Tapping Into The Power of Visualization
- Courtney Parfitt
- Jan 13
- 2 min read
What if you were able to get more reps in without additional stress on your body? What if there was a way to increase your confidence in your performance without more time in the gym? What if there was a tool you could use from your bed that would give you an edge on your competitors? These are the questions we ask our gymnasts in mental training. Their eyes light up and their minds begin to piece together this puzzle. After a few minutes of brainstorming and guessing, we reveal the powerful tool of visualization.
Visualization is the practice of using mental imagery to achieve goals and prepare for success. When visualization becomes a regular part of an athlete’s week it helps them to build confidence, overcome mental blocks and improve performance. The power of visualization lies in the fact that our brains do not know the difference between our imagination and reality. When an athlete imagines doing a skill through visualization, the brain fires the same signals as if she were actually doing the skill. The firing of the signal reinforces the pathway of the brain and body connection. That reinforcement mimics the same signals that are sent down the same pathway that is followed when the gymnasts actually do the skill.
This realization leads us to do some mental strength math. If a gymnast is able to get 10 reps of a skill done in each practice and she practices 3 days per week, that is 30 reps per week. If she chooses to add visualization to her training plan, she is able to visualize 10 reps of the same skill up to 7 days a week. That is 70 repetitions. That is seventy times the brain fires the signal for the skill to the body and assumes successful completion of the skill. Add the physical reps to the visualization reps and you get 100 reps in a week!
We then ask the question “Would I be more confident going into competition if I have done 70 extra reps the week leading into the meet?”. The resounding answer is “yes!”. Visualization not only helps the body to remember the neurological pathways, it also helps us to focus better, reduce stress and increase confidence. This results in tackling one last question - “when do we have time to visualize?”.
The conversation on when we have time to visualize becomes a strategy session about habit stacking and prioritization, and leads us to the conclusion that doing our visualization before or after a habit that already exists is a great idea. Most of our gymnasts agree that they can visualize at night before falling asleep or in the morning after brushing their teeth. This gives them a set time each day to build the habit of visualization into their routine. Being willing to take on this experiment demonstrates our gymnasts ability to use a growth mindset and strive to be their best.
Incorporating visualization in competition prep and as a regular training habit allows our athletes to achieve their goals and gives them the agency to improve their own performance with the power of their mind. That is a lesson they can carry with them throughout their lives.
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