Imagery is the movie inside your head, and you are the director!
Our minds are strange because they cannot tell the difference between a real situation and an imaginary one. As athletes we can use this to our advantage and take ourselves through various situations we may face in competitions. You can also use imagery to practice a specific technique without actually being on the field of play.
Types of Imagery
Internal - You complete the skill from your own point of view - in first person.
External - You see yourself in the imagery from a third person perspective, akin to watching yourself in a video.
Why Use Imagery?
To maintain focus and concentration
To help to stay motivated
To cope with injury and maintain abilities while rehabilitating
To improve confidence and self-efficacy
To help learn new skills and techniques
To control emotions and develop composure in pressurising situations
Guidelines to Using Imagery
Try to imagine yourself in tough and easy matches.
Practice slowing the imagery down and examining all the details.
Involve all 5 senses in your imagery.
Use cue words to strengthen behaviour to the imagery.
Be relaxed but stay alert.
Always end with an imagery of a positive performance.
Practice consistently!
Advantages of Using Imagery
Improve our ability to learn faster
Not physically tiring
Can be done anywhere and without playing the game, thus avoiding injury
