Science has proven that if you think about something over and over again and with enough intensity, your brain can’t actually tell the difference between whether or not you have actually done what you are thinking about or just imagined it.
This is where the power of visualisation lies. Visualisation involves using all your senses to create a mental image of a physical task like performing a lift, movement or a workout exactly the way you want it to go, before actually attempting it.
Believe you can complete the task
Visualising yourself doing something can make you believe you can complete the task. Then you will have the confidence to succeed and you will most likely do it correctly too.
As our coaches will tell you, this process is particularly important for weightlifting as some lifts like the snatch take 0.0001 seconds to perform, which gives you no thinking time during the exercise. So using visualisation is key to moving better and breaking through your plateaus.
How to use visualisation
Most workouts at Andfit can be very mental. You can either believe you will succeed or think that you will fail.
Visualizing is a good tool to try to stay in control of your mind or accomplish a new feat. It is easy enough to do and it does really help in the long run.
You can follow the below steps to use visualisation next time you are at the gym:
- Set Your Goal
Decide what you want to accomplish by visualizing. This can be a lift, running, gymnastic movement, yoga pose, or a hundred other different goals. Once you have a clear idea, then you can continue with the process. - Picture Yourself Doing the Movement
In your mind, the clearer you can picture yourself doing something, the more effective this process will be. Even small details, like what you are wearing or your exact hairstyle of that day, can make the process more effective. - Watch Yourself Going Through the Motions
When you’re ready, watch yourself going through the motions. The more you break the movement down in smaller moments, the better your mind will figure out how you need to perform the movement. - Use All Your Senses
Often, athletes only use their visual sense for visualisation. Don’t forget to visualise your feelings, sound, thoughts, body position, and even smell and taste, which can help make the visualization even more vivid and effective. - Get Ready to Do It in Real Life
After watching it in your mind, you’re ready to do it in real life. Get in the correct setup and take a deep breath. In your mind you know you can do it, so keep this positive attitude even in real life. And just go for it! - Ask Your Coach
Visualization takes time to implement and your coach at Andfit can help you get the most out of it. Even if you cannot get it right the first time, go through the process again and go for it again. Accomplishing your goal will feel amazing!
Practice makes perfect
Visualization can help you perform a movement that you thought you could not do, learn new skills or reinforce old ones. It can also create familiarity when competing at a new box and reduce anxiety when performing an unfamiliar workout.
Generally it’s best to start practicing it in a quiet environment with few distractions. You can start by imagining your box and gear first and then move on to more complicated mental imagery until you perform the full movement in your mind.
Ready? Take a deep breath and give it a go. Try to believe!