If you decide to drink sports drinks like Gatorade, consider watering them down so you’re not drinking as much sugar.
Try using your practices to experiment to find out which foods satisfy your energy needs best. Make sure you don’t choose foods that upset your stomach or cause you discomfort. Be sure to eat small amounts of food often, say during your time spent on the bench or if your coach calls for a huddle, and bring multiple options to pick and choose from. If you eat something larger, your body will struggle to digest it and you won’t get the benefit. There is also the added risk that you could vomit this larger snack up.
Focus only on what is your job and what you can control–what’s already happened is done. Remember to play within the scope of your game’s rules: you don’t want to be thrown out because of unsportsmanlike behavior such as elbowing someone in the face.
Try thinking back to a good memory, maybe a time you had fun with your friends, or some goal you recently achieved in your sport. Try thinking of a joke that made you laugh, or asking someone to tell you one. Tell someone else a joke–laughter and happiness are infectious, and if you can make them laugh, chances are you will at least smile if not laugh yourself. [11] X Research source
This is all part of what many athletes commonly refer to as “getting in ’the zone. ‘” If you can get into the zone, your negative thoughts and worries will all fall away and you will become more self-confident. [12] X Research source
The amount of calories you should take in per day varies by age, gender, and lifestyle. Don’t skip meals, particularly on a game day. You get calories from the food you consume, which is then turned into energy for your muscles to burn. If you don’t eat enough while exercising, you can suffer from exhaustion and hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. [15] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source While prepackaged sports foods like granola or protein bars are convenient, the best foods for you to eat are going to be unprocessed foods, either raw (when possible) or home cooked. [16] X Research source 5-6 hours before your game, eat a larger meal, ideally one high in complex carbohydrates. [17] X Research source Try potatoes, whole brown rice, legumes, rolled oats, yams, or other whole foods that contain fiber. [18] X Research source Have a light and healthy snack like peanut butter or yogurt before you play. [19] X Research source
The amount of water you need to drink on a daily basis depends on your age. 5 to 8 year olds need 5 glasses or 1 liter of water a day. 9 to 12 year olds should get 7 glasses or 1. 5 liters a day. Teenagers should aim for 8 to 10 glasses, or 2 liters. [22] X Research source Adults should have between 2. 2 and 3 liters every day. [23] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source In hot and humid weather and before and during exercise, you will need to drink even more water than usual. [24] X Research source When not exercising, you should almost always choose water above any other drink. Although some drinks like fruit juice or sports drinks do have good things in them, like vitamins or electrolytes, they’re also loaded with sugar and calories. [25] X Research source You can tell how your hydration is by looking at your pee: if it comes out dark yellow or amber, you’re not drinking enough; if it is clear or pale in color then you’re in good shape. [26] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
How much sleep you need depends on your age. Kids 6-12 years of age need 9-12 hours and teens from 13-18 years old need 8-10 hours. Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep every night. [29] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Keep to a set schedule even on the weekends to reinforce your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle and promote better, deeper sleep at night. [30] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source It can be especially challenging if you’re very excited or nervous to sleep well. Try distracting yourself from your nervous thoughts by reading a book, telling yourself a story, writing in a journal to exercise the thoughts, or listening to calming music. If you still can’t sleep, try taking a short walk or a hot shower before trying to sleep again. Avoid electronic devices that emit light, like smartphones, TVs, computers, and tablets, 30-60 minutes before bed. The light these items put off makes it harder for you to sleep, which may result in fatigue the next day. [31] X Research source
You can ask your coach for help with determining a good warm-up routine, including the proper sport-specific drills that are most beneficial to you.
As you improve you will find your self-confidence, enthusiasm, and energy for the game increasing as well. Ideally, you should at least attend as many of the official practices with your team as possible. This helps build your relationship with your team and your coach so you can all perform better as a whole. When possible, practice with family and friends on days that you’re not officially practicing with your team. The more practice you have before the game day, the better.
Make a list of your best skills and all the things you’ve improved on in the last weeks, months, or even years. Write these things down, and use them to give yourself a pep talk. “I am the best at blocking on my team, and I’ve really improved on my free-throws. I know I can do this!” Talk to yourself like you were talking to your best friend: would you blame them for missing a catch, or would you encourage them to believe that they can get it next time? When you find yourself feeling down, use positive self-talk to pull your mood up. “Hey, I know that I messed up back there, but I tried my best, and I learned something new. I’m going to practice all this week, and I’ll do better next time!” If you need a bigger pep-talk going into the game, talk to your friends, coach, or even your parents. Ask them what areas they think you do well in, where you can improve, and ask for their help.
You will want to incorporate all of your senses–sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste–into the fantasy and make it as detailed as possible, right down to picturing the crowds, the weather, and the feel of the ball in your hands. [36] X Research source Just like practicing your actual moves, you will need to practice your visualization techniques in order to make it easier for yourself. Make sure your mental images are realistic. Not even Michael Jordan could dunk a basketball from 300 feet away; don’t set goals for yourself that you can’t reach.
Scientific evidence supports the concept of people becoming “hangry” if they haven’t eaten enough. [37] X Trustworthy Source Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Official peer-reviewed and multidisciplary journal for the National Academy of Sciences. Go to source Sleep deprived people can easily become more stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. [38] X Research source Mild dehydration causes anger and mood swings. [39] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
