Mental Imagery In Sports

Symbolic Learning Theory (Mental Blueprint) Sackett (1934): In this theory, imagery may function as a coding system to help athletes acquire or understand movement patterns. All movements that we make must first be encoded in our central narrow system, we must have a blue print or code their movement into symbolic components, thus making the movement more familiar and perhaps more automatic. For example, a gymnast can use imagery to cue himself, on the temporal and spatial elements involved in performing a balance beam routine (Smith 2009) (William 2009).

Psychologica skill training program is something i wonder if you can over use the mental training, PST is important to sport because of the image of the normal athlete that he or she is only good at being athletic running jumping, etc. with PST help enhance the athletes mental skill. i never heard of this kind of training before but i would like to experience this with professional assistance to evaluate how much of difference it make versus not oarticipanting in the pst program

An example of vivid imagery was when Bradley started winning the arm wrestling matches, and remembering winning is just not everything. “It was like a thrill I have experienced at my grandfather’s lake house in Louisiana, when I hooked my first big fish, Big Joe, but when my cousin saw the fish, he said, “that a keeper,” I realized I would be happier with the fish to be let go instead of grilling it” (pg. 162) Bradley compares Big Joe to arm wrestling in that Big Joe is a hard to catch and his father is hard to be beaten in arm wrestling. “Whenever you think that you have Big Joe, you cut the line and let the legend go on” (pg. 162). Another example of vivid imagery is “His arms have always protected me and my family, knowing they caught my mother whenever she fainted across the room and that they carried me, full grown, up and down the stairs when I had mononucleosis” (pg. 162). This quote is very descriptive in giving us primary examples of what it was like for his father’s arms to protect him and his mother from any harm, knowing that they were safe in his arm’s.

Wakefield, C, et al. (2009) suggest PETTLEP-derived imagery interventions have been shown to enhance technical skills in sport along with nursing (Wright, Hogard, Ellis, Smith, & Kelly, 2008) and used to improve strength performance (Wright & Smith, 2009; Wakefield & Smith, 2011).

Smith et al. (2007) . undertook a study on the effects of the PETTLEP based imagery method compared against other more traditional methods (mental rehearsals, visualisation). Studies focusing on a hockey penalty flick and a gymnastics beam skill were carried out.

In 2006, Drierdiger et al published an article in the Journal of Sports Science on how imagery is used by injured athletes. In their research 10 injured athletes representing seven different sports received physiotherapy, and were interviewed on what kind of imagery they used. The interview guide consisted of three sections. The first section examined the injured athletes about their use of imagery in training and competition, the second

Even though motor imagery (MI) executes no direct physical action when practicing it, studies show that motor imagery shares some autonomic alterations just like physical performance (Malouin et al 2010). According to a review of the studies concerning autonomic alterations prompted by MI, Dickestein, and Deutsch (2007) agreed that heart rate does indeed rise when intensity of an imagined cycling exercise goes up. Furthermore, cardio respiratory responses were also found to be very similar when walking and when performing motor imagined walking (p 949). It was also noted that both the physical motor execution of a task resembles the exact duration it takes to mentally perform the same task by motor imagery. It is as though motor imagery and physical motor performance are controlled by the same different motor laws, for example, biomechanical limitations, and Fitt's law.

Athletes have many ways of preparing for games. Some use a path of mental strength to use over competitors. This could be done through a mental training program (MTP). These programs started appearing about 20 years ago, and target adult athletes to help improve performance (Doganis, 2004, p. 118). On the other hand some athletes are conditioned to use their mental strength and chanel it into confidence (Grandjean, Taylor, & Weiner, 2002, p. 325) or some older athletes are just naturally different in their mindset due to years of practice and performance (Gyomber, Kovacs, & Lenart, 2016, p. 228).

Our organization recognizes that athletes need effective leadership, consistent parameters, direction, structure, organization and discipline (quote book 1). This is why we want to establish the use of self-talk and self-imagery interventions when we teach our athletes because as an organization we want to increase their mental state intellectually and psychologically. We see ourselves as wanting to keep it simple and consistent and by incorporating cognitive strategies of self-talk and mental imagery we will develop strong internal cognitive and emotional states that can keep our athletes from losing touch with their external environment.

The results of her experiment showed that people who were good at imagery (regardless of their skill level) showed noteworthy improvement, while the people not good at imagery improved slightly. Of course, the people who practiced mental imagery improved performance much more than the control group. In conclusion, mental practice/imagery does contribute to improving

Visualization is a common term used to describe guided imagery or the process of forming images in our mind like pictures or moves, images recreating our best performances, and the way it feels to perform just the way we want it to. These images can be visual, kinesthetic- how our body feels, tactile-how it feels to the touch, auditory-how it sounds, even olfactory-what we smell. Using mind power we can call upon these images over and over, enhancing skill through repetition rehearsal. The mind and body can become more prepared to actually perform the skill, and can improve both physical and mental reactions in certain situations. The developing athletes, who make the fastest progress and who ultimately become their best, make extensive use of mental imagery. They use it daily, as a means of directing what will happen in training, and as a way of pre-experiencing their best competition performances. Mental imagery often starts out simply, as you think though your goals, your moves, and your desired competitive performances.

Sports Psychology has become more and more influential in understanding how to play the game. Serious athletes are now training their mind just as much as they train their body. They have found that to be a champion, it now takes more than just being fit and having talent. As the pressure to succeed continues to increase, athletes continually add both physical and emotional stress to their bodies. Mental toughness, or the ability to perform at one’s optimal level regardless of their circumstances, is a

McKenzie, and Howe (1997) also studied the effects of imagery within a task of dart throwing, and concluded that imagery could aid the performance in such a task. Interestingly though, individuals who had prior experience within the area, elicited a belief in the performance enhancement of imagery. However, Cumming, and Hall (2002) showed that athletes of different levels (National, Provincial, Recreational) show different belief’s on imagery suggesting an engagement with the

To prove further that visualization is a tool athletes should start implementing is because of the great Former NBA player Jerry West. Jerry was attributed with the nickname “Mr. Clutch.” When reporters asked how he was able to hit these difficult shots at the buzzer beater, he responded that he rehearsed it in his head. Now Jerry West is not the only person who has been using this method of training. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Tiger Woods and pitcher Roy Halladay have used visualization to improve their performance and achieve their personal best. (Niles,2017)

Imagery and mental rehearsal is the second psychological skill learned in most sports that can be applied to everyday life. Imagery perspective refers to the basic distinction between “internal” and “external” imagery which Mahoney and Avener (1977) described as follows: “In external imagery, a person views himself from the perspective of an external observer…Internal imagery, on the other hand, requires an approximation of the real life phenomenology such that the person actually imagines being inside his/ her body and experiencing those sensations which might be expected