Mental Performance Playbook

Gabe Rummel, The Athletes Health

Every athlete trains their body, but how many train their mind? Mental Performance Playbook breaks down elite mental strategies used by top performers and gives you simple, actionable exercises to apply immediately. Hosted by Gabe Rummel, Mental Performance Coach, Founder of The Athletes Health™, and creator of it's Phronoic Gym™, where athletes train their minds like they train their bodies. Whether you’re looking to reset after mistakes, boost focus under pressure, or build unshakable confidence, this playbook has you covered.

  1. 17h ago

    How Team Captains Learn Faster Than Everyone Else | Ep. 192

    Every team has that one athlete who just seems to get it. They pick things up fast, they keep getting better, and everyone else looks to them. It isn't luck, and it isn't just talent. Welcome to Day 12 of 75 on the Mental Performance Playbook. Every day until January 1, 2027, we're dropping one whiteboard mental training session built for student athletes, parents, and coaches to use right away. Today's session is Leaders Learn Leading. The captains and leaders on a team got there because they learned faster and put it to work sooner. To show how, we break down the learning pyramid, a model I've had taped on my wall since college. At the top are the ways we usually learn: listening to a lecture, reading, and watching audio or video. They help, but very little sticks. As you move down the pyramid, more and more of it sticks. Watching a demonstration, like coach walking through a drill, holds more. Discussing it with teammates holds more than that. Practicing by doing it yourself builds the muscle memory. At the base is teaching others, which is where the most learning sticks. And here's the key part, leaders don't start teaching after they become leaders. They become leaders because they've been teaching, discussing, and doing all along. Parents and coaches, your athlete is busy, so help them get the most bang for their buck. Skip more lectures and get them talking about the game, doing the reps, and explaining it to a teammate. Your challenge today is simple. Teach one thing you learned at practice to a teammate, a sibling, or a parent. If this helped, share it with an athlete, parent, or coach who needs it. Subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's session, leave a five-star review, and drop a comment on what you want to see next. New mental exercises drop every day on YouTube at @gaberummeltah, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Free resources and training links are below. Website: ⁠https://www.theathleteshealth.com/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/gaberummeltah/⁠ Free Athlete Assessment: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/free-mental-max-out-finder Free Parent Snapshot Questionnaire: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/tah-mental-max-snapshot #leadership #studentathlete #mentalperformance #teamcaptain #athletemindset Keywords how to be a team leader, team captain, leadership for athletes, learning pyramid, teach to learn, how athletes learn faster, practice by doing, team leadership in sports, student athlete leadership, coachable athletes, mental performance, sports psychology, mental training for athletes, mental exercises for athletes, student athletes, sports parents, youth sports, Mental Performance Playbook

  2. 1d ago

    1% For the 1%, What the Top Athletes Do Every Day | Ep. 191

    What do the top 1% of athletes have in common? It isn't a secret drill or a better trainer. It's what they do with every single day. Welcome to Day 11 of 75 on the Mental Performance Playbook. Every day until January 1, 2027, we're dropping one whiteboard mental training session built for student athletes, parents, and coaches to use right away. Today's session is 1% For the 1%. At TAH we say you're either growing or you're dying, and the math backs it up. Getting 1% better every day doesn't make you 365% better in a year. Because it compounds, you end up about 37 times better. Slip 1% a day and you end the year about 97% worse. The hard part is that you can't see it day to day. The line looks flat for a long time, and then it takes off. The same is true going the other way. So how do you make sure you're stacking that 1% every day? We share the 3 G's, a mental exercise that got me through college and helped friends of mine who were college athletes do the same. Put a sticky note on your mirror with three words: Give, Great, and Grow. In the morning, ask what you'll give today, what you'll do that's great, and how you'll grow. At night, look back and answer the same three questions. Parents and coaches, this works for any athlete in season, in the off season, or heading into a winter sport. It takes two minutes at the mirror and builds the habit that separates the top 1%. Your challenge today is simple. Write Give, Great, Grow on a sticky note and put it on your mirror tonight. If this helped, share it with an athlete, parent, or coach who needs it. Subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's session, leave a five-star review, and drop a comment on whether you like the shorter or longer episodes. New mental exercises drop every day on YouTube at @gaberummeltah, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Free resources and training links are below. Website: ⁠https://www.theathleteshealth.com/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/gaberummeltah/⁠ Free Athlete Assessment: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/free-mental-max-out-finder Free Parent Snapshot Questionnaire: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/tah-mental-max-snapshot #onepercentbetter #studentathlete #mentalperformance #athletemindset #athletehabits Keywords 1 percent better every day, compound effect, top 1 percent athletes, daily improvement, consistency in sports, morning routine for athletes, reflection for athletes, sticky note goals, growth mindset for athletes, athlete habits, mental performance, sports psychology, mental training for athletes, mental exercises for athletes, student athletes, sports parents, youth sports, Mental Performance Playbook

  3. 2d ago

    Your Pre-Game Routine Should Work Like Your Bedtime Routine | Ep. 190

    Some of the best players on the team are getting worked up before the game even starts. The talent is there, but the emotions are flying and the results aren't showing up. The fix might be something they already do every single night. Welcome to Day 10 of 75 on the Mental Performance Playbook. Every day until January 1, 2027, we're dropping one whiteboard mental training session built for student athletes, parents, and coaches to use right away. Today's session is Routine Equals Bedtime. Everyone has a bedtime routine, from little kids to the pros. It does more than get you ready for bed. It calms the mind, because what usually keeps us up at night isn't our body, it's a racing mind. Your pre-performance routine should do the same job before a game. On the whiteboard, I map my own bedtime routine next to a game day routine, step by step. Brushing your teeth becomes lacing up, the signal that you're switching into your game identity. Stretching becomes your dynamic warm-up. Checking your habits becomes checking your vision board. Reading becomes studying the game plan and your first few plays. Journaling and planning tomorrow becomes game planning with your coach. And sleep becomes going out there and performing. The goal isn't always to be calm. It's to get your mind into the state where you play your best, whether that's pregame nerves or staying locked in when things get heated. Parents and coaches, you don't need to build the whole thing at once. Pick one step and help your athlete own it. Your challenge today is simple. Add one piece of a routine before your next practice or game, and then take a look at your bedtime routine too, because sleep matters just as much. If this helped, share it with an athlete, parent, or coach who needs it. Subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's session, leave a five-star review, and drop a comment on what you want to see next. New mental exercises drop every day on YouTube at @gaberummeltah, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Free resources and training links are below. Website: ⁠https://www.theathleteshealth.com/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/gaberummeltah/⁠ Free Athlete Assessment: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/free-mental-max-out-finder Free Parent Snapshot Questionnaire: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/tah-mental-max-snapshot #pregameroutine #studentathlete #mentalperformance #athletemindset #gameday Keywords pre game routine, pre performance routine, game day routine, bedtime routine, pregame nerves, how to calm nerves before a game, sports anxiety, alter ego in sports, vision board for athletes, game day mindset, athlete routines, mental performance, sports psychology, mental training for athletes, mental exercises for athletes, student athletes, sports parents, youth sports, Mental Performance Playbook

  4. 3d ago

    The Forgetting Curve and How Athletes Make Mental Training Stick | Ep. 189

    Your athlete learns a great mental exercise on Monday. By Friday's game, it's gone. That's not a lack of effort, it's how the brain works, and there's a way to beat it. Welcome to Day 9 of 75 on the Mental Performance Playbook. Every day until January 1, 2027, we're dropping one whiteboard mental training session built for student athletes, parents, and coaches to use right away. Today's session is the Forgetting Curve. A family recently asked us how much time should go between mental training sessions, and the answer comes in two parts. Part one is the sessions. Ebbinghaus showed that we forget new skills fast unless we come back to them. Each session catches that drop before it hits zero. Over time the drop gets smaller, the skill sticks, and sessions can spread further apart. It works just like the weight room, where more reps build both strength and better mechanics. Part two is application, and this is where most athletes miss out. A mental exercise shouldn't only show up on game day. We walk through five places to get reps in: performances, practices, school or work, home, and even your dreams. That includes visualizing, daydreaming, and the nights you wake up after dreaming about practice. Parents and coaches, how your athlete handles a sibling bugging them or a tough class is a rep too. How we do one thing is how we do everything. Your challenge today is simple. Take one mental exercise you've learned and use it somewhere outside of your sport today. If this helped, share it with an athlete, parent, or coach who needs it. Subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's session, leave a five-star review, and drop a comment on what you want to see next. New mental exercises drop every day on YouTube at @gaberummeltah, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Free resources and training links are below. Website: ⁠https://www.theathleteshealth.com/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/gaberummeltah/⁠ Free Athlete Assessment: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/free-mental-max-out-finder Free Parent Snapshot Questionnaire: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/tah-mental-max-snapshot #mentaltraining #studentathlete #mentalperformance #athletemindset #sportspsychology Keywords forgetting curve, Ebbinghaus forgetting curve, how to remember what you practice, spaced repetition, mental training for athletes, how often to do mental training, practice like you play, visualization for athletes, mental reps, skill retention, athlete learning, mental performance, sports psychology, mental exercises for athletes, student athletes, sports parents, youth sports, Mental Performance Playbook

  5. 4d ago

    Mindful or Full Mind, The Devil and Angel of Athlete Self-Talk | Ep. 188

    Coach yells something from the sideline. One athlete hears it as help. Another hears it as proof they're about to get benched. Same words, two totally different voices in their head. Welcome to Day 8 of 75 on the Mental Performance Playbook. Every day until January 1, 2027, we're dropping one whiteboard mental training session built for student athletes, parents, and coaches to use right away. Today's session is Mind Full or Full Mind. A lot of people hear "mindfulness" and tune out because it sounds soft. At TAH we think about it differently. It's about filling your mind on purpose, and that starts with awareness. Almost all of us talk to ourselves, but very few of us notice it. If your athlete isn't aware of how they're responding to a mistake, telling them to respond differently won't stick. Think of the mind like a cup. Awareness is what lets you choose what fills it. Then we bring in the devil and the angel, just like the old cartoons. Every coach comment, every mistake, and every parent request gets filtered to one side or the other. The devil is the negative voice. The angel is the productive voice, and productive doesn't mean fake positive or shouting affirmations in the mirror. Once you're aware, you can start training which filter the moment goes through, and even learn when the devil's voice has a use. Parents and coaches, if your athlete seems checked out at practice, awareness is usually the missing piece. Start there before you ask them to change how they react. Your challenge today is simple. The next time something happens to you or your athlete, stop and ask, "How am I filtering this?" If this helped, share it with an athlete, parent, or coach who needs it. Subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's session, leave a five-star review, and drop a comment on what you want to see next. New mental exercises drop every day on YouTube at @gaberummeltah, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Free resources and training links are below. Website: ⁠https://www.theathleteshealth.com/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/gaberummeltah/⁠ Free Athlete Assessment: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/free-mental-max-out-finder Free Parent Snapshot Questionnaire: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/tah-mental-max-snapshot #mindfulness #selftalk #studentathlete #mentalperformance #athletemindset Keywords mindfulness for athletes, self talk in sports, inner voice, negative self talk, positive self talk, awareness in sports, how to stop negative thoughts in sports, mental filter, devil and angel on shoulder, athlete mindset, mental performance, sports psychology, mental training for athletes, mental exercises for athletes, student athletes, sports parents, youth sports, Mental Performance Playbook

  6. 5d ago

    3 Trend Lines That Turn Progress Into Performance for Athletes | Ep. 187

    Your athlete puts in the work every day and it feels like nothing is changing. Same results, same spot on the depth chart. Then one season it all clicks, and everyone asks what changed. Welcome to Day 7 of 75 on the Mental Performance Playbook. Every day until January 1, 2027, we're dropping one whiteboard mental training session built for student athletes, parents, and coaches to use right away. Today's session is the 3 Trend Lines, and they show how progress turns into performance. These apply to any kind of training, mental or physical. The first is the bell curve. It shows where your athlete stands compared to the competition, and the goal is to keep moving to the right side of it. The second is linear. Linear doesn't mean a straight line. It means one step after another. There will be ups and downs and a few dips, but the trend keeps climbing. The third is exponential. That's the compound effect, the season where it just clicks. It doesn't show up when you want it to, but it does show up when the work keeps stacking. Then we cover the secret that ties all three together. I've talked with some very successful mentors lately, and many of them started in the middle of the bell curve or below it. They worked harder than most, they kept learning, and they did it one day at a time. Day to day it felt flat, but zoomed out they were making huge leaps. Parents and coaches, when your athlete says they aren't getting better, show them the bigger picture. And remember that once they top one bell curve, a new one starts at the next level, from middle school to high school to college and beyond. Your challenge today is simple. Zoom out, find where you are on the curve, and win today's 1,440 minutes. If this helped, share it with an athlete, parent, or coach who needs it. Subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's session, leave a five-star review, and drop a comment on what you want to see next. New mental exercises drop every day on YouTube at @gaberummeltah, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Free resources and training links are below. Website: ⁠https://www.theathleteshealth.com/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/gaberummeltah/⁠ Free Athlete Assessment: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/free-mental-max-out-finder Free Parent Snapshot Questionnaire: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/tah-mental-max-snapshot #athletedevelopment #studentathlete #mentalperformance #athletemindset #consistency Keywords athlete progress, why progress feels slow, compound effect, exponential growth, bell curve, consistency in sports, one day at a time, athlete development, plateau in sports, how to get better at sports, long term athlete development, mental performance, sports psychology, mental training for athletes, mental exercises for athletes, student athletes, sports parents, youth sports, Mental Performance Playbook

  7. 6d ago

    3 Secret Spots to Stop the Spiral with Routines and Resets for Athletes | Ep. 186

    One bad pitch turns into two. A strikeout turns into a slump. By the late innings, your athlete is in their head and the tears come after the game. That spiral can start at any level, from pee-wee to the pros. Welcome to Day 6 of 75 on the Mental Performance Playbook. Every day until January 1, 2027, we're dropping one whiteboard mental training session built for student athletes, parents, and coaches to use right away. Today's session is the 3 Secret Spots. Every performance has a start, a middle, and an end, and each one is a spot to train your mental game. The spiral works like a tornado. It starts small and grows into peak pressure, and the goal is to catch it early and bring it back down to the start. We focus on the middle, the most important piece, because that's when the eyeballs are on you. The middle comes down to two R's. Routines are what you do before every at-bat, pitch, or play, so you're controlling what you can control. Resets are even quicker. Taking off your hat, how you grab the ball, or what you do between plays snaps you back in the moment. The pros make this look easy because they've built both muscle memory and mental memory. Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams hums between snaps. You can only hum while breathing out, so it forces a big exhale that calms his body and lets him read the defense. That's a routine and a reset in one. Parents and coaches, "just get over it" doesn't teach an athlete how. Help them build one routine and one reset they can use when the pressure rises. Your challenge today is simple. Pick one reset, like a long exhale or a hat adjustment, and use it at your next practice. If this helped, share it with an athlete, parent, or coach who needs it. Subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's session, leave a five-star review, and drop a comment on what you want to see next. New mental exercises drop every day on YouTube at @gaberummeltah, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Free resources and training links are below. Website: ⁠https://www.theathleteshealth.com/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/gaberummeltah/⁠ Free Athlete Assessment: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/free-mental-max-out-finder Free Parent Snapshot Questionnaire: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/tah-mental-max-snapshot #mentalperformance #studentathlete #athletemindset #sportspsychology #composure Keywords how to stop spiraling in sports, pre performance routine, mental reset in sports, routines and resets, handle pressure in sports, how to calm down during a game, breathing for athletes, athlete confidence, composure in sports, Caleb Williams humming, muscle memory, mental performance, sports psychology, mental training for athletes, mental exercises for athletes, student athletes, sports parents, youth sports, Mental Performance Playbook

  8. Oct 23

    Accountability Built Confidently, The ABCs of Athlete Confidence | Ep. 185

    Every athlete gets told to be accountable. Almost nobody shows them how. Accountability isn't something you have or don't have, it's something you build one day at a time, like links in a chain. Welcome to Day 5 of 75 on the Mental Performance Playbook. Every day until January 1, 2027, we're dropping one whiteboard mental training session built for student athletes, parents, and coaches to use right away. Today's session is the ABCs, Accountability Built Confidently. It starts with yourself, because you can't hold a team accountable if you aren't holding yourself accountable first. We break it into three parts you can start using today. First is the base. Pick one non-negotiable and build everything on top of it. Mine is simple, I never talk about someone when they aren't in the room. On a team, that one rule builds trust, trust builds relationships, and relationships lead to wins. Second is the anchor and chain. Drop the anchor on day one and add a link to the chain every day you follow through. Or flip it, set the anchor as your big game or end goal and take a link off every day as the countdown. My grandpa used a paper chain like this to stay on track during months he couldn't drive his cars. Miss a day and the chain breaks, so keep it stacking. Third is trust. When you have a base and you can see the chain growing, you start to trust yourself. That trust is what builds real confidence and real accountability. Parents and coaches, start with one. Ask your athlete what their base is this season, then help them see the chain grow. It could be workouts, sleep, film, nutrition, or schoolwork. Your challenge today is simple. Pick your base, drop the anchor, and add the first link. If this helped, share it with an athlete, parent, or coach who needs it. Subscribe so you don't miss tomorrow's session, leave a five-star review, and drop a comment on what you want to see next. New mental exercises drop every day on YouTube at @gaberummeltah, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Free resources and training links are below. Website: ⁠https://www.theathleteshealth.com/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/gaberummeltah/⁠ Free Athlete Assessment: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/free-mental-max-out-finder Free Parent Snapshot Questionnaire: https://www.theathleteshealth.com/tah-mental-max-snapshot #accountability #studentathlete #mentalperformance #athletemindset #confidence Keywords accountability for athletes, self accountability, how to build confidence in sports, athlete confidence, accountability in sports, team culture, no gossip team rule, habit tracking for athletes, goal setting for athletes, countdown chain, trust and confidence, mental performance, sports psychology, mental training for athletes, mental exercises for athletes, student athletes, sports parents, youth sports, Mental Performance Playbook

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About

Every athlete trains their body, but how many train their mind? Mental Performance Playbook breaks down elite mental strategies used by top performers and gives you simple, actionable exercises to apply immediately. Hosted by Gabe Rummel, Mental Performance Coach, Founder of The Athletes Health™, and creator of it's Phronoic Gym™, where athletes train their minds like they train their bodies. Whether you’re looking to reset after mistakes, boost focus under pressure, or build unshakable confidence, this playbook has you covered.

Information

  • Creator
    Gabe Rummel, The Athletes Health
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    193
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Gabe Rummel, The Athletes Health
  • Show Website
    Mental Performance Playbook