Imagery refers to deliberately making pictures in one’s mind (Vealey & Greenleaf, 2010). Athletes use it to remember past experiences and also to imagine new ones. They can do this from their own perspective (like they’re doing it) or from an outside view (like watching themselves). The images can be slow, fast, or regular speed, and they can be short or long (Munroe-Chandler & Guerrero, in press).
When athletes use imagery in a careful and planned way, and the images are personal and meaningful to them, it can have a positive effect on how they feel, think, and act. Different types of images can help with different things, like motivation, healing, and overall health. These images can boost confidence and reduce anxiety.
The kind of imagery used and how often it is done can be influenced by factors like age, how much the athlete competes or exercises, their personality, and how good they are at creating effective images (Hall, 1998 ). To make the images better, athletes can use tools like scripts, audio and video recordings, biofeedback, and layered stimulus response training.
Hall, C. R. (1998). Measuring imagery abilities and imagery use. In J. L. Duda (Ed.), Advances in sport and exercise psychology measurement (pp. 165 172). Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology.
Munroe-Chandler, K.J., & Guerrero, M.D. (in press). Imagery in sport, exercise, and performance. In A. Mugford, & G. Cremades (Eds.), Sport, exercise, and performance psychology: Theories and applications. New York, NY: Routledge.
Vealey, R. S., & Greenleaf, C. A. (2010). Seeing is believing: Understanding and using imagery in sport. In J. M. Williams (Ed.), Applied sport psychology (6th ed., pp. 267 304). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.