Improve Your Sport Skills: Five
Strategies to Successfully Engage in Imagery
by: Heather Van
Mullen, Lewis-Clark State College
 Imagery is a psychological
performance enhancement technique that allows you to use your
senses to "recreate previous positive experiences or picture
new events to prepare yourself mentally for performance"
(Weinberg & Gould, 2011, p. 294). This technique can help
athletes learn new physical and/or mental skills and
strategies or improve upon previously attained ones. In
addition, it can help an athlete improve self-confidence
levels. Research indicates that imagery is a commonly used
performance enhancement strategy by successful athletes
(Vealey & Greenleaf, 2010). For example, golfer Jack
Nicklaus discussed the use and impact of imagery on his
preparation for success when he shared:
Before every shot I go to the movies inside my head. Here
is what I see. First, I see the ball where I want it to
finish, nice and white and sitting up high on the bright green
grass. Then, I see the ball going there; its path and
trajectory and even its behavior on landing. The next scene
shows me making the kind of swing that will turn the previous
image into reality. These home movies are a key to my
concentration and to my positive approach to every shot
(Weinberg & Gould, 2011, p. 293).
Creating effective imagery takes time and effort. Below is
a list of five recommended strategies to consider:
1. Create a vivid image.
The most effective images are vivid and clear.
Incorporating cues from multiple senses creates vivid, clear
images. "Imagery is a polysensory experience that should
involve all relevant senses, from visual to auditory,
olfactory, gustatory, tactile and kinesthetic" (Vealey &
Greenleaf, 2010, p. 269). Descriptive terms that are
meaningful and provide an emotional connection should be
chosen (Vealey & Greenleaf, 2010).
2. Control your images.
"Controllability is the ability of athletes to imagine
exactly what they intend to imagine, and also the ability to
manipulate aspects of the images that they wish to change"
(Vealey & Greenleaf, 2010, p. 270). Gaining control of
one's images is essential to effective imagery because it
allows the athlete to positively change aspects of an image to
ensure the outcome is the one desired by the athlete (Vealey
& Greenleaf, 2010).
3. Focus on positive images.
Effective imagery uses those images that show an athlete
reaching their desired outcome in real time. While mistakes
and errors occur the focus should be on positive, desired
outcomes. "Imagery can hurt athletes" performance if they
focus on the wrong images at the wrong times' (Vealey &
Greenleaf, 2010, p. 277).
4. It's a learned skill. Practice it regularly and
often.
As with any new skill, practice needs to occur regularly to
assist with performance attainment. Imagery is no exception.
Athletes should engage in imagery daily to become more
comfortable tapping into their senses to create a vivid and
clear image. In addition, more practice will assist the
athlete in developing controlled and focused images (Vealey
& Greenleaf, 2010).
5. Create an individualized imagery script.
The saying "One size does not fit all," applies to
effective imagery too. Two athletes hoping to create a similar
positive image of themselves successfully accomplishing the
same task will develop different images because of the unique
meaningful cues and different descriptions that best allow
them to connect with their desired skill or strategy (Vealey
& Greenleaf, 2010).
Imagery is one example of a performance psychology
technique that can be implemented as part of a psychological
improvement plan. Following the recommended strategies can
assist an athlete with engaging in imagery successfully.
(Editor's Note: For more information on imagery and other
psychological training techniques see the series
of articles previously published in pelinks4u authored by
Christine Lottes.)
References
Vealey, R.S. & Greenleaf, C.A. (2010). Seeing is
believing: Understanding and using imagery in sport. In J.M.
Williams (Ed.), Applied sport psychology: Personal growth
to peak performance, (pp. 267-304). New York, NY: McGraw
Hill.
Weinberg, R.S. & Gould, D. (Eds.). (2011).
Foundations of sport and exercise psychology
(5th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Biography: Heather
Van Mullem is a Professor in the Health & Kinesiology
Program at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, ID. A former
college basketball player and coach, she received her PhD from
the University of Kansas in Sports Studies with an emphasis in
Sport Psychology and Sport Sociology. In addition, she
completed a Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies.
(back to pelinks4u
homepage) | 
