Imagery is a cognitive process that uses the senses to create or recreate an event (Vealey & Forlenza, 2015). When you read a book or listen to a story, you might imagine the setting and the story playing out; that is imagery! When we use imagery intentionally, our bodies respond. So, as we imagine doing a movement, the neurons begin to fire as they would if we were performing that move or experience (Weinberg & Gould, 2015). Imagery cannot replace physical preparation. I can imagine all day that I beat Michael Phelps in a swimming race, but unless I have the physical skills, it won’t happen. (So, that “if you can dream it, you can do it” quote isn’t accurate!)
Imagery is a mental skill that I’ve used with the majority of my clients. It is extremely helpful in coping with sport injuries. An athlete once described imagery as “free reps,” that is reps that don’t actually require physical energy. I love that description. When you think of it with injury, it could be a most valuable resource for practicing when you cannot physically practice.
Imagery Uses and Benefits
Imagery can be used for several reasons:
- Learning skills
- Correcting mistakes
- Practicing tactics/strategies
- Focusing before a performance
- Increasing confidence
- Managing our energy or stress response
- Increasing self-awareness
- Recovery
The benefits of imagery include:
- Enhanced coping
- Emotional agility/mood management
- Pain management
- Increased Motivation
- Performance improvements
Types of Imagery
Watch this video about how Michael Phelps used imagery to improve his performances. Pay attention to 1) the perspective he uses, 2) how vivid his imagery experiences are, and 3) how much he can control the experiences. There are four main types of imagery: motivational-specific, motivational-general, cognitive-specific, and cognitive-general.
MOTIVATIONAL | COGNITIVE | |
SPECIFIC | Goal orientation
Example: imagine walking across the stage at your graduation | Skills
Example: Thinking through a successful performance |
GENERAL | Arousal
Example: Relaxing before a test or psyching yourself up for a presentation
Mastery
Example: Imagining how it would feel to pass your test or win the game, | Strategy
Example: Considering various scenarios and how you will handle them |
You can see how these could be helpful throughout the injury process. Regardless of what phase you are in you could:
- Imagine returning to play; do this to keep yourself in an optimistic mental space (motivational-specific)
- Imagine practicing a skill or move that you are anxious about performing as you return (cognitive-specific)
- Before heading into PT/rehab, you imagine returning to play and feeling that sense of accomplishment; it helps motivate you to work hard in PT (motivational-general)
- You are sitting on the bench during practice/game; you imagine being on the field/court with your teammates and mentally rehearse how you’d respond to each play (cognitive-strategy)
In rehab, you can get even more specialized with your imagery with these four specific types of imagery:
Characteristics of Imagery Training
To get the most from imagery, you want it to be as realistic as possible. Think about listening to someone tell a story. The better they describe the scenario, the more vividly you can imagine it. Compare these two options:
- Imagine hiking in the woods
- Imagine hiking in the woods on a fall day. The wind is blowing a few last leaves off the trees. You can hear the older ones on the ground crunch as you step on them. It is a little chilly, but you are starting to sweat. You can feel your heartbeat increasing and you know you’ll be thirsty soon. You are still chewing some peppermint gum, so that is tingling your mouth and wafting into the smells. It rained earlier in the week so you can smell a little mud and rotting leaves as you step over a downed tree and head up the hill. You are moving side to side as you use the exposed roots as stairs.
Feel the difference? The second one includes more, but isn’t too hard to put together. When you are creating imagery experiences (we call them imagery scripts), make sure to consider these characteristics:
Imagery experiences can have one of two perspectives (Murphy, 2005):
- Internal- See the situation through your own eyes. Example: imagine seeing the finish line as you cross it.
- External- See the situation as an observer. Example: Imagine the video of you crossing the finish line that will play on the news and social media.The key to making imagery effective is to practice it. You will want to do it consistently if you hope to see the outcomes.
