The assumption that what we perceive with our senses is the most objective and real experience has been exceeded. There has been a lot of experimental research showing that we create our reality through our beliefs and experiences. If it is about colors we see, not perfect text or more complex movements like the execution of your sport. In some sports, you hear it from the beginning: “Trust, that you can hold the tiny piece of rock.” The belief makes your reality. The Ebbinghaus effect is one of the proofs that show us, how our senses construct our reality.
Basically, what you can imagine, you can do! It doesn’t happen directly, but your thoughts create your beliefs and your feelings dictate how you respond. And for sure you can relate that your feelings determine your behaviors. Let’s have a look at the scientific support of this assumption.
The goal of an athlete is to automatize a certain sequence of movements so that they can be executed with flexibility in any circumstance. This means a particular neural pattern in the brain needs to be created. One possibility of how to do it is of course, through physical training and repetition. But this is not enough, visualisation is an incredible tool to intensify the training which results in strengthening this neural pattern.
Why is it so?
Well, basically during visualization the same areas in your brain are activated as if you were executing this activity in real life. The brain builds up an electrical current strong enough to send the same information to your muscles and directs them to work in the desired way. Already in the 19th century, Alexander Bain came up with this theory of how the brain creates such a pattern.
Regarding modern science, visualization is a very powerful and at the same time very simple tool to use. You can do it anytime, anywhere, knowing the right techniques. Incorporated into your training, you can expect an improvement of your memory, concentration, better recognition, and correction of errors leading to a higher quality of your movements, and overall athletic performance.
Physical training coupled with visualization will create better recognition of the required nervous system response than physical training alone.
Visualization not just improves the physical execution of your sport, but it also serves well to the reduction of pressure and stress leading to more substantial confidence. In this sense, you can use visualization to go through all the different scenarios of a challenging movement or the competition flow.
In general, the more often you practice, the stronger the neural pattern will be. Especially at the beginning, it is important to practice often and in quiet areas to reduce distractions. With time the complexity of the situation can be improved, by applying it in training, stressful situations, and competition. This approach is a very good opportunity to eliminate any doubts, fears, pressures, or distractions in a secure and supportive environment. So that the performance in real life improves. The repetition changes the automatic processes in your body and mind resulting in more flexible and precise execution.
Visualization is also an incredible tool to discover hidden errors or limiting beliefs. At the same time, not always are imaginative techniques powerful enough to overcome those limitations. Especially when the same issues come up repetitively, there is a need to remove this limitation properly. EMDR is the technique to go. As a result, you can expect relief, more energy, or better concentration.
Finally, visualization is also a tool that can be used to install Flow, the mindset of the best performance more about that in further chapters.
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