Short excerpt from a YouTube interview (Fortitude 365) in which Aaron Rodgers explains his mental preparation for football: he emphasizes visualization and recall, describing a quick pre-snap routine where he puts positive images in his mind (from film, practice, or past plays) when breaking the huddle to improve focus and performance.
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But how much of that do you do to be a better football player when it comes to memorizing game plans, seeing things on tape? I mean, do you work on your mind like that as much as you work on the rest of your body?
Yeah, that's a great question, Mike. And the answer is, yes, I do. I think that's a really important part of it. I think the recall is most important. And I trained myself starting as a younger player to put images in my mind when I break the huddle so that I can have that positive picture as I walk up the line of scrimmage. It's a matter of seconds or split second, but having that positive thought that comes to your mind, whether it's something you saw in film or whether it's playful practice or a play from a previous game that kind of hits you as you walk. The last scrimmage has always been a positive part of my kind of pre snap routine. It's a very quick thing that happens, but I think it's something that's very important.