Thankyou for the response to my question, buy i would like to know more about pre-performance routines/rituals. For example, bouncing a basketball a set no. of times before a free throw, or waggling a golf club in a certain way before taking a shot. If you could please send me more information about why this is done, and how/if it helps improve performane, i would be very grateful.

-- Luke Paul Joseph Hassett (lukey_h@yahoo.com), May 25, 2000

Answers

Luke,

Pre performance routines are used to get the athlete into the right state of mind and level of arousal for the optimal performance in their sport. If we take a free throw in basketball - this has probably resulted from a foul and the player is likely to be quite hyped up - not the best state in which to perform the free throw. So the athlete begins their pre perofmance routine with a few deep breaths and whatever cue they use to narrow their focus down to the ball and the hoop. The importance of the routine is that regardless of the stage of the game or the importance of the point the athlete should do everything exactly the same. This can minimise the impact of pressure, nerves and distractions. One frequent distraction is the athletes own thoughts - the routine tries to minimise the tendency to think "what if..." and focus on doing what the player has trained to do.

Hope this answers your question

Adam

-- Adam Hall (a.hall2@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au), May 30, 2000.