d afternoon!

This week’s #WednesdayWisdom comes from a conversation with Jon Geisbrecht, Director of Mental Performance and Player development for the Vancouver Bandits and has to do with Grounding.

In this interview, Jon shares a couple of perspectives on Grounding and how he uses this technique with Athletes. First, he discusses where the concept of grounding came from:

1. Buddhist Traditions emphasize the mind-body connection through breathwork and physical postures, to somatic psychology, where grounding helps released stored trauma and create a sense of safety in the present moment.

1. Military training emphasizes controlled breathing and sensory focus to help manage acute stress and maintain clarity under pressure.

How he brings this grounding to help athletes by walking them through how to effectively “sub out” of the game and then “sub in,”….using these techniques:

1. Coming off the court and interacting with the coach:

1. Stand straight – posture sends signals to your brain about how you’re feeling, regulating mood and managing hormones like cortisol and testosterone.
2. Make strong eye contact with the coach – this helps ground the athlete in the moment rather than overthinking.
3. Feel your feet on the floor – this sends a signal to your brain that you’re safe and ready to receive instruction if the coach pulls you aside.
4. Soften your belly and breathe deeply – This releases calming chemicals like dopamine and serotonin so that you don’t receive intense communication the wrong way and are focused on the here and now.

1. After interacting with the coach, on the way to their seat:

1. Connect with Teammates on the bench – fist bumps, high fives and short affirmations like, “We got this.” This fosters trust and connection.
2. Discharge excess tension – before they sit on the bench, we encourage them to jump up and down, shake out their arms, or sway side to side.
3. Breath Deeply through the nose and exhale forcefully – before they sit down on the bench, we want the athlete to breathe in love for the game and love for yourself while you let go of fear or frustration, grounding yourself in the moment by reflecting on why you play the game, remembering the younger you that appreciated the simple things.
4. Rest in that space – lastly, before taking a seat, if there is space after discharging and breathing, rest in that space before moving on-moving slower than you have been.

1. After sitting on the bench:

1. Stomp your feet – reconnect with the ground
2. Sit tall – imagine a string gently pulling your head toward the sky
3. Uncross your arms and legs – keep your posture open to the moment
4. Focus on your breath – extending your exhales and softening the belly-noticing your heartbeat slowing and descending.
5. Use your Vision to regulate – look left, look right, make circles with the eyes – this simple practice helps calm a dysregulated nervous system.
6. Re-immerse in the game using 5-4-3-2-1 grounding:

1. 5 things you can see
2. 4 things you can feel
3. 3 things you can hear
4. 2 things you can smell
5. 1 thing you can taste

He finishes by saying – this all sounds long, but with practice this can happen in a matter of moments. And then, when you are called back into the game, it’s time to activate:

1. Activating for game time:

1. Spring to the scorer’s table
2. Jump up and down
3. Breathe in powerfully through your nose to breathe out fear through the mouth 1-3 times
4. Settle into normal breathing so you can step in with total awareness.

His challenge for us:

Find moments in your own day to reset and refocus. Whether it’s walking into work, leaving work, or navigating a difficult conversation – a structured routine can create freedom in your heart, mind, and spirit.

Structure and discipline unlock composure and clarity when it matters most!