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Can Psyching-Up Boost Your Strength? A Review of the Research

Psyching-up is a mental preparation technique aimed at enhancing performance.

Psyching-up strategies refer to self-directed cognitive techniques that are conducted immediately before or during the execution of a skill to enhance performance

Athletes and coaches have long believed in its power, but does it work?

This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of different psyching-up strategies on maximal force production, providing evidence-based insights for strength coaches, athletes, and sports scientists.

Does Psyching-Up Improve Strength Performance?

Study: The Effects of Psyching-Up on Maximal Force Production: A Systematic Review​

What did the researchers do?

• The main goal of this review was to determine whether psyching-up techniques enhance maximal force production.
• Only experimental studies with adult participants (18+) that measured maximal force production were included.
• Analysis of 27 Studies: The researchers examined the effects of different psyching-up strategies, participant characteristics (e.g., trained vs. untrained), and control conditions.

What were the results?

Overall Findings

65% of studies found that psyching-up enhances maximal force production and the Best psyching-up strategies are:

• Free-choice psyching-up
• Motivational self-talk
• PETTLEP imagery
• Prescribed preparatory arousal

PETTLEP

There are 7 factors within PETTLEP imagery:

• Physical
• Environment
• Task
• Timing
• Learning
• Emotion
• Perspective

Key Factors

• Competitive experience ⮕ More experienced athletes benefitted more from self-selected strategies.
• Control conditions ⮕ Studies using active control groups (e.g., mental arithmetic) found more positive effects than those using passive conditions.
• Timing ⮕ Some strategies were only effective when used within 2 minutes before performance.

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What does this mean?

• Psyching-Up Works ⮕ The right mental preparation can improve maximal force output, particularly for strength-based tasks.
• Self-Selected Strategies Are Best ⮕ Athletes familiar with psyching-up strategies should choose their own methods rather than follow generic ones.
• Timing Matters ⮕ Strategies used immediately or within 2 minutes before performance were most effective.
• Avoid Internal Focus & Relaxation ⮕ Thinking too much about body mechanics (internal focus) or trying to relax before a lift reduces force output.

Coach's Takeaway

Encourage athletes to develop their own psyching-up routine

• Let them experiment with self-talk, imagery, or arousal techniques that feel most natural.

Use motivational self-talk before key lifts

• Short, confidence-boosting phrases work better than overthinking form.

External focus beats internal focus

• Cue outcome-based goals like “explode off the floor” instead of “engage the glutes.”

Timing is critical

• Implement psyching-up within 2 minutes before lifting for best results.

Avoid relaxation techniques before heavy lifts

• These tend to lower force output rather than enhance it.

I hope this was helpful.

Ramsey

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