IMAGERY: HOW TO ENHANCE TEACHING AND COACHING

1. IMAGERY: HOW TO ENHANCE TEACHING AND COACHING Damon Burton University of Idaho

2. WHAT IS IMAGERY? • Have you ever used imagery? • Imagery is a form of simulation training where experiences are created or recreated in the mind. • Imagery is an experience similar to a sensory experience but arising in the absence of the usual external stimuli (Martens, 1982).

3. HOW DOES IMAGERY DIFFER FROM VISUALIZATION? • Visualization is limited to 2 senses—what you see and what you hear. • Imagery involves all 5 senses • Sight • Sound • Taste • Smell • Touch/feel • Imagery is enhanced when we use all the senses.

4. DOES IMAGERY WORK? • Anecdotal reports • Case studies • Intervention packages

5. HOCKEY GREAT WAYNE GRETZKY ON IMAGERY • “We taped a lot of famous pictures on the locker-room door: Bobby Orr, Potvin, Beliveau, all holding the Stanley Cup. We’d stand back and look at them and envision ourselves doing it. I really believe if you visualize yourself doing something, you can make that image come true . . . I must have rehearsed it 10,000 times. And when it came true, it was like an electric jolt went up my spine.”

6. GOLF GREAT JACK NICKLAUS ON IMAGERY • “I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my head. It’s like a color movie. First, I “see” the ball where I want it to finish, nice and white and sitting up high on bright green grass. Then the scene quickly changes and I “see” the ball going there; its path, trajectory and shape, even its behavior on landing. Then there is sort of a fade-out, and the next scene shows me making the kind of swing that will turn the images into reality.”

7. DIVING GREAT GREG LOUGANISON IMAGERY • “I did my dives in my head all the time. At night, before going to sleep, I always did my dives. Ten dives, starting with the first one I’d do in the Olympics, and I did everything as if I was actually there. I saw myself on the board with the same suit—everything was the same. If the dive was wrong, I went back and started over again. It takes a good hour to do perfect imagery of all my dives, but for me it was better than a workout. Sometimes I would take the weekend off and do imagery 5 times a day.”

8. WHY DOES IMAGERY WORK? • Imagined events have a similar effect on the nervous system and mental processes as actual events. • The brain can’t tell the difference between vividly imagined events and the real thing.

9. WHY DOES IMAGERY WORK? • Psychoneuromuscular Theory • Later learning – well-learned skills. • Primarily motor responses. • Symbolic Learning Theory • Early learning – new skills. • Mental blueprint. • Cognitive + motor responses. • Mental Skills Hypothesis • Indirect effects on performance.

10. FACTORS AFFECTING IMAGERY EFFECTIVENESS • Type of task • Cognitive skills improve more compared to motor skills. • Playing experience • More experienced performers benefit the most from imagery. • Imaging ability • Imagery fundamentals can be improved through systematic practice.

11. USES OF IMAGERY • Improves concentration: • Distracts the distractions. • Builds confidence: • confidence boosters. • Controls emotions: • Coping imagery. • Raise or lower arousal.

12. USES OF IMAGERY • Increases motivation. • Acquire and practice sport skills. • Develop and practice sport strategies. • Coping with pain and injury: • Promote healing. • Maintain skills while recovering. • Problem-solving skills.

13. IMAGERY BASICS • Multi-sensory process: • Re-experience event realistically • Create a new “reality”. • Vividness: • Videotape. • Controllability: • Imagine consistent excellence. • Relaxation training: • Brain waves in “alpha” state.

14. IMAGERY BASICS • Positive focus: • Exceptions. • Image process and outcome: • Focus on preparation. • Real-time imagery: • Slow motion.

15. IMAGERY BASICS • Internal versus external imagery: • Internal imagery is the perspective of seeing things out of your own eyes. • External imagery takes the perspective similar to watching yourself on video. • Use internal imagery to practice skills and strategies. • Use external imagery to study opponent’s strategies and look for flaws in technique.

16. PREPARING TO PRACTICE • The right setting. • Relaxed attention. • Motivation to train. • The right attitude or expectancy. • Systematic practice. DQ 1: What experiences do you already have using imagery?

17. IMAGERY PROGRAM HOW-TO’S • Imagery skill evaluation • Evaluate sensory skills, vividness, and controllability. • Target weak areas to improve. • Setting • No distractions  distractions present. • Away from site  on-site. • Off-the-field  on-the-field. • Content • Non-sport imagery  sport imagery opponent- and situation-specific imagery.

18. IMAGERY HOW-TO’S IDEAL TIMES FOR IMAGERY • Before and after practice. • Before and after competition. • During competition. • Pre-shot, pre-snap, pre-race, and between play routines. • Breaks in action. • Down-time. • Injury rehabilitation.

19. LEARNING NEW SKILLS • Provide a good demonstration of the skill or play from multiple angles. • Have students/athletes take several deep breaths to relax. • Describe the skill as they run through it in their minds. • Rehearse skill using internal imagery as you wait to practice .

20. SUPPLEMENTING VIDEO • Watch video of specific techniques and strategies you want to work on several times. • Guide students and athletes through imagery, highlighting key points. • Have them repeat perfect performance 5-10 times on own.