Game Day Morning Routine That Gives You an Edge

CREATED BY: The Non-League Network

Intro

Most lads wake up on game day and do one of three things:

Lie in and roll out of bed 2 hours before kick-off.

Smash a fry-up thinking “protein, innit.”
Do nothing until the warm-up… then wonder why the first 20 minutes feel like running through treacle.

You can do better.

Game day is about edges — the 1% things that make you sharper, faster, and harder to beat.

Here’s the Non-League Network Game Day Morning Routine — it takes 20 minutes and puts you ahead before you’ve even left the house.

Step 1: Hydration Reset (2 mins)

1 pint of water as soon as you wake up.
Add a pinch of salt & squeeze of lemon if you want to be fancy.
Hydration affects reaction time, focus, and muscle performance — start topped up.

Step 2: Mobility Flow (6 mins)

Shake off the stiffness from the week:

Hip circles – 30 sec each way
World’s greatest stretch – 5 reps each side
Ankle rocks – 10 each side
Cat-cows – 6 reps

Step 3: Activation Circuit (6 mins)

Wake the muscles you’ll need for 90 minutes:
Glute bridges – 12 reps
Side-lying clams – 12 each side
Calf raises – 15 reps
Mini pogo jumps – 15 reps

Step 4: Mental Tune-Up (3 mins)

1 min deep breathing (in through nose, out slow)
Visualise the first 5 minutes of the game — winning a tackle, making a pass, chasing down a loose ball.
If you start mentally switched on, your body follows.

Step 5: Light Fuel (3 mins)

If you’re eating pre-match, go light.
Banana + handful of nuts
Or toast + honey
Or overnight oats if you’re a planner
You want energy, not a food coma.

The Golden Rule:

This is not about smashing yourself before kick-off — it’s about waking up your body and mind so you’re ready to go from the first whistle, not the 20th minute.

Final Word

In non-league, you don’t always get perfect pitches, perfect weather, or perfect refs. But you can control your preparation.

Show up sharper, move faster, think quicker… and you’ve already won half the battle.