A pre-pitch or at-bat routine is designed to help you:

•  Focus on what’s important
• Prepare consistently for the pitch or at-bat
• Feel confident before execution
• Trust your swing or throwing action

Phillies pitcher, Roy Halladay, recently threw a perfect game to beat the Marlins 1-0. Before his perfect game, Halladay was coming off a poor start this season. He had given up seven runs to the Red Sox in 5 and 2/3 innings. How was Halladay was able to turn his poor start around to throw a perfect game? He attributes part of his success to having a pre-pitch routine.

“I think you pitch the same regardless, even whether you give up a hit or not. I think you try not to be concerned with the score, one way or the other. You’re just trying to make pitches. That’s your only job. So, whether you’re giving up hits or it’s 5-0, 0-0, you’re just trying to make pitches,” said Halladay.

A common mistake that ball players make is to think too much about the score. Batters are often over concerned with their performance at the plate; they pressure themseles to make up for an 0-4 performance in the last outing. Pitchers might be thinking about how many runs they have given up or the current score of the inning. By having a routine, you are less likely to think results and more likely to focus on the process and your exectuion, one pitch at a time. A routine occupies your mind with what’s important, such as what you need to do to execute successfully.

If you notice you’re starting to think about the score, take a moment to regroup. Step out of the batter’s box , clear your mind, and refocus on execution. Find a thought to help you regroup. You might tell yourself to “Stop,” and remind yourself that that’s not important. Then, tell yourself what to focus on for this pitch only. You can focus on your plan for the pitch or seeing a good pitch, for example. Remember to keep things simple. You should only focus on one thought at a time.

Your mental game of baseball tip for today is to use a routine and stick to it. If you find yourself wavering from your routine or are distracted, take a moment to regroup and restart your routine.

For more information on preshot and pregame routines, check out The Relaxed Athlete

Baseball players can also follow a specific routine before a game. They may eat the same pregame meal, arrive an hour before the game and go through the exact same warm-up for each game. Some players might prefer to skip the pregame warm-up and just go out and compete.

A baseball routine helps you warm up your body physically, but also helps you prepare mentally for the upcoming game. A routine can help you focus on the right things, build confidence and maintain the right level of intensity. Former MLB player, Kevin Appier uses a consistent routine to get into the right mindset before the game.

“Just preparing the same exact way. I mean, you don’t have to worry about, like, building adrenaline or anything because it’s obviously going to be there. As far as concentrating on not getting too pumped up, that type of thing, the first time I was in the playoffs, I really had to concentrate on that, on settling myself down. This time around, I haven’t had that issue. I’ve been at real good levels like that.”

“But anyway, my preparation stays exactly the same. I stay with the same routine. I won’t go into the whole thing, but it’s identical to what I do during the season. That’s one of the things, like we’ve been saying, it’s, “Same old game.” Games mean more, but you’re doing everything you could during the regular season, so you shouldn’t change now.”

A consistent routine is important, but it is best not to judge your pregame warm-up. A warm-up routine is simply to prepare your mind and body to compete. You don’t need to win warm-ups. Players who focus too much on performing perfectly in their warm-up might tend to doubt their ability, try to fix their mistakes and start to panic before the game.

As you go through your physical warm-up, you’ll also want to prepare your mind. You’ll want to develop a routine that helps you stay focused, confident and in a trusting mindset before competition. You must park other life distractions, rehearse your performance and review your game plan before the game.

You might worry about their team’s record against another team or feel that you aren’t as good as your teammates. This can cause you to perform tentatively, fear making mistakes, doubt your ability and lose focus on what’s important.

Self-intimidation can come in many forms such as…

• Feeling pressure to perform your best or win.
• Worry about performing against other players or teams who are just as skilled.
• Comparing yourself to other players or teammates who you think are better.
• Worry about competing against a good team.
• Get caught up in the hoopla or importance of a game

Confident and composed ball players don’t intimidate themselves. Confident baseball players are able to manage their emotions and enjoy the challenge of a close game.

How do you know if you are intimidating yourself?

Here are some signs that you are intimidated:

• You give too much energy to your competition during pregame.
• You have doubts about playing well against a certain team.
• You are in awe of the situation or hoopla of the competitive environment.
• You feel inferior to the competition or teammates and make comparisons to others.

A few mental game strategies can help you overcome your intimidation. One strategy is to develop a pregame routine. A pregame routine can help you focus your mind on what’s important before competition such as reviewing your game plan. Without a consistent pregame routine, you will be more likely to become distracted, which may include focusing on your competition.

You’ll also want to give yourself a boost of confidence before competition. You can think about past successful performances or use positive self-talk to improve your confidence. You’ll want to stop putting your opponents or teammates on a pestle and realize that you deserve to be there just as much as your opponents.