Enhance Motor Performance”

Sandra E Short, James Afremow, Lynette Overby

JOPERD

“Using Mental Imagery to

Kaitlin Rodriguez

What is Imagery?“mentally recreating or creating an experience by using

images and a variety of senses”

-Affect one’s ability to learn and perform skills -Modifies important cognitions:

-Self efficacy, self confidence, effort, motivation-Regulates anxiety

Imagery is all about seeing and feeling

Direct & Indirect Imagery

- Direct: Direct:

- Mental Practice: Imaging a skill as if you were actually Mental Practice: Imaging a skill as if you were actually performing itperforming it

- External: out-of-body perspectiveExternal: out-of-body perspective

- Observing yourself on film: You are watching your self on the sidelinesObserving yourself on film: You are watching your self on the sidelines

- Internal: inner-body perspectiveInternal: inner-body perspective

- Observing through your own eyes: You are doing the actionObserving through your own eyes: You are doing the action

- Indirect:Indirect:

- Metaphorical: involves objects that have a specific relationship Metaphorical: involves objects that have a specific relationship to a motor skill. to a motor skill.

- EX: For throwing a javelin- you think of throwing dartsEX: For throwing a javelin- you think of throwing darts

Let’s Practice!- Observe this picture: and use your senses to help remember Observe this picture: and use your senses to help remember

what was in it what was in it http://www2.worldvillage.com/wv/school/images/scrnshot/waldo3.gif

- What was in that picture?What was in that picture?

- Imagery helps athletes practice physical skills in the mind Imagery helps athletes practice physical skills in the mind before performing it.before performing it.

9 W

ays to

Use

M

en

tal Im

ag

ery

(1)(1) LearningLearning

(2)(2) PerformingPerforming

(3)(3) FocusingFocusing

(4)(4) Self-Confidence

Self-Confidence

(5)(5) MotivationMotivation

(6)(6) ArousalArousal

(7)(7) Turning Negatives to Positives

Turning Negatives to Positives

(8)(8) RelaxationRelaxation

(9)(9) HealingHealing

Learning

““Seeing and Feeling” oneselfSeeing and Feeling” oneself

performing a task correctlyperforming a task correctly

increases students andincreases students and

athletes success. athletes success.

This also helps the learner toThis also helps the learner to

focus more on the mastery,focus more on the mastery,

which helps the learnerwhich helps the learner

know correct form and fix theirknow correct form and fix their

errors errors

Performing

With Performing comesWith Performing comes

butterflies. Imagery is used asbutterflies. Imagery is used as

a way to help control the a way to help control the

excitement and stay on task.excitement and stay on task.

Athletes can also view Athletes can also view

themselves being successful themselves being successful

whether it being ego or task whether it being ego or task

orientedoriented

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8dtZfI2YqE Example of Imagery for

Performance:

Focusing

-Helps shut out distractions (internal or external)

-Helps athlete have undivided attention towards their task

Self Confidence

Self Confidence

A common area of needed A common area of needed improvementimprovement

Image previous successful Image previous successful performancesperformances

““what you see is what you what you see is what you get” theoryget” theory

Helps you play like you Helps you play like you practicepractice

Example of “what you see is what you get”

Image yourself Image yourself feelingfeeling confident and confident and see see yourself yourself appearing confident in appearing confident in front of competitors and front of competitors and spectators and you will! spectators and you will!

MotivationImagery can help increase both intrinsic and extrinsic Imagery can help increase both intrinsic and extrinsic motivationmotivation

Can help one move from extrinsic to intrinsic or vice versaCan help one move from extrinsic to intrinsic or vice versa

To enhance intrinsic: image yourself improving on a skill and then To enhance intrinsic: image yourself improving on a skill and then image the pride you will have when accomplishing a goal and doing image the pride you will have when accomplishing a goal and doing your personal bestyour personal best

To enhance extrinsic: image yourself receiving a trophy or medal- To enhance extrinsic: image yourself receiving a trophy or medal- rewards for a successful performancerewards for a successful performance

Arousal

Used to excite or calm down athletesUsed to excite or calm down athletes

Image a thermometer: see the line rise if Image a thermometer: see the line rise if intensity is too low and watch it drop when intensity is too low and watch it drop when intensity needs to be retainedintensity needs to be retained

Image and feel your HR increase or decrease Image and feel your HR increase or decrease when intensity needs to be heightened or when intensity needs to be heightened or loweredlowered

Changing Negatives to Positives

Use Imagery to transform bad performances Use Imagery to transform bad performances and experiences into better onesand experiences into better ones

““Change the channel” change from and “I Change the channel” change from and “I can’t” attitude to an “I will”can’t” attitude to an “I will”

After an unsuccessful performance, immediately After an unsuccessful performance, immediately in your mind rehearse a successful in your mind rehearse a successful performance, then try againperformance, then try again

Relaxation Imagery

Helps free you from unnecessary worries and Helps free you from unnecessary worries and the physiological effects of stressthe physiological effects of stress

Image peaceful scenery: sitting on a grassy Image peaceful scenery: sitting on a grassy knoll and feeling the warm sunrays beating on knoll and feeling the warm sunrays beating on your face or hear crickets chirping and birds your face or hear crickets chirping and birds singingsinging

Image a block of ice melting into warm waterImage a block of ice melting into warm water

Healing

When injured or ill physical practice may not be When injured or ill physical practice may not be permitted, mental imagery can help one stay active permitted, mental imagery can help one stay active in sport, which can help the recovery processin sport, which can help the recovery process

Image yourself performing the tasks that your Image yourself performing the tasks that your teammates are performing physicallyteammates are performing physically

Image microscopic construction on the work site Image microscopic construction on the work site (injury) or having soldiers go to war to take down (injury) or having soldiers go to war to take down the virusthe virus

Afremow, J, Overby, L, & Short, E Using mental imagery to enhance children's motor performance. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, & Dance, 72, Retrieved February 2001, from proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=5&sid=9&srchmode=2&vins....

Summary

Motor performance can be enhanced with the use of imagery, using each of these nine ways can help accomplish many things. Imagery can be a powerful learning strategy in sports