Participating in a competitive sport is always nerve-wracking whether you’re a newbie or pro. You never know what’s going to happen. The trick is to cover your bases, and trust that you’ve prepared well. Here are some basic tourney prep tips we’d like to share with you.
Stay hydrated. Drink water. LOTS OF IT. Need we say more?
Training. Train like you mean it. Do your warm-ups and don’t forget to do your pre and post-stretches. Practice progressive training whether it’s adding extra reps to your drills. You don’t need to be at a hundred percent each time, but make sure to challenge yourself.
Remember, training may be important but so is…
Rest. Did you know that muscles grow stronger when you give them a chance to repair and heal? So, yes. Train like you mean it then give your body the rest it needs. Never run the risk of fatiguing, or worse injuring, yourself. Relax, go watch movies, bond with your family and friends, and get enough sleep.
Meditation. No, you don’t need to sit in a corner, close your eyes and ohmmm for hours on end. (Unless, of course that works for you!). It’s about blocking the world out, getting your head in the game, and focusing on yourself. Put on some music (or not… totally up to you) and visualize what you want to achieve.
All this prep is nothing if you don’t have fun out there. Regardless of what happens during your games, don’t forget why you got into this sport in the first place. Have fun, make friends, and bask in the light of your own greatness– you’re better today than you ever were yesterday.
These are only how we try to prepare ourselves before a tournament. We would like to hear about your routines! Any special tip or trick you’d like to share? Head on over to our Pickleball community page right here.
