How To Mentally Train Yourself For Basketball

Basketball is often thought of as a game of athleticism. Although natural talent, endurance and skill certainly contribute to a basketball player's ability on the court, basketball also requires a mental component. Without the proper frame of mind, even the most talented athlete could fall flat. If you have an upcoming game and want to play your best, focus on your mental training as much as your physical game to be a better-rounded player.

Step 1

Watch video of your past games to plan your training more effectively. As you see yourself on screen, take note of where you're the most proficient and where you might need improvement. When you're in a game, you act on instinct and spur-of-the-moment thoughts, so watching video allows you to plan and analyze in a more relaxed setting.

Step 2

Visualize yourself playing basketball when you're practicing and before games. Consider various scenarios and how you'd react on the court to each. Not only does visualization help to better plan your movements on the court, it also engages your muscle memory for faster reflexes. Visualizing success will increase your confidence level.

Step 3

Focus your attention on basketball when you're practicing or playing a game. This mental toughness comes with plenty of practice and allows you to filter your thoughts so that basketball is your only focus, even in the face of family, school, work and personal stress. Start by giving yourself permission to put other stressful situations on hold while you play, vowing to resolve those other issues after you've played to the best of your abilities.

Step 4

Think of positive affirmations in your mind before and during games. Negative self-talk only serves to lower your confidence level and won't improve your game. Instead, adopting a positive motto or internally examining your strengths helps you feel more confident in your abilities and be more likely to succeed on the court.

Step 5

Relax your mind and body before a big game. When the stakes are high, it's all too easy to think too much about your performance, resulting in performance anxiety, which seriously hinders your ability to play basketball properly. Meditate, listen to relaxing music, chant positive affirmations or participate in any other calming activities to ready your mind and body to play basketball.