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Routines - Helping an athlete do the right things
"I have a pre-shot routine for every shot, but none is more important than when I have to hit a big drive in a pressure situation. Not only does my pre-shot routine allow me to focus on the task at hand, but it also keeps me in my natural rhythm. Every 300-yard bomb in my bag starts with a routine that has a calming effect on me as much as anything." - Tiger Woods
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit”
-Aristotle
Sport psychologists have studied pre-competitive routines for a long time, and there is good evidence that routines increase consistency of an athletes thinking, feelings and the pre-sport behaviors. Because of these effects, routines also produce more consistent behavior. This produces better results. Routines therefore can make you a better athlete. There are a number of reasons why routines work, but you may find that many of your athletes resists routines. At the USOC, I have heard all sorts of reasons for this resistance, including:
“It slows me down”
“I don’t want to get locked into anything”
“I like being flexible in case things change”
“I used to do it, it was helpful, but I just stopped. I’m not sure why.”
My personal opinion is that many athletes don’t develop effective routines simply because nobody ever taught them how important and helpful they are.
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Coaches Corner
