John McMahon: Six ways to prepare for the big game

As all GAA athletes know, a balanced diet, a good training regime, and mental preparation are crucial for success in competitions. Yet years of daily sporting routines, hours spent honing your training programme, and a considered nutritional intake count for little if you’re not in the right frame of mind before a big game.

Many elite athletes talk about “getting in the zone” before a big game, but what does this mean? A study of the techniques that elite athletes adopt can be distilled into six key areas:

1. Routine

A pre-game routine can help you get in the right frame of mind. Less about rituals and more about preparation, you should find a way to develop a consistent pre-game routine.

The familiarity and comfort of following a set routine may help calm your nerves. Routines can vary depending on your personal needs. For some, this might include imagery; for others, listening to music. Some athletes like short naps as part of their routine, recognising the restorative benefits they can bring before an important game.

2. Words and Phrases

The language we use can help shape our thoughts accordingly. It’s important to use words that trigger the right emotions and actions required for optimum performance.

In your daily sporting routine, develop your inner dialogue. Think about words and phrases that are important to you and focus on positive self-talk.

3. Small Goals, Big Ambitions

As any sports coach will tell you, it’s all about baby steps. We can achieve great things with the right building blocks in place.

It’s great to be a “big-picture thinker,” but breaking targets down into achievable bite-sized stages is often the best way to reach your goals.

During mental preparation, work with your coach to set small goals leading towards your end goal. Tick off all those small targets in the lead-up to a big game to maximise your performance.

4. Imagery

Positive thinking is part of mental preparation that athletes develop over the years, and imagery is key to this.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not simply about imagining yourself lifting a trophy or scoring a goal — it’s about imagining the essential steps needed to achieve success in as much detail as possible.

By going through the motions in your head, you are, in many ways, rehearsing and practising future actions. In doing so, you can set yourself up for success.

5. Overcome Negativity

It’s natural for negative thoughts to creep in — “Can I do this?”, “Am I good enough?”, “The competitors are better than me” are all common thoughts that GAA athletes may experience.

These are to be expected. In sports psychology, athletes are taught not to block them out, but to acknowledge these emotions in a helpful way.

One approach is to use past experiences as evidence of future success. This can include reminding yourself of your previous achievements.

6. Work to Your Own Standard

Everyone has their own way of preparing and training for big sporting games. Your mental preparation might be completely different from your competitors, and that is okay.

What works for someone else might not work for you. It all comes back to maintaining focus on yourself and having belief in your own abilities.