Lacrosse is a challenging, fast-paced sport demanding thorough physical, mechanical, mental and emotional preparation. Players should develop a comprehensive pregame routine that nourishes their body, readies their equipment, activates their muscles, sharpens their hand-to-eye coordination and inspires their competitive desires. Pregame routines tend to be highly personalized, but the same principles of sound preparation applies to all players.
Step 1
Get ample sleep the night before your match, six to eight hours. For a night game, take a short afternoon nap to ensure your body will be fully rested for competition.
Step 2
Make certain your body is fully hydrated. "You've got to start drinking, filing yourself up with electrolytes 48 hours in advance," professional lacrosse player Max Seibald told Inside Lacrosse.
Step 3
Fuel your body with healthy food. Consume multiple smaller meals if possible, stressing carbohydrates, lean protein and healthy fats. Skinless baked chicken is a good source of lean protein. Pasta, rice, legumes and potatoes are good sources of carbohydrates. Eat your pregame meal at least three to five before the game, giving the body time to digest the food and store the fuel. Healthy snacks closer to game time provide additional fuel.
Step 4
Test out all your equipment, especially your stick. Adjust your strings and tape as needed. Make sure your stick has just the right feel.
Step 5
Dynamically stretch your muscles before the game. Those stretches ease you through your range-of-motion limits. Ankle hops, jumping jacks, walking quad pulls, walking knee hugs, walking lunge twist, "Frankenstein" walks with stiff legs, high knees and butt kicks are examples of dynamic stretches.
Step 6
Put extra focus on stick skills, shooting and passing Wwthin the context of your team's pregame warm-ups.
Step 7
Develop your own mental and emotional preparations before the game. Do you need to fire up in a noisy fashion? Does a certain type of music get your blood pumping? Or do you prefer quite before the storm? Develop a comfortable, consistent personal routine to get yourself in the proper emotional state.
Tips and Warnings
- Don't eat candy or drink soft drinks or sugar-laded energy drinks before a match. Keep hydrating your body during the match to ward off muscle cramping. Excessive static stretching can leave muscles fatigued for competition.
References
- Inside Lacrosse: Nike Lacrosse Experience: Max Seibald Talks Pregame Preparation; March 2011
- Inside Lacrosse: Nike Lacrosse Experience: Kristen Kjellman Describes Her Pregame Preparation; April 2011
- Professional Lacrosse Players Association; Pro Tips
- LAXPower; Strength & Conditioning for Lacrosse: The Dynamic Warm-up; Billy J. Voltaire
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