| Many top athletes use various mental training | | | | (A perfect golf swing or dismount, scoring a basket, |
| techniques to achieve peak performance. It is well | | | | goal, or touchdown, or having more mental toughness, |
| documented that imagery or visualization improves | | | | confidence, or intensity). |
| sports performance. Mental Rehearsal is a technique | | | | 5. Bring in all your senses |
| where an athlete vividly imagines or thinks about | | | | Enhance your peak performance mental rehearsal by |
| themselves successfully achieving their goal while | | | | bringing in more details into your mental movie. (Where |
| competing in their sport. | | | | are you? What are you doing? What sounds do you |
| Mental rehearsal steps: | | | | hear? What emotions are you feeling? What do you |
| 1. Goal statement | | | | smell and taste?). |
| Before you begin your mental rehearsal, write down | | | | 6. Positive self talk |
| your goal. Specifically, how you would like to play or | | | | While you are experiencing your success image, give |
| perform in your chosen sport. What obstacles will you | | | | yourself positive affirmations throughout your mind |
| have to overcome in order to reach your goal? | | | | movie. (I am a confident, poised, and determined |
| 2. Center yourself | | | | basketball player). |
| With your eyes closed, take a moment to center | | | | 7. Reward image |
| yourself by taking a few deep breaths while becoming | | | | Complete your mind rehearsal by creating a reward |
| aware of your breathing. Then become aware of the | | | | image that represents you winning and enjoying your |
| space around you, what sounds do you hear? What | | | | reward. Include celebrating your success with your |
| sensations you feel? | | | | team, coaches, family, and friends. |
| 3. Start your mental rehearsal | | | | Repeat your five minute mental rehearsal at least two |
| Think about yourself successfully practicing your | | | | times each day. Rehearse yourself overcoming all |
| specific goal. This is where you will begin your mental | | | | obstacles, setbacks, and distractions. Always imagining |
| movie (always practicing at the same speed and | | | | yourself how you would like to play or perform in your |
| intensity as you play in your game or competition). | | | | sport. You may visualize yourself as if you were |
| 4. Create your Success Image | | | | watching yourself on a movie screen, or as if you are |
| Now create a success image of you achieving peak | | | | watching from the perspective of looking out of your |
| performance while playing or competing in your sport. | | | | own eyes. |