Mental Imagery in Sports

 

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Influences on Performance

        Mental imagery can be an important aspect in increasing the performance of athletes in their perspective sports. Deschaumes-Molinario, Dittmar, & Venet-Maury (1991) describe mental imagery as “repetitive mental practice or mental training that designates mental representation of the performance of a motor pattern without concomitant production on the muscular activity normally required for the act.” Mental imagery is a technique that athletes can use to supplement physical practice and improve their performance in their given sport. Mental imagery is often part of a mental practice routine that might also include such techniques as relaxation, self-talk, and goal setting. Athletes use mental imagery in these programs so much that mental imagery and mental practice have almost become synonymous terms (Weinberg, 2008). Research has proven that mental imagery is effective in increasing performance in such sports as dart throwing, diving, figure skating, and gymnastics but those studies can also be generalized to other sporting performances (Cocks, Moulton, Luu, & Cil, 2014). Healthy individuals using mental imagery may experience performance gains in areas such as strength, arm-pointing capacity, range of motion, and postural control as well as gains in speed, accuracy, and strength during motor skills (Dickstein & Deutsch, 2007).
         There are several considerations to take into account when using a mental imagery program to improve performance for athletes. Mental imagery seems to be better than no practice at all, but mental imagery alone is not as good as physical practice alone. Mental imagery cannot completely substitute for physical practice and it appears as though a combination of mental imagery and physical practice leads to the most effective performance (Cocks, Moulton, Luu, & Cil, 2014). There also appears to be a difference in the effectiveness of mental imagery between novice and elite athletes. Novice athletes use mental imagery less effectively than elite athletes do because elite athletes “use mental imagery more frequently, have better visualization abilities, and employ more structured mental practice sessions” (Cocks, Moulton, Luu, & Cil, 2014).
         Mental imagery is most effective when practiced over time; however, research has shown that athletes most often use mental imagery immediately prior to an event to help boost performance. Laboratory studies show that using mental imagery without prior practice is still effective as long as the performance comes directly after the mental imagery use (Weinberg, 2013). For example, a golfer may experience good results using mental imagery techniques immediately prior to hitting their golf shot while mental imagery used once a week before the tournament may not provide much benefit. Mental imagery is a technique that can help athletes improve their performance but just like all other skills it requires practice to be most effective.

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