IMAGERY: HOW TO ENHANCE TEACHING AND COACHING

1. IMAGERY: HOW TO ENHANCE TEACHING AND COACHING Damon Burton University of Idaho

2. WHAT IS IMAGERY? • Have you ever used imagery? • Imagery is a form of simulation training where experiences are created or recreated in the mind • Imagery is an experience similar to a sensory experience but arising in the absence of the usual external stimuli (Martens, 1982)

3. HOW DOES IMAGERY DIFFER FROM VISUALIZATION? • Visualization is limited to 2 senses—what you see and what you hear. • Imagery involves all 5 senses • sight • sound • taste • smell • touch/feel • Imagery is enhanced when we use all the senses.

4. DOES IMAGERY WORK? • anecdotal reports • case studies • intervention packages

5. HOCKEY GREAT WAYNE GRETZKY ON IMAGERY • “We taped a lot of famous pictures on the locker-room door: Bobby Orr, Potvin, Beliveau, all holding the Stanley Cup. We’d stand back and look at them and envision ourselves doing it. I really believe if you visualize yourself doing something, you can make that image come true . . . I must have rehearsed it 10,000 times. And when it came true, it was like an electric jolt went up my spine.”

6. GOLF GREAT JACK NICKLAUS ON IMAGERY • “I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my head. It’s like a color movie. First, I “see” the ball where I want it to finish, nice and white and sitting up high on bright green grass. Then the scene quickly changes and I “see” the ball going there; its path, trajectory and shape, even its behavior on landing. Then there is sort of a fade-out, and the next scene shows me making the kind of swing that will turn the images into reality.”

7. DIVING GREAT GREG LOUGANISON IMAGERY • “I did my dives in my head all the time. At night, before going to sleep, I always did my dives. Ten dives, starting with the first one I’d do in the Olympics, and I did everything as if I was actually there. I saw myself on the board with the same suit—everything was the same. If the dive was wrong, I went back and started over again. It takes a good hour to do perfect imagery of all my dives, but for me it was better than a workout. Sometimes I would take the weekend off and do imagery 5 times a day.”

8. WHY DOES IMAGERY WORK? • Imagined events have a similar effect on the nervous system and mental processes as actual events. • The brain can’t tell the difference between vividly imagined events and the real thing.

9. WHY DOES IMAGERY WORK? • Psychoneuromuscular Theory • later learning – well-learned skills • primarily motor responses • Symbolic Learning Theory • early learning – new skills • mental blueprint • cognitive + motor responses • Mental Skills Hypothesis • indirect effects on performance

10. FACTORS AFFECTING IMAGERY EFFECTIVENESS • type of task • Cognitive skills improve more compared to motor skills. • playing experience • More experienced performers benefit the most from imagery. • imaging ability • Imagery fundamentals can be improved through systematic practice.

11. USES OF IMAGERY • improves concentration • distracts the distractions • builds confidence • confidence boosters • controls emotions • coping imagery • raise or lower arousal

12. USES OF IMAGERY • increases motivation • acquire and practice sport skills • develop and practice sport strategies • coping with pain and injury • promote healing • maintain skills while recovering • problem-solving skills

13. IMAGERY BASICS • multi-sensory process • re-experience event realistically • create a new “reality” • vividness • videotape • controllability • imagine consistent excellence • relaxation training • brain waves in “alpha” state

14. IMAGERY BASICS • positive focus • exceptions • image process and outcome • focus on preparation • real-time imagery • slow motion

15. IMAGERY BASICS • internal versus external imagery • internal imagery is the perspective of seeing things out of your own eyes • external imagery takes the perspective similar to watching yourself on video • use internal imagery to practice skills and strategies • use external imagery to study opponent’s strategies and look for flaws in technique

16. PREPARING TO PRACTICE • the right setting, • relaxed attention, • motivation to train, • the right attitude or expectancy and • systematic practice.

17. IMAGERY PROGRAM HOW-TO’S • imagery skill evaluation • evaluate sensory skills, vividness, and controllability • target weak areas to improve • setting • no distractions  distractions present • away from site  on-site • off-the-field  on-the-field • content • non-sport imagery  sport imagery opponent- and situation-specific imagery

18. IMAGERY HOW-TO’S IDEAL TIMES FOR IMAGERY • before and after practice • before and after competition • during competition • pre-shot, pre-snap, pre-race, and between play routines • breaks in action • down-time • injury rehabilitation

19. LEARNING NEW SKILLS • provide a good demonstration of the skill or play from multiple angles, • have students/athletes take several deep breaths to relax, • describe the skill as they run through it in their minds, • rehearse skill using internal imagery as you wait to practice

20. SUPPLEMENTING VIDEO • watch video of specific techniques and strategies you want to work on several times, • guide students and athletes through imagery, highlighting key points, • have them repeat perfect performance 5-10 times on own.