I’ve mentioned visualization before and even referred to it regarding surgeries, so I went looking for the write-up I’d seen. This is the write-up I’d found, but is not the original article. I searched again and found this 1981 article, which could have been what I’d read all those years ago, but again, I’m just not sure…but it could very well be what I’d first heard on the topic of visualizing athletics.
Then I read about Australian Psychologist Alan Richardson who devised a little experiment of his own. He took a group of basketball players, divided them in three groups and tested each player’s ability to make free throws.
- The first group would practice 20 minutes every day.
- The third one would not practice or visualize. They only threw the ball on the first and the last days only.
- The second only visualized themselves making free throws, but no physical practice was allowed. They also threw the ball on the first and last days only.
The results were pretty amazing: there was significant improvement on both the first and third groups. The first group showed 24% improvement, and the third group showed 23% improvement!
It’s important to note that the visualization techniques mentioned in the articles were more than just “imagining”…there were refined techniques involved, as the articles explained. But these techniques can be applied to pretty much anything…to which I add that if you doubt yourself at all (or have any non-beneficial thought patterns)…those beliefs will also impact your actions. They will impact your muscle activity and your mindset. Obvious physical limitations also apply.
But, yes, there is a definite mind/body link to our lives…and that which originates in our minds…translates outward to our bodies…and into the world at large.