The Power of Mental Imagery By Wade Pearse

To understand, appreciate and fully benefit from the incredible power of mental imagery it’s best to first get a handle on what it is, really. First, it’s more than just visualization where you see with your mind’s eye. Although this is part of the process of mental imagery it most definitely is not the essence of it.

Mental imagery is a multi-sensory internal activity of the mind and senses. You see, hear and feel the activity. In fact you might even ad smell and taste in certain situations. As an example the smell of freshly cut grass on a golf course can be a powerful image. Mental imagery is the application of all of your senses as fully as possible while rehearsing an aspect of your sport.

For example, Olympic athletes of all sports use mental imagery when rehearsing their event. The importance of effectively applying mental imagery can not be overstated. In the 1984 Olympics Mary Lou Retton used mental imagery to its highest effect. She had rehearsed her routine on the Vault in physical practice, of course. Yet she also spent countless hours rehearsing it in her mind.

She would isolate every nuance of her routine and experience it in her mind in multi-sensory detail. Seeing the pace she would run toward the vault at, hearing her footsteps and the crowd around her, feeling her body twist though the air in the exact way that would lead to a perfect routine and landing in rock solid balance.

Then the big moment arrives. There she was, staring toward the Vault preparing for her jump. Yet this wasn’t just any jump. No. This was the Olympics and she needed a perfect 10 in order to win the Gold medal. Just think abut this for a moment. What are the odds of getting a 10 at any time, let alone getting one when you absolutely must! Talk about pressure.

But as you watch the video clip below, you’ll see that nothing looked out of the ordinary. She followed her routine, exactly as she rehearsed. Nothing changed in spite of the monumental occasion. I want you to watch the video clip first and then continue reading this article. Just imagine you are her and watch the video…

Is that incredible or what?! I don’t know about you but I get chills when I watch that! This is the true power of mental imagery. Did you notice what she did after she got the perfect 10? She still had one jump left. She didn’t even need to do it, of course, yet she did it anyways. What happened? She did a perfect jump again!

At the highest levels of professional sports it’s hard to find athletes who don’t use mental imagery. For junior & mature golfers it should be embraced and used as an integral part of your skill development and pre-round mental preparation.

Mental imagery has many other beneficial influences for athletes. It tunes the mind toward the very best internal resources you have available. It bypasses the conscious, critical and judgmental part of your mind while performing. Those who make full use of mental imagery find it much easier to perform under pressure.

In fact, the signs and symptoms of pressure are not evident for many of the top athletes in the heat of the moment. Their mind and body are fused together and all of their physical practice and mental exercises have become one integrated whole. They are now in a place where they experience a high state of flow. Some people call it the zone. Flow is more accurate, however, and is the optimal way to experience your chosen sport.

To achieve the best you are capable of in your chosen sport, mental imagery must become a natural part of your training. It should be a fundamental part of how you practice and prepare.

Let’s say you’re taking golf lessons. Visualizing the types of movements required to make certain swings, feeling and seeing a shot shape you are practicing, and every other conceivable aspect of the game can and should be rehearsed in your mind’s eye. The more you discipline yourself to this kind of mental exercise, the less it will require discipline and you’ll do it as naturally as breathing. And you will dramatically accelerate your learning in the process.

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