Routine is doing things the same way at the same time consistently. Routine is the cornerstone of sport performance. If you observe the great ones you will always see routine. My first objective in designing a training plan is routine. Setting the time for training, the place, the personnel and the equipment necessary to get every training session off without a hitch. At certain times routine will almost border on ritual. A sound routine can be a psychological anchor for the athlete, a safety net so to speak. It helps them to feel comfortable and familiar so that they can concentrate on the training or competition. Routine provides structure. When I think of routine in great athletes I think of Edwin Moses, one of the greatest hurdlers of all time, Olympic Gold medalist in 1976 and 1984. He showed up at the track at exactly the same time each day. You could set a watch by his routine. He had his area where he set up camp. It never varied. I watched him warm-up for Olympic trials in 1984 and then for the games and his routine was the same. The lesson here is that routine is the basis for consistent performance in training and competition. Define your routine and use that routine as a springboard to consistency in training and competition.
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