How do You Relax Before Batting?

In this very useful post, we will be explaining how you can relax before batting. If you are playing a bat and ball sport like baseball or cricket, you might be aware that batting can really work up your nerves, so much so that you might choke on the field.

How do You Relax before Batting?

Some great ways through which you can relax before batting have been described in the following section,

By practicing deep-breathing
By using affirmations
By using a routine
By looking at positive things
By using your body-language
By conversing with your partner
By warming-up right

By practicing deep-breathing

The easiest way to relax before you are batting is to practice deep-breathing. Deep-breathing stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for helping your mind and body relax and let go of anxiety.

Deep-breathing is as simple as inhaling slowly and exhaling slowly. But, you can also try other breathing techniques, such as box breathing which required a bit of holding in your breath, and also color breathing, which uses the added power of relaxing colors.

Deep-breathing exercises will definitely work, no matter what environment you are. If you want them to work even better, it is always recommended that you use these exercises even when you are practicing, so that it sets in as a routine.

By using affirmations

You can also use your self-talk to relax before you bat. While self-talk is hugely advocated by sports performance specialists everywhere, you need to be aware of what type of self-talk you are using.

Some self-talk may be directional in nature, which means that the statements used are necessarily cues to push you toward a certain action. Other self-talk can be highly positive and thus relaxing for you, such as repeating affirmations.

If you are consulting with a Sport Psychologist, they will often recommend certain affirmations that you can use. But, you can also toss in affirmations that are personal to you, such as motivational quotes, spiritual scripture and even song lyrics.

By using a routine

Almost every sportsperson has a pre-performance routine. If you are a batter, you will also be using a routine before you bat, whether you are aware of this or not. Think about whenever you are called in to bat, and go through the various steps that you follow before you start batting.

These steps may seem trivial in nature, but are actually quite important. For example, some batters like to hit the bat on the ground a couple of times. Others may stretch or squat with the support of their bat.

These pre-batting routines will help your body and mind de-stress since you are slowly preparing it for the main performance. You can also work with your Sport Psychologist to make sure that your pre-batting routine is being used well and contains steps for relaxation.

By looking at positive things

Quite often, coaches and even Sport Psychologists will tell you to think positive. With the amount of mental health awareness that the world has today, this has actually become common knowledge.

But an often forgotten aspect is ‘looking’ at positive things. Your vision is a very powerful tool, and plays a huge role for your mind-set. Think about it! When you look at people laughing and enjoying themselves, you might also get excited and uplifted in mood.

The same applies for positivity and relaxation on the field as well. Before you bat, look at the things placed around you, whether you are in a crowded stadium, or a lonely field somewhere outside the city. Use these things as positive cues to drive up your motivation levels.

Apart from these positive cues around you, you can also look at positive faces. If you know a team-mate who is bound to be relaxed and cool around you, look at them so that your mind mirrors the same mood.

By using your body-language

Another great way to relax before batting is to simply use your body-language. While your body listens to your mind, your mind also listens to your body. When your body language is relaxed, your mind will follow suit, even if it is feeling anxious.

Using a relaxed and confident body language means pulling up your shoulders and looking people directly in the eye. You can also use long strides as you walk to show your opponent that you are unafraid and undeterred.

By conversing with your partner

If you are a cricketer, you will be batting with another batsman who will be rotating the strike with you. In this sport, you will find that conversing with your batsman can also heavily improve your mindset and get you relaxed, since you know that you are not alone on the crease.

By warming-up right

Finally, you can help your mind relax even before you are called in to bat. This means warming-up in the right manner. Different sportspersons warm-up in different manners and you need to be aware of what works for you and what does not.

Some sportspersons need to warm-up by going through all their batting motions before they are called in to play, and several will include their pre-batting routine as well. Still others prefer to simply visualize themselves batting and this is sufficient for them. Either way is great.

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