”
The decompressing effect of this warm-up dance helps the players to feel less nervous and more mentally prepared for the game.
Automatic skill execution posits that PPRs help athletes move from conscious to unconscious movements. Martin Popiel from the Guelph Gryphons men’s basketball team describes a similar process: “I show up exactly 1.5 hours before tip-off. Then I get taped and fill the cold tub with hot water for a 10-minute soak to get my muscles loose and relaxed. During warm ups, we do layup lines, and I make sure to do the same sequence every time to get myself in a groove.”
Repeating the sequence for layups creates muscle memory for this action and helps it become unconscious when the pressure is on during the game.
Other benefits of PPRs can contribute to team bonding. Kyle Fraser and the Guelph Gryphons football team have a unique routine.
“Before every game, we sing a song,” explains Fraser. “When we are fully dressed and ready to take the field, the leader stands on a bench and we huddle tight to him. He sings a line, and we give a shout in response while jumping up and down together, and all shout the last line together. The words of the song are about togetherness and fighting as a unit, and the physical closeness of the ritual really helps me to bond with my teammates. Football is such a team sport, it is important that you know your teammates have your back. Singing ‘The Law Of The Jungle,’ it’s like a battle cry. Nothing gets me more pumped.”
The study also noted that supernatural behaviours, including lucky clothing or a religious prayer, while more effective than no ritual at all, were not as effective as athletic PPRs such as practice swings, stretches, walkthroughs of movements, or maintaining a strict schedule or diet.
When I played football in high school, we met in the school chapel for the coach’s pep talk on game day. The atmosphere was always subdued and church-like, but as the players filed in, there was an unmistakable buzz in the air. Waiting for the coach to arrive felt like the calm before all the excitement of the game took hold, and I loved it.
But I never knew why. It wasn’t for the supernatural connection, but being in the chapel had the unmistakeable impact of getting me focused for the game. I also noticed that I had a tendency to tug my right thigh pad before getting down into my offensive line stance, a habit which started due to ill-fitting second-hand equipment, yet carried over even when the pads sat perfectly.
I couldn’t explain why I did it other than it felt right. This would fall under the category of a supernatural behaviour as well as attentional control.
Many athletes find routines that work for them in order to mentally and physically prepare for their sport. Sticking to the same routine and minimizing variation, according to research, can qualitatively impact a player’s performance.