What happens in your brain when you visualize doing something well? The same thing as when you actually DO the something well. Your brain doesn't know the difference between something real and something repeatedly and vividly imagined. [I meant to post studies about the physical effects of mental causes but I don't have time right now to find 'em. Remind me later. For now I'm going to go and play on the seawall in the rain.]
More anecdotal evidence that visualizing an aim and practicing it = results. From Running Raw's blog:
On a wet and slippery track and without blocks to aid our start, there was little hope of breaking any speed records. I was really looking for another excuse to test out my Usain Bolt imagery that I had practiced on some very successful 200 meter repeats several weeks earlier. In the early 1980’s as I was learning how to cross country ski, I had the privilege of being on the same team as one of the greatest skiers in US history – Erik Vigsnes. He was poetry in motion. I was a lame duck trying to perform ballet. Whenever I got the chance, I would watch Erik ski… I would feel his rhythm… Feel his strength and relaxation… I would imagine what it felt like to ski with such grace and with such little effort… I would then put that feeling into my body and posture and try to emulate it… Not how he looked, but how he must feel. That practice has been one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever given myself. I’ve used it time and time again in many disciplines in my life – taking on another person’s feelings and moving inside of that experience. During the 2008 Olympics I sat awestruck as I watched Usain Bolt demolish the 100m world record with the most relaxed form I have ever seen. Since that time, I’ve watched that race over and over again, as I admired his form. I now had another model to emulate.
“Go” I shouted, and Michael and I took off. My arms and legs were shooting about furiously. It was not a pleasant experience nor a pretty sight. I clocked a 13.9, which was quite surprising under these conditions… But I wanted more. On the second repeat I remembered my Usain Bolt model and “bolted” into a much more powerful, and much longer stride… controlled and smooth. It felt fabulous. My speed increased throughout the 100m and I crossed the line in the fastest time I’ve ever run – 12.9 seconds. Twenty minutes later I used Mr. Bolt again to run a very comfortable 29.1 second 200 meters. I can’t wait to bring him into all my of workouts now.
Improve Your Sport Performance with Visualization Techniques
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