Reports on the last-minute mental training of athletes prior to a
competition. Study by sports psychologist Steven Ungerleider; Tendency of
athletes to visualize themselves from outside their body, others or
within in a process called guided imagery.
By
Peter Doskoch, published on September 01, 1996
ATHLETIC SUCCESS
WHAT DO CHAMPION swimmers, cyclists, and sprinters do on the eve of
competition? Many squeeze in one final workout--while sitting in an easy
chair.
No joke. Often last-minute training sessions take place entirely in
an athlete's head. According to sports psychologist Steven Ungerleider,
Ph.D., three out of four Olympians mentally practice their event, a
process called guided imagery. Some visualize themselves from outside
their body, others, from within. Either way, the technique helps
fine-tune athletic skills by making real-life movements more automatic.
Plus, it instills a sense of calm as athletes prepare for pressure-cooker
competition.
But weekend warriors can benefit from guided imagery, too. "You'll
reduce your chance of injury and have a lot more fun," says Ungerleider.
In his book Mental Training for Peak Performance, the psychologist
outlines specific imagery exercises for sports ranging from golf to
marathoning. Here's the basic process:
o Find a comfy chair. Breathe deeply and slowly.
o Imagine yourself on the court or field. Picture the surroundings
as vividly as possible--the weather, spectators, competitors. Notice how
calm you feel.
o Now visualize the actual event, or key portions of it. Picture
yourself playing a perfect game, moving with grace and confidently
ease.
o If you imagine yourself screwing up or getting flustered, stop
and replace the faulty image with a positive one before the negative
though becomes ingrained.
ILLUSTRATION
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athlete,
cyclists,
easy chair,
exercise,
fine tune,
guided imagery,
peak performance,
pressure cooker,
spectators,
sports,
sports psychologist,
squeeze,
visualization,
workout
