The first two steps are in your head (pt 3)

Visualization or Guided Imagery
How easy is this! Mental practice. Just imagine yourself in a game situation,play it over and over in your mind and you will perform better. Can this work? Absolutely! Most if not all top athletes have it as part of their training regimen (Check out the Nike commercial with LT below).

[REMEMBER:VISUALIZE IN REAL TIME]

It obviously can't take the place of physical practice but it is another piece to the puzzle. Just as physical practice trains your
muscles how to react, guided imagery trains your mind how to react. Research is finding that both physical and psychological reactions in certain situations can be improved with visualization. Such repeated imagery can build both experience and confidence in an athlete's ability to perform certain skills under pressure, or in a variety of possible situations.

Of course it is just like physical practice; results will depend on how much effort you put into it. The key is using all of your senses.They can be visual (images and pictures), kinesthetic (how the body feels), or auditory (the roar of the crowd). The more real you can make it in your mind the better your results will be.

Here are the key points:

Visualizing an activity uses the same parts of your brain as actually doing the activity.

The more detailed your visualizations are, the more effective they will be in helping you improve your game.

Keep your sports visualizations as specific and detail-oriented as you can.(In other words, not you making All-State, but performing that step over successfully)

For best results make your visualizations happen in real time.

Start out slowly since it can be mentally tiring to really focus on your visualizations. As you get better you can visualize for longer times.


Include those real life distractions in your visualization.

If you are having a problem with a specific move, focus on it in your visualization. Visualize doing it correctly, over and over again.

Proper visualization can even increase your heart rate.

Remember all stress is not bad. Distress is bad-- anxiety, fear and that voice in your head telling you that you can't do it. Eustress is good-- it comes from a challenge and pumps you up.

Visualization is an effective tool even if you're laid up with a sports injury. If you're too hurt to make practice, you can at least picture yourself going through the motions. It might even speed your recovery.