Switched On, Not Hyped Up: The Science Behind Pre-Race Rituals

Photo: Samo Vidic (Redbull content pool)

Let’s talk about pre-race rituals. Everyone’s got one—some small routine, a way of preparing that “gets them in the zone.” But most people don’t actually understand what these rituals are doing.

They’re not just habits or superstition.

What you’re really doing is switching your brain—from the thinking mind to the performance mind.

You’re shifting from the prefrontal cortex (your thinking brain) to the hindbrain—specifically, the cerebellum and brainstem. This is where your instincts live. This is where all your movement memory, reactions, and deeply ingrained habits are stored.

It’s the part of the brain that knows how to ride without thinking.

The faster you can access this system, the better you’ll perform because its this part of the brain that can react 20 times faster than the thinking part of the brain.

And here’s the key: The best rituals—at any level—are calm. Controlled. Focused. They are designed to switch on the right part of the brain.

The Common Mistake: Confusing Hype with Readiness

A lot of riders think they need to hype themselves up before the gate drops. Slapping helmets, yelling, bouncing around like they’re about to go to war. But that doesn’t activate the performance system. That activates the limbic system—your emotional centre. It puts you into fight-or-flight.

You become overreactive.

You tighten up.

You lose awareness and feel.

You get tunnel vision instead of race vision.

Racing isn’t about being fired up. It’s about being switched on.

Real Example: When Hype Backfires

I watched one rider for a good three years. Super fast. Always explosive off the gate. But every season, it was the same story—crashes, injuries, inconsistency. He never fulfilled a single championship.

He’d hype himself up before every race like he was going into a street fight—adrenaline pumping, nerves fried, all aggression. And yes, sometimes he’d grab the holeshot. But he was in the wrong mode. His body was fired up, but his brain wasn’t ready. He couldn’t make good decisions. He couldn’t read the track. He’d override the terrain, get caught out by the ruts, and force errors that didn’t need to happen.

He was overreactive instead of responsive.

When we finally started doing this work—understanding the brain, building a new pre-race ritual, learning to switch on rather than hype up—everything changed. He went on to win multiple championships. Not because he got faster, but because he started racing from the right place in his mind.

Hyped-Up vs. Switched-On: The Key Differences

Hyped-Up Rider:

• Shallow breathing

• Overstimulated nervous system

• Emotional decision-making

• Late reactions

• Aggression without control

• Difficulty finding Flow

Switched-On Rider:

• Steady breathing

• Calm but alert

• Access to instincts and habits

• Fast, clean reactions

• Clear execution under pressure

• Enters flow state easily

What Effective Rituals Actually Look Like

Rituals aren’t about superstition or hype—they’re about priming your brain and body for what’s about to happen. They create consistency, lower anxiety, and help you enter that instinctive performance state.

Some of the most effective rituals I’ve seen include:

• A clear, consistent warm-up (not random reps).

• Controlled breathing, like box breathing or 4-7-8 breathing.

• Visualisation—seeing yourself ride the first lap cleanly and calmly.

• A cue or trigger: tapping gloves, repeating a word, touching the helmet.

• A mental shift: “We’re not thinking anymore. We’re doing.”

The best riders I’ve worked with don’t get themselves hyped. They get themselves ready. Calm body. Switched-on brain.

Closing Thought:

“Rituals Reveal Self-Awareness”

The most powerful riders aren’t just fast or fit. They’re self-aware. They know what puts them into the right zone—and what throws them off. They take ownership of how they show up.

Because performance starts before the gate drops.

And if your ritual is built on hype, it might look intense—but it’s built on instability.

The real power comes from calm.

From switching off the thinking brain and allowing the instinctive brain to take over.

From trusting the work you’ve done and letting your system execute.

That’s what a race-day ritual is supposed to do.

Not hype you.

Activate you.