Introduction: Why Some Athletes Perform Better—Being in “The Zone” Vs. “Not feeling it today.”

Every athlete has been there—those unpredictable days where everything just clicks. Your body moves effortlessly, your mind is sharp, and you feel completely in the zone.

Then there are the other days. You’re just as trained, just as prepared, yet something feels off. Your legs feel heavy. Your focus wavers. No matter how hard you push, your performance isn’t where it should be.

What separates a great performance from an average one?

For years, top athletes have said the same thing:

🏆 “The mental game is everything.”

Jake, a high school track athlete, had heard this over and over again. But what did it really mean? And more importantly—could he actually train his mind the same way he trained his body?

Meet Jake: A Runner Searching for the Missing Piece

Jake was fast—but not fast enough.

He wasn’t just a casual runner. He trained six days a week. He lifted weights. He studied technique.

But on race day? His results were inconsistent.

Some days, he ran like he was flying. Other days, he felt stuck in his head—overthinking every movement. He wasn’t nervous, but something held him back from fully letting go and performing at his best.

One day, after watching an interview with a pro runner, he heard the same phrase again:

“The mental game is everything.”

This time, he actually paid attention.

The Science Behind the Mental Game

The best athletes in the world know that physical training alone isn’t enough.

Your mindset, emotions, and subconscious beliefs all play a role in performance. Research has shown that stress, fear of failure, and self-doubt can cause:

❌ Hesitation in key moments
❌ Muscle tension that slows reaction time
❌ Reduced confidence under pressure

So what do elite athletes do to train their minds?

Some use visualization, meditation, and breathwork—and in recent years, more and more athletes have turned to a method called EFT Tapping.

What Is EFT Tapping (And How Can It Improve Performance)?

EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), or “tapping,” is a science-backed method that helps athletes:

✅ Reduce stress and anxiety before competition
✅ Get into the zone faster
✅ Release mental and physical tension that blocks peak performance

By tapping on specific points of the body while focusing on an issue—whether it’s nerves before a race or frustration over past mistakes—athletes can rewire their response to stress.

And there’s actual research to back this up.

This is a video of several World Class Athletes tapping before a major sporting event to increase the odds of them performing at their best. Bralon Taplin won the race shown and Jorge Reyes was named the MOP (Most Outstanding Player) of the 2007 CWS after winning the game shown and helping to clinch the series win.

The Science: How Tapping Improves Athletic Performance

While tapping has been used by athletes for decades, scientific research is just now catching up to what many have already experienced firsthand.

🏀 Study #1: Tapping Helps Basketball Players Improve Free Throws

A 2009 study by Dr. Dawson Church tested the effects of tapping on a group of PAC-10 college basketball players.

• Half the players received a 15-minute EFT session
• The other half received a placebo intervention

Immediately after, players were asked to take free throws.

The results?

✔ Players who tapped improved their free throw percentage by 20%
❌ Players in the placebo group actually got 16% worse

This was one of the first studies suggesting that even a brief tapping session during a game could directly improve athletic performance.

⚽ Study #2: Tapping Increases Goal Scoring in Soccer Players

In 2012, researchers tested EFT on female soccer players.

• After warming up, players took a series of penalty goal shots
• Half received a 10-minute EFT session
• The other half got standard coaching

After tapping, players attempted penalty goals again.

The result? Players who tapped scored significantly more goals than those who didn’t. Researchers believe this was because tapping reduced performance anxiety, allowing them to focus better.

🏃 Study #3: Tapping Boosts Confidence & Reduces Distress in Athletes

Another 2012 study by Church & Downs looked at how tapping affected sports confidence and distress levels.

• 10 female college athletes participated
• They each received a single 20-minute tapping session
• Researchers measured sports-related confidence and stress levels before and after tapping—and again 60 days later

The results?

✔ Confidence increased significantly after just one session
✔ Emotional & physical distress dropped
✔ The improvements lasted for 60 days

These studies all point to the same conclusion: Tapping can improve athletic performance—often in minutes.

Jake’s Experiment: Using Tapping to Improve His Race Times

Jake was skeptical.

But after reading about the research, he figured—why not try it?

Step 1: Identifying the Block

Jake realized that on race days, he sometimes felt too tight—like his body wasn’t moving freely.

It wasn’t just nerves. It was mental tension showing up in his muscles.

Step 2: Trying a Pre-Race Tapping Routine

Jake decided to tap for five minutes before practice.

As he tapped, he focused on letting go of tension:

• “Even though I feel tight before races, I know my body is strong and trained.”
• “Even though I overthink my form sometimes, I trust my training.”
• “I release any tension and let my body move freely.”

Step 3: Noticing the Change

At first, he didn’t expect much.

But after tapping, he noticed something:

✔ His body felt lighter
✔ His mind felt clearer
✔ His legs didn’t feel heavy in the last 100 meters

For the first time, he ran without overthinking.

How You Can Try Tapping for Peak Performance

If you’re an athlete who wants to:

✅ Get into the zone faster
✅ Feel calmer and more focused before competition
✅ Improve consistency in your performance

…then tapping is worth a try.

A Simple Pre-Race Tapping Routine

1️⃣ Think about your biggest challenge. (Nerves? Inconsistent performance? Overthinking?)
2️⃣ Tap on these points while saying simple phrases:

• Forehead: “Even though I overthink my performance, I trust my training.”
• Side of the hand: “Even though I feel pressure to perform, I choose to run freely.”
• Collarbone: “I release tension and allow my body to perform at its best.”
  3️⃣ Breathe deeply, shake it out, and go compete.

The best part? You’ll know within minutes if it works for you.

Conclusion: The Secret Weapon You Haven’t Tried Yet

Jake didn’t believe in tapping at first.

But after seeing his own results, he was hooked. Now, he taps before every meet—just like he warms up his muscles.

If you’re looking for that extra mental edge, tapping might be the missing piece.

Curious? Let’s set up a session and see what happens.