Mental rehearsal and imagery
Imagery is a mental or psychological technique in which the performer imagines or visualises themselves being successful in their performance. Through imagery, the performer may recreate a good past performance or may âmake upâ a positive new experience, for example before taking a penalty a footballer might picture the ball hitting the back of the net.
Mental rehearsal is where the performer pictures themselves executing a skill and practises the skill in their mind, focusing on the specific stages and correct technique. A trampolinist may mentally rehearse a backward somersault before performing the move.
What helps to create an image?
Although we talk about picturing an image, the best use of imagery uses all of the senses. This makes the imagery more vivid. For example:
Why does mental rehearsal help?
Imagery and mental rehearsal help performers to:
Question
How does imagery help performers to control arousal?
It can help to reduce anxiety by focusing their minds on the positive aspects of their performance.