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‘Mindset & Healthy Routines’ with Felix Schneiders

November 29, 2019
by Felix Schneiders

Mindset

What’s your mindset when you win a satellite into a big buy-in tournament? Go in with the win-win mindset, imagine it’s a freeroll you’re playing, you have no buy-in, there is no charge for you, and you have nothing to lose. That means that people who actually paid the full buy-in have something to lose.

So, your mindset is all on the upside, anything that you gain from this experience is a plus, the experience, the fun, the journey, the people you meet, the friends you make. Of course, you’ll also be improving your game, you’ll be able to watch and learn new strategies, live at the table against players who have played 100’s of these events.

Going into the event with the mindset that you can only win, relieves any pressure from you and enables you to play your best game. You can’t lose, because you cannot lose and experience, you cannot lose meeting new friends, you cannot lose the information you gained to improve your game and you cannot lose money as it was close to free for you to play.

Healthy Routines

Getting into peak performance is important before the event and during the event. Here are some of the main tips to follow:

  • Sleep – Get enough sleep, you should know how much sleep you need to feel at your best, whether it’s 6 hours, 8 hours, 10 hours, get the sleep you need. Prepare in advance and during the event.
  • Nutrition – This is different for everyone, depending on what you need for your lifestyle, but as a rough guide here are some tips.
    Drink enough water – From first thing in the morning, your body is dehydrated from sleep, so make sure to start your day off with water and continue to top up throughout the day.
  • Food – If you’re going to a new country, or new event, try to plan, find out where you can buy healthy food in advance. You’ll need to stay away from fast food fatty foods, and heavy meals. Especially during breaks in the tournament, if you have some unhealthy food, it’s going to slow you down at the table. The saying “you are what you eat” is certainly true. Would you rather be a healthy fresh salad or a fatty cheesy piece of meat? What do you think will help you stay alert at the table more?
  • Snacks – Try to take some handy healthy snacks with you to the event, obviously, snacks that you’re not allergic to, things like nuts, seeds or energy bars can help.
  • Alcohol – There will be plenty of players partying each evening at events. You’ll see them the next day with sunglasses, on holding their heads and regretting last night. Don’t be that guy/girl, save your partying for when you’re out of the event, if you win the event their will plenty of time to party. Of course, socializing is fine, it’s great to meet new people, but make sure that it doesn’t eat into your sleep schedule.
  • Working Out – Morning Walks – Do some form of exercise – If you’re not someone that regularly exercises, even going for walk in the morning can really help clear your mind and wake your body up ready for the long grind ahead.
  • Meditation – Whilst not for everyone, some form of basic meditation can help clear your mind and relax you ready for a tournament. Think of it as a reset button, freeing up all the noise in your mind, allowing you to focus on the now.
  • Breaks – During breaks try to get outside if you can, go for a small walk, get some fresh air to energize you. You’ve probably been sitting down for a long time, so get the blood pumping around your body again.
  • Stretching – During the tournament it’s a good idea to regularly stand-up and stretches it out. Shake, stretch, stand-up, move around and do whatever you can during hands you’re not involved in. This will help keep your body active and alert.
Psychology

Bad Beats – Some players will spend their breaks talking about bad beats to vent. But when it comes to mindset this is never a good idea. Focussing on negatives will allow a negative mindset to fester in your mind.

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