LAS GOATS
Helpful Sports Psychology hints for LAS Players
S P O R T S P S Y C H O L O G Y
What can mental imagery be used for?
* Familiarise the athlete with a competition site, a race course, a complex play pattern or routine etc.
* Motivate the athlete by recalling images of their goals for that session, or of success in a past competition or beating a competitor in competition
* Perfect skills or skill sequences the athlete is learning or refining
* Reduce negative thoughts by focusing on positive outcomes
* Refocus the athlete when the need arises e.g. if performance is feeling sluggish, imagery of a previous best performance or previous best event focus can help get things back on track
* See success where the athlete sees themselves performing skills correctly and the desired outcomes
* Set the stage for performance with a complete mental run through of the key elements of their performance to set the athlete's desired pre-competition feelings and focus.
"Mental imagery should not focus on the outcome but on the actions to achieve the desired outcome"
How do I apply mental imagery?
Golfer Jack Nicklaus used mental imagery for every shot. In describing how he imagines his performance, he wrote:
"I never hit a shot even in practice without having a sharp in-focus picture of it in my head. It's like a colour movie. First, I "see" the ball where I want it to finish, nice and white and sitting up high on the bright green grass. Then the scene quickly changes, and I "see" the ball going there: its path, trajectory, and shape, even its behaviour on landing. Then there's a sort of fade-out, and the next scene shows me making the kind of swing that will turn the previous images into reality and only at the end of this short private Hollywood spectacular do I select a club and step up to the ball."
When should mental imagery be used?
To become proficient in the use of imagery you have to use it ever day: on your way to training, during training and after training. In every training session, before you execute any skill or combination of skills, first do it in imagery. See, feel, and experience yourself moving through the actions in your mind, as you would like them actually to unfold. In the competition situation use imagery before the start of the event and see your self performing successfully/winning.
How can I stay focused?
You have probably seen an athlete become angry at their performance. The situation here is that the athlete is focusing on the mistake (negative attitude), something that cannot be changed, and not on how to improve their performance (positive attitude).
In sports psychology "pattern breaking" routines are used to help prevent the athlete falling into this negative attitude. A "pattern breaker" can be a word or phrase used by the coach in training or competition to move the athlete from a negative attitude to a positive one. Many athletes have a role model who they try to emulate. Providing the role model is suitable then their name could become the "pattern breaker" phrase for the coach to use when the athlete takes on a negative attitude to a task. On hearing their role model's name the athlete will shift their focus to how their role model would react and assume a positive attitude to the task. Overtime the athlete will begin to recognise when they are focusing on negative thoughts and use the "pattern breaking" word or phrase (repeating it in their head) to get themselves to switch off the negative thoughts and get back into a positive attitude.
What are the benefits?
Mental Imagery itself can be useful in a number of circumstances including:
* Developing self confidence
* Developing pre-competition and competition strategies which teach athletes to cope with new situations before they actually encounter them
* Helping the athlete to focus his/her attention or concentrate on a particular skill he/she is trying to learn or develop
the competition situation
When combined with relaxation it is useful in:
*The promotion of rest, recovery and recuperation
*The removal of stress related reactions e.g. muscular tension
* Establishing a physical and mental state which has an increased receptivity to positive mental imagery
* Establishing an appropriate level of physical and mental arousal prior to competition
Kerkez (2012)[1] conducted a 14-week study of specific imagery and autogenic relaxation combined with standard physical training on soccer skill performance in novice boys aged 10-12 years. The research revealed that mental practice is effective for the preparation of the action. Furthermore, learning instructions on the movement effect related to the movement technique are more effective than a more distant effect. The results of the present study may have important implications for optimizing instructions for motor performance and motor learning in young athletes.
The "Quick Set" routine
Psychologist Jeff Simons developed a routine that would allow an athlete to achieve an appropriate mental arousal in the last 30 seconds before a competition. The "Quick Set" routine, which involves physical, emotional and focus cues, can also be used as a means of refocusing quickly following a distraction.
An example of this "Quick set" routine for a sprinter could be:
* Close your eyes, clear your mind and maintain deep rhythmical breathing, in through your nose and out through your mouth (physical cue)
* Imagine a previous race win, see yourself crossing the line in first place and recreate those emotional feelings of success (emotional cue)
* Return your focus to the sprint start, think of blasting off on the 'B' of the bang with the appropriate limb action (focus cue)
"You only achieve what you believe"
