You’ve
probably heard about “visualization”, but do you actually believe in its power?
Maybe this experiment might change your mind.
There was a
study involving basketball players. For three months, one group shot free
throws for one hour each day. Another group spent an hour each day thinking
about shooting free throws. The third group shot baskets 30 minutes a day and
spent 30 minutes visualizing the ball going through the hoop from the foul
line. Which group do you think had the most improvement? The third group did.
The imagery had as much impact accuracy as shooting baskets.
Which goes
to say, if you don’t have a habit of visualizing, you really should start NOW.
Whatever
you create in your mind, you also create in reality. The mind and nervous
system do not know the difference between a vividly imagined event and a real
one (That is why we wake up in cold sweat from our nightmares). Food for
thought- imagine a huge lemon inside your mouth. Bite as hard as you can. Feel
the lemon bursting in your mouth and the juices splashing onto every part of
your tongue. Feel the juice trickling down your throat. Are you convinced yet?
Our mind is
not good with words. It likes images, feelings, thoughts, sounds. The more real
you can make your mental rehearsal, the better. The reason I call it a
rehearsal is because all performers before they step onto the stage, have gone
through countless times of rehearsal and practice. That gives them the
confidence to execute a perfect routine. The same goes for us. When we are
competing, it is our time to perform.
GUIDED
VISUALIZATION
This is
just a guide for your visualization practice. It might not necessarily work for
you because everyone is different. You may feel the need to use your body
(movements) or sounds and that is completely fine. Find the way that suits you
the best.
Begin in a relaxed seated position with your back
straight (don’t slouch). Gently close your eyes and breathe until you feel
relaxed. Start by walking into your playing field with your chest up and head
held high (body language is extremely important). Feel yourself feeling
confident and powerful.
Begin to absorb your environment. How does your
competition venue look like? What jersey are you wearing? Who will be your
opponents? Who else will be there supporting you? Remember to make it as real
as possible.
Next, go through your warm up routine. Feel
yourself getting pumped up and ready to compete. There’s a burning fire inside
you that is waiting to ignite. You are relaxed but strong. Not hurried, not
anxious, you know what you have to do in the match.
The whistle blows and it’s game time. You see
yourself having laser-sharp focus. You are a magnet for the ball. Anywhere you
want it to be, it goes there. You trust in your shots. You are on a roll,
you’re hitting left right and centre and absolutely no one can stop you.
Suddenly, you make a mistake. But as the
mentally-strong athlete you are, you understand that mistakes happen and you
don’t beat yourself up. You see yourself staying calm and letting go of that
mistake. The next ball comes and you are ready again.
You turn around and see your teammates supporting
you. Everyone is bursting with positive energy and excited to win. Everyone feels
connected. You hear the cheers coming from the audience stands and that fuels
you up even more.
At this moment, you are in complete control of
your body, mind and overall performance.
Imagine different scenarios in the game and how
you overcome them. The better the competition and the more you are challenged,
the more enjoyable the experience.
End your visualization with an affirmation, “Let
this or something better happen.”
That is the
mental rehearsal practice I use, and I even began to feel improvements in my
play! Remember that you can find your own way to do it, but the key is to MAKE
IT AS REAL AS POSSIBLE!
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