The findings from one recent study showed that "Elite and intermediate athletes used imagery more frequently and deliberately and perceived imagery to be more relevant and requiring more concentration than recreational athletes" (Nordin, Cumming, Vincent, McGrory, 2005, p. 346). If these findings are correct, and there is no reason to doubt that they are not, then the way to enhance top level performance in sporting activities is to have the players practice the art of imagery.
It is not surprising that athletes are now incorporating imagery into their training regimes. Advertisers have known for some time the effectiveness of imagery on consumer's spending habits. Many radio advertisements are created with the thought that the consumer must 'see' the product before the desire to purchase the product is produced.
There is "for example, the Radio Advertising Bureau's recent "I Saw it on the Radio" campaign, which touts radio's innate ability to engage listeners' imaginations and have them "visualize" in their mind's eye a variety of images related to the advertised product/service" (Bolls, Muehling, 2007, p. 35).
What is interesting about the responses of many of these consumers was that they were much more likely to purchase a product that they 'imagined' than one that was viewed. The same study showed that "when a visual-processing task (viewing pictures) was introduced, consumers' responses became generally less favorable" (Bolls, p. 36). Just as in sports, however, "The pattern of responses, however, varied across ad types and processing conditions" (Bolls, p. 36).
The conditions presented during the deliberate play/deliberate practice sessions were most effective when they were consistent in nature. One particular study of weight lifters attending the University of North Dakota showed that when these athletes participated in regular imagery sessions their respective weights "improved dramatically" (Silbernagel, Short, Ross-Stewart,...
It is the 'mind's eye' of the athlete that accomplishes many of the improvements. The player can 'see' the improvement and the method of how that improvement is going to be attained.
Early recognition of the powerful potential of this type of training is not necessary but the earlier application certainly ensures that the athlete buys into the fact that his or her mind is a strong weapon that can provide additional fodder in the sporting arena.
A good coach uses every weapon in the arsenal during the training of the athletes in his charge. With mental imagery, the good coach is allowing the players the use of the most powerful weapon of them all; the mind.
References
Bolls, P.D.; Muehling, D.D.; (2007) the effects of dual-task processing on consumer's responses to high and low-imagery radio advertisements, Journal of Advertising, Vol. 36, No. 4, pp. 35-47
Cote, J.; (1999) Long-term athlete development, associated coaching pathways, and implications for coach education, Queens University, www.icce.ws/conference/documents/ICCE2005/LTAD.PPT, Accessed April 15, 2008
Da Matta, G.B.; French, K.S. (2002) the influence of Deliberate Practice and social support systems on the development of expert and intermediate female volleyball players in Brazil, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC,
Nordin, S.M.; Cumming, J.; Vincent, J.; McGrory, S.; (2005) Mental practice or spontaneous play? Examining which types of imagery constitutes deliberate practice in sport, Journal of Applied Sports Psychology, Vol. 18, Issue 4, pp. 345-362
Sibernagel, M.S; Short, S.E.; Ross-Stewart, L.C.; (2007) Athlete's use of exercise imagery during weight training, the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 1077-1081
