Sports Visualization Training, So what ?
The intensity, diversity and unpredictability of sport means that athletes are both physically and psychologically challenged nearly everyday. Many coaches will claim to have all the knowledge to help a performer reach their ultimate goal, however, the reality is that its difficult to master the skill set of a top level coach. It takes time, patience and many years of experiences to develop the understanding and application of success.
Too often in sport you hear all the buzz words, mentally tough; resilience; strong minded; mentally fit; the psychological edge!!! However, what do they really mean? In reality we are all on the path to working it all out…I believe that sport has an array of factors that dictates the end outcome. Whether its physical or mental the ability to cope in sport will ultimately be affected by how the individual perceives the situation they are in. When one week consistency is good and the next poor you need to ask the question and find out what is the limiting factor in the performance.
So let me come back to my original statement, Visualization Training, so what! In mental training you are aiming to support and facilitate performance so the performer can cope. To achieve excellence in sport a player needs to be able to accommodate and assimilate experiences and then integrate them into their game, eventually making them automatic in nature. Some athletes adapt into this process quicker than others but the potential is there for everyone to achieve a high level of mental capacity to cope through a structured approach. Like strength training it can take time for the improvements to be made but once a solid foundation has been laid the potential to achieve is greater. The integration of the physical and mental is also important and its this integration that will develop choices in an individual.
So if we are training the body why are we not loading the brain with effective strategies to help facilitate a performance. Together with a great colleague of mine, Hiran, we have put together a unique system of Visualization to help any performer excel their ability to achieve. This system is a real gift and one I am now able to give away for free. So what ever your sport, Basket Ball; Football; American Football; Tennis; there are no excuses, immerse yourself into one of the most practical and effective mental training courses you will ever experience.
The You tube channel below will help any athlete to improve there visualization skills. Their are 13 bite size videos teaching the key skills in visualization. Enjoy!