Annotated Bibliography: Mental Rehearsal in Sports
Bertollo, M., Saltarelli, B., & Robazza, C. (2009). Mental preparation strategies of elite modern pentathletes. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 10(2), 244-254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2008.09.003
The study examined the range of preparation strategies and coping responses employed by elite modern pentathletes. The authors wanted to examine the athletes mental preparation strategies and behaviors in the days before their essential event, before, during, and after the competition. This was a qualitative study that employed interviews for its data collection. The sample size was 14 athletes (six women and eight men) aged between 21 and 33. The interviews were conducted during the competitive season, not close to the critical competitions. The interviews were semi-structured face-to-face individual interviews lasting between 60-90 minutes (Bertollo et al., 2009). Due to the interview duration, it was impossible to report all the information obtained. The authors selected representative quotes related to the study. The information was grouped into six higher-order themes: attitudes during training, behaviors during training, behaviors outside training, mental practice, goal setting, and seeking optimal feelings.
Athletes perform various mental practices during training, before competitions, and after competitions to ensure they stay at their optimal level. These activities motivate them and teach them how to cope with anxiety and competition stress, enabling them to perform at their peak levels. Since the athletes had not received formal training in sport psychology, the pentathletes managed to employ different approaches for different purposes to suit their needs.
Bertollo et al. (2009) hope the study can help sports psychologists be better equipped to offer their services to athletes. Sport psychology consultants should observe the athletes preparation strategies, coping responses, and sources of concern before offering suggestions. Differences in individual emotional and cognitive experiences affect their performance before, during, and after the competition. The study initiates the discussion on the psychological preparation of top-level modern pentathletes. The results can be used to develop mental programs that athletes can use to bolster their behaviors and thoughts before, during, and after the competition.
Calmels, C., & Fournier, J. F. (2001). Duration of physical and mental execution of gymnastic routines. The Sport Psychologist, 15(2), 142-150. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.15.2.142
The purpose of the study was to observe the mental practice employed by elite gymnasts by comparing the duration of their mental and actual executions of a floor movement. The authors did not formulate a hypothesis since they wanted to gather information on the use of imagery by elite athletes who have mastered their skills (Calmels & Fournier, 2001). However, they hypothesized that if their results were confirmed, then increasing the duration of some stages under mental conditions could be linked to the
…identify strategies for increasing athletes self-confidence before the competition. Using these advanced strategies can benefit athletes and coaches, and they can maximize the psychological benefits they would reap from implementing them. The article increases knowledge on mental rehearsal and places sport psychology in a stronger position.
The use of mental rehearsal techniques is effective in various sports. When an athlete wants to improve their performance, they can rely on physical training too much and overlook the importance of mental training. The studies have demonstrated how effective mental rehearsal is in improving performance. Sports psychologist should encourage athletes to practice visual techniques of their sport as it ensures they can create an imagery of their performance, which assist in reducing their anxiety and they can learn new skills. With experienced athletes, the use of mental rehearsal will allow them to increase their confidence and lower their anxiety levels, which in turn improves their performance. Mental rehearsal should be incorporated as part of the training needed by the athlete and not used just before their competition. Continuous mental preparation allows the athlete to visualize their performance and see how they can improve wherethey have struggled. Visualization is a powerful technique employed in various fields with the same positive effects.
To successfully perform in their sport, skilled athletes have to prepare mentally. Mental preparation involves learning how to control anxiety, and reducing negative self-talk allows an athlete to recover from mistakes and increase self-confidence. Visualization has been shown to teach athletes a new skill effectively. Therefore, it can be used by novices or experienced athletes to increase their knowledge and bolster their motivation. Learning a new skill takes time, and any assistance offered to an athlete should be welcomed. As was the case with the female basketball players who learned how to perform a lay-up routine from visualization using guided audio, it is possible for other athletes to also learn a new skill through mental rehearsal. Coaches should endeavor to have mental and physical techniques when training athletes if they want to improve performance and teach a new skill. Relying solely on physical training would not have the same effect as combined mental and physical training.
Bertollo, M., Saltarelli, B., & Robazza, C. (2009).…
