Posted on October 30, 2015 by Jenny Cromack
Are you struggling to make progress? Getting stuck on the one weight or one distance? Why not try using some imagery techniques to help you overcome your exercise hurdles? Imagery and exercise does not just have to be reserved for elite athletes, anyone can benefit.
What is Imagery?
Imagery is a psychological technique used very widely through sport and exercise (as well as other walks of life). It is also sometimes referred to visualisation or mental rehearsal. The process involves the mental picturing of an exercise, task, or activity.
Despite the visual nature of imagery, it is most effective when other senses are brought into the visualisation process. So when we image ourselves doing the activity we utilise sounds, smells, the way things feel, kinaesthetics (i.e. the way the movements look and feel).
Types of Imagery
Imagery can serve different purposes depending on the needs of the individual or athlete. It can be used for skill development, performance enhancement, or motivational purposes. There are five different imagery types identified in the sport psychology world, these are; Cognitive Specific, Cognitive General, Motivational Specific, Motivational General Arousal, and Motivational General Mastery.
Cognitive Specific: The purpose of this imagery type is to develop skills, techniques, and improve task specific performance. So athletes would imagine themselves going through specific movement patterns, exercises, or skills to develop these and enhance their ability in them.
Cognitive General: Within this type its purpose is to plan, develop and improve general strategies. So an athlete may imagine the run of play during a game and visualise the strategies they would take during the game i.e. general game plans.
Motivational Specific: This type of imagery looks to motivate us to perform and increase effort. Athletes will often visualise themselves winning a trophy, specific game, or even achieving a personal best in training. You may imagine yourself finally squatting that 180kg or running that desired race time.
Motivational General Arousal: This is useful when people get anxious before activities. They can imagine themselves experiencing their symptoms of high anxiety such as sweaty palms, increased heart rate etc. but still performing well. Alternatively they could imagine themselves calming down and controlling these symptoms. You may imagine the adrenaline increase, butterflies, and heart rate increase before a big run and picture yourself keeping calm and reducing these symptoms or using these to perform well.
Motivational General Mastery: The purpose of this type is to control focus, confidence, and mental toughness. Athletes will often visualise themselves keeping their calm and focus during tough situations such as being behind in a specific game. It may be that you visualise yourself at that sticking point of a lift but keeping focused and finishing the lift.
How to use Imagery Effectively?
A model was introduced, based upon scientific theory, to provide individuals with some practical guidelines for effective imagery. This model was known as the PETTLEP model which is an acronym for the following:
Physical – Imagery should create as much of a physical representation of the activity being visualised as possible. This means to make it most effective it should not just be an image thought of in your head. Wear the clothes you would use in the activity or hold the objects you would use. For example to effectively use imagery to increase the squat you may put your training shoes and clothes on, place an unloaded barbell on your back then visualise the activity (at the weight you want to lift).
Environment – Ideally your imagery should take place in the environment that your activity takes place. This isn’t always possible so improvisation can take a part in it and some athletes will use recordings and videos to recreate the sounds and atmosphere of the training or competition environment. For example you may want to practice your imagery in the gym where the sounds, smells, and atmosphere is the same as when you actually perform your activity.
Task – when visualising the task it should be an exact mirror image of the task at hand, all task specific elements should be included down to every fine detail. It also needs to represent the skill level of the individual so we can’t imagine us performing an activity at higher skill level than we already have. For example if we were visualising a bench press we would want to visualise everything down the grip on the bar, any pre-lift rituals we may do, the body position, the bench position, the way the bar feels. The more specific the imagery the more effective it will be.
Timing – as well as specifics the imagery needs to be done in real time so done at the same pace as the actual activity. For example if we were visualising a race we would imagine every stride, with every bend, hill, and turn.
Learning – the imagery should be refreshed and adapted with the individual’s level of learning. As the individual’s skill base and level of performance develops so should the imagery. For example if we were learning an Olympic lift such as the snatch as we progressed through the stages of the technique and improved our skill base we should mirror this by updated our imagery.
Emotion – emotions shouldn’t be left out of the imagery. So everything an individual feels before, during, and after the activity should be present in the imagery to make it as real life an experience as possible. For example if feelings of anxiety, excitement, or nervousness are present before a race these need to felt during the visualisation and any other emotions that follow on should be included too.
Perspective – this is a very personal aspect and depends on the type of person you are and what works best for you. It consist of how you perceive and see the imagery. This can be an external view where you actually see yourself performing the activity from an “outside perspective”. The alternative is an internal view whereby you perceive the imagery from a “point of view perspective” and see the activity being done through your own eyes. The two can be mixed. Research shows that internal views tend to be better for creating the kinaesthetic feelings of the movement, whereas the external view may be better for visualising whole performances such as a routine or strategy.
The above model is best used as a whole rather than choosing elements of the model. If used properly imagery can have hugely beneficial effects on performance and can actually stimulate the same feelings as the activity for the individual. Why not give it a try and see if imagery techniques can help push you past those plateaus.