Why Athletes Should Nap Before Competition

This story about Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Marcelo Garcia will help any athlete who:

• is feeling burned out
• is getting off to slow starts in games or matches
• has dreams of becoming the best but doesn't have the habits to match it....yet

Before one of the biggest matches of Garcia's career, people couldn't find him anywhere.

They looked around the venue until they finally discovered him sleeping underneath the bleachers.

Sleeping.

A few minutes later, they woke him up, he walked to the mat, and competed at the highest level.

Whether you've wrestled, played baseball, softball, soccer, or any other sport, that's probably not what you picture when you think of elite preparation.

Most athletes assume they should be pacing around, listening to hype videos, or trying to stay fired up for hours before the game.

But what if that's actually costing them?

One of the qualities I've noticed in the best athletes I've worked with is that they don't feel the need to operate at full intensity all day long.

They know how to conserve their mental and emotional energy because they trust that, when the moment arrives, they can access everything they need.

In other words, they don't have to stay at a 10. They also avoid the "simmering 6"...

Great athletes have the ability to go from a 1 or a 2 to a 10 when the game demands it. 

That's a very different mindset.

Being able to oscillate from a "rest" to a "intense work" state quickly seems to be a common quality among the best.

If you've ever spent the entire school day thinking about your game that night, replaying every possible mistake or wondering what might happen, you know how exhausting that can be. By first pitch or kickoff, you've already spent a huge amount of energy before you've even started competing.

Instead, try this.

Trust your preparation and be present with what's in front of you today.

Go to class. Laugh with your friends. Spend time with your family. If you need a nap, take one (maybe even right before the game).

Then, when it's time to compete, flip the switch.

The goal isn't to stay locked in for eight hours. The goal is to be fully locked in for the moments that actually matter.

I think that's one of the most overlooked mental skills in sports, and it's a skill every athlete can develop.

Compete freely,

Coach Andrew

P.S. The principles of this are highlighted in my book The Unstoppable Athlete: 12 Keys to Unlock Your Full Potential. Now available on Audiobook.