Encyclopedia of Lifestyle Medicine and Health by Rippe James M

Author:Rippe, James M.
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781506354880
Publisher: SAGE Publications, Inc
Published: 2012-02-13T16:00:00+00:00

Encyclopedia of

Lifestyle

Medicine

&Health

VOLUME 2

EDITOR

JAMES M. RIPPE, MD

Rippe Lifestyle Institute, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts;

Professor of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida;

Associate Professor of Medicine (Cardiology), Tufts University Medical School

I

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IMAGERY IN SPORT PERFORMANCE

* * *

Many different types of psychological interventions are used to improve sport performance. Among these, the use of mental imagery has received a considerable amount of attention. Mental imagery can best be described as a set of structured mental practices that involve various multisensory representations based on an athlete’s competitive experiences. In other words, the goal of mental imagery is to reproduce the cognitive and physical sensations of an athletic experience as closely as possible in order that the individual “feels” as if he or she is actually performing the sport.

Since the intent of mental imagery is to re-create experiences as close as possible to the actual performance, it should involve significant sensory input. Mental imagery should not be limited to only visual representations but should also include the kinesthetic, tactile, auditory, and olfactory senses. For example, a swimmer using mental imagery to improve performance incorporates kinesthetic sensations to “feel” how the body performs a specific stroke and physical sensations such as the muscular, breathing, and heart rate responses that accompany the performance. Tactile sensations allow the swimmer to feel the water around his or her body, while olfactory senses conjure up the smell of the pool and the chlorinated water. Auditory sensations remind the athlete of the sounds of competition, for example, the starter’s signal or the noise of the crowd. Using multiple sensations allows the image to become more vivid and real to the athlete.

Evidence suggests that when imaging a performance, athletes will incorporate either an external or an internal perspective. Internal imagery occurs when an athlete images the performance from his or her own vantage point. In other words, it is a first-person perspective, in which the athlete sees what he or she would view and feel if actually performing the movement. Conversely, external imagery involves athletes seeing themselves perform from outside their body. It is similar to watching the performance the way one would watch a movie. Yet, despite these significant differences, research has not demonstrated that one form of mental imagery is superior to the other in improving levels of performance.

However, there remains considerable debate over how mental imagery works. Some leading explanations of its effectiveness suggest that it enhances psychological skills such as confidence or focus. For instance, imagery may enhance a person’s confidence by allowing athletes to see themselves performing well, bringing up images of past successful competitions and thus reinforcing their confidence that they can be successful. Likewise, mental imagery may facilitate the ability to focus. A popular explanation, known as symbolic learning, suggests that imagery helps performers learn to focus on important elements of their skill while reducing distractions. Since the use of mental imagery itself requires the athlete to maintain attention and focus, it may allow the individual to become more aware during competitive circumstances as well. Hence, the better

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