The Five Minutes Before the Game That Nobody Talks About

Discover how elite athletes use a three-to-five-minute pre-game lock-in routine to find stillness and focus before high-pressure competition.

By Scott K. Wilder · Mental Toughness and Readiness

What I Learned Watching a Vikings Kicker Sit Alone Before a Game

Scott | Game Ready Mindset April 20, 2026

I saw a photo of JJ McCarthy, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback, sitting alone by a goalpost before a game. Eyes closed. Completely still. Nobody around him.

Maybe he was breathing. Maybe he was settling his mind. Maybe he was visualizing kicks. Whatever he was doing, he was creating stillness before pressure.

That image stuck with me. Not because it's unusual — I've watched baseball players do their own version for years. The kid who sits alone in the dugout before his first at-bat. The pitcher who finds a quiet corner of the bullpen. What stuck was seeing it recognized. Elite athletes do this. They just don't talk about it.

What They're Actually Doing

It's called Pre-Game Lock In. Three to five minutes of focused breathing before competition. (Some sports psychology research refers to this as "Quiet Sitting," but that undersells what it actually does.)

You sit. You breathe. You notice when your mind wanders and bring it back to your breath. That's it.

Research in sports psychology (e.g., Scientific Reports, 2026) shows it works—as a light warm-up or a mindfulness reset. Most athletes use it for mental preparation, clearing the noise before the pressure starts.

What It's Not

It's not meditation, visualization, or mechanics review. It's not Quiet Eye (a visual focus technique). It's mental preparation through stillness.

Why It Works

Think about the 15-20 seconds between pitches. That's enough time for your brain to replay the last mistake, jump ahead to the next outcome, or start fixing something that doesn't need fixing. The game hasn't even started, and you're already reacting.

This flips that. It gives your brain space before the first pitch — so you're not spending the game trying to catch up to yourself.

It clears distractions. External noise and internal chatter quiet down. You practice focusing on one thing before the game demands it. And you step into the box ready to react, not stuck in your head replaying what might happen.

That's the real benefit — you get present.

When I Recommend This Most

This works best for high school athletes and older. Younger players often struggle to sit still for 5 minutes. For younger athletes (10-12), try three deep breaths before stepping into the box. Same principle, shorter window.

I use it specifically for:

Anxious starters who pace and overthink before games

Players fighting themselves in the box — tight grip, tense shoulders, overthinking

Athletes who can't let go after making an error

That last one is critical. An athlete who just made an error in the third inning has to play four more innings carrying that mistake. If they can't reset between innings, they're not just fighting the other team — they're fighting themselves. This teaches the skill of resetting. Practice it before games, then use it between innings when you need it most.

The On-Field Exercise: Pre-Game Lock In

Important: This is an invitation, not a mandate. Offer it. See who shows up. Don't force it.

You can do this as a team or individually. Here's the team version:

Setup (2 minutes)

15-20 minutes before first pitch — before stretching and physical warm-up begins. This comes first, then your athletes move into their normal routine with clear minds.

Gather your athletes in the dugout or on the bench. Feet flat, hands resting on knees or in lap. Coach: "Next five minutes, we're locking in. Eyes open or closed. Only job: breathe and notice when your mind wanders."

The Practice (5 minutes)

Set a timer. Guide them through:

Minute 1: "Notice your breath. Don't change it. Just feel it."

Minute 2: "Body scan. Shoulders tense? Jaw clenched? Just notice."

Minute 3: "Mind wanders? Normal. Notice it. Bring it back to breath."

Minute 4: "Pick one anchor word. 'Present.' 'Loose.' 'Trust.' One word to come back to when your mind races."

Minute 5: "Three deep breaths. In through nose, out through mouth. When ready, open your eyes."

Compressed Version (60-90 seconds)

For tournaments, rain delays, or late arrivals:

30 seconds: "Close your eyes. Three deep breaths."

30 seconds: "Body scan. Notice where you're tight."

30 seconds: "Pick one anchor word. Eyes open when ready."

After the Lock In

Don't debrief it. Don't ask how they felt. Let them move into their warm-up routine. The practice speaks for itself.

The Individual Version

Some athletes won't want to do this as a group. That's fine.

Find a quiet spot — corner of the dugout, outfield grass, bullpen bench. Sit for 3-5 minutes. Focus on your breath. When your mind wanders, bring it back.

Common Pushback

"This feels weird." — Normal. First few times are awkward. It gets easier.

"I can't stop thinking about the game." — You're not supposed to stop thinking. Notice you're thinking, then bring attention back to breath. That's the practice.

"I don't have time." — It's five minutes. If you don't have five minutes to prepare your mind, you're already starting behind.

"This isn't what tough guys do." — JJ Murphy does it before NFL kicks. Elite pitchers do it in the bullpen. The toughest thing an athlete can do is admit they need to prepare mentally, not just physically. That takes more guts than ignoring it.

Why This Matters

Pre-Game Lock In doesn't make you a better hitter or pitcher. It makes you better at showing up ready.

JJ Murphy sitting by that goalpost wasn't about mechanics. It was about creating space between him and the pressure. When the kick mattered, he was ready. That's what this does for your athletes.

The athletes who show up five minutes early to sit quietly aren't the weird ones. They're the ones ready when it counts.

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