As we approach competition season we can help our girls by giving them some tools to be more confident the D-Day. One of the tool is Visualization.
Guided visualization or imagery is purposely rehearsing a skill, routine or performance in your mind’s eye to program your body for success. However, sports visualization or mental imagery is more than just a visual experience. Many athletes prefer to feel movements and engage in the kinesthetic past of imagery.
Visualization in sports or mental imagery is a way of conditioning for your brain for successful outcomes. The more you mentally rehearse your performance, the more it becomes habituated in your mind.
Athletes who use visualization can eliminate some of the unknowns that create competitive anxiety. When athletes use visualization, they not only see the action unfold but truly feel the event take place in their mind’s eye.
Michael Phelps the GOAT has used visualization his entire career. At the end of the blog is an example of Stiliana Nikolova one of the current best rhythmic gymnast in the industry, visualizing her ball routine.
How to apply this for our team girls?
One way that Margot likes, is to listen to her routine music in the dark in her bed before going night-night. It takes her 5 mins, and it's an experience she enjoys. She visualizes herself doing the routine perfectly, the apparatus never falls, it has the perfect movement that makes it easy, smooth and fluid. It can help them memorize easily the routines, but also discover more layers in the music, and built the character they want to embody.
Tips i have found on visualization for kids:
Keep it fun and light: say, “let’s play pretend,” or “we’re going to make movies with our mind.” For older athletes, use the terms “imagination” or “creativity”. You could even say, “imagine you have a GoPro inside your mind.”
Visualization works best when there’s not a lot of pressure attached to it. Introduce visualization during practice as just a fun thing to do with your mind.
Bring in all the sense: how does it smell? How does the carpet feel under your feet?
Ask them to visualize how they felt. Did they feel proud or happy? What did the apparatus feel like in your hand?
Let them know that its normal and okay that their minds will wander. Make the exercise fun, and pressure-free. Encourage them to share their experiences without getting it wrong. You and your athletes are exploring together. There’s no wrong or right thing for them to see or feel.
You might find other ways that will work better for your kid, and we can share ideas and practice as parents. Ultimately, we are here to help them grow and develop their best version of themselves.
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