The Ultimate Pre-Performance Framework for Athletes

Success in sports isn't just about skill—it’s about preparation. High-performing athletes don’t leave their mind, energy, or focus to chance; they set themselves up for success with a powerful pre-performance routine. The right routine activates your body, sharpens your mind, and locks in confidence before competition. If you want to consistently perform at your best, follow this four-step framework designed to prime you for peak performance.

The Ultimate Pre-Performance Formula

To structure your routine effectively, follow the following formulas for success:

Calibrate: (Breathwork + Meditation) = Focused Mind

Visualize: (Imagery + Sensing) = Confident Execution

Affirm: (Mantra + Self-Belief) = Mental Strength

Activate: (Music + Movement) = Energized Body

Let's break this down a bit further.

1. Mental Calibration Through Meditation and Breathwork

Start your pre-performance routine with meditation and breathwork. Meditation and breathwork regulate the nervous system, helping athletes transition from an anxious or distracted state to a calm and focused mindset. Deep breathing techniques increase oxygen flow, lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels, and enhance concentration.

How to Implement: Spend 3-5 minutes in a quiet space focusing on your breath. Try box breathing (inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4) to create a sense of balance and control. Combine this with mindfulness, bringing awareness to the present moment.

Example: A basketball player sitting courtside with eyes closed, inhaling deeply through the nose and exhaling slowly through the mouth, mentally detaching from distractions and locking in focus before the tip-off.

2. Visualization and Sensing for Confidence Building

After you find yourself centered after your breathwork and meditation, then we will start shifting our focus to visualizing and sensing success. The brain doesn’t distinguish between real and vividly imagined experiences. Visualization activates the same neural pathways as physical practice, reinforcing muscle memory and boosting confidence. Sensing engages all five senses, making mental imagery even more effective.

How to Implement: Close your eyes and visualize yourself executing key moves with precision and confidence. Engage all senses—feel the grip of the ball, hear the crowd, sense the energy in your body.

Example: A sprinter imagining the explosive start from the blocks, the power in their legs, the wind rushing past, and the feeling of crossing the finish line first.

3. Affirmation or Mantra Cultivating Mental Strength

Now that you have the vision of success and you've sensed it, now it's time to affirm yourself. Words shape belief systems. Positive and helpful affirmations and mantras rewire the subconscious mind, replacing doubt with confidence. Repeating empowering statements builds resilience and primes the brain for peak performance.

How to Implement: Create a short, powerful phrase that embodies your mindset. Repeat it silently or aloud multiple times before competition.

Example: A softball pitcher saying, “I am strong, I am ready, I own this moment” before stepping onto the mound.

4. Activating Music/Vibration with Movement to Create Energy

Lastly, there is power in vibration! Music has a profound impact on the brain, influencing mood, motivation, and energy levels. Research shows that music with a strong rhythm can enhance motor coordination and reduce the perception of effort. Movement, such as dynamic stretching or rhythmic exercises, boosts blood flow and primes muscles for action.

How to Implement: Choose a playlist of high-energy songs that make you feel powerful and focused. Pair it with dynamic movements like jumping jacks, high knees, or shadowboxing. This primes your nervous system, increases blood circulation, and mentally signals that it’s time to compete. This part of your pre-performance routine can be layered in from the beginning or used closer to competition. You may decide to use more mindful music to activate you early in your routine during meditation, then shift it to more up-beat tunes closer to performance.

Example: A soccer player might listen to an upbeat hip-hop track while performing light footwork drills, syncing movement with the beat to create a flow state before stepping onto the field.

Why This Works Every Time

This framework and routine combines multiple proven techniques that work synergistically to optimize performance. Activating music and movement energize your body, breathwork calms and focuses the mind, visualization reinforces success, and affirmations lock in confidence. When practiced consistently, every day prior to practice or game-day, this pre-performance framework doesn’t just prepare you for the game—it prepares you for life.

~Coach Julie

Try it before your next competition and experience the difference. What’s your go-to pre-performance routine?

Take Your Performance to the Next Level with Beyond The Game Alliance

At Beyond The Game Alliance, we help athletes develop mental toughness, leadership skills, and resilience and so much more. If you’re looking for more ways to elevate you or your athletes' game, check out our Athlete Passport Program for personalized coaching, mental strength training, and career development support.

🔹 Join a community of like-minded athletes.

🔹 Get expert guidance to master your mindset.

🔹 Prepare for success beyond the game.

👉 Learn more and sign up today at Beyond The Game Alliance.