By Julia Teske
Generally speaking, visualization is the process of creating a mental image or intention of what you want to happen or feel in reality. In many cases athletes may be doing this without knowing. We tend to think about things before we do them, but are we using this thought process to its full advantage?
Being Intentional
We will use the example of training for the Olympic snatch and clean and jerk but these techniques and practices have been applied to a variety of sports. When thinking about a lift you could try breaking it down and picturing what your body should be doing and what you are thinking about in each part of the lift. Without even touching the bar you can imagine every aspect of a lift from where your hands go to when you inhale and exhale. By ‘performing’ successful repetitions in my head I have found increased confidence and ability to apply ques at the right time through the movement.
Making it a Habit
Visualizing may feel like meditation which can be difficult as many athletes find themselves more movement oriented. You could try incorporating this technique into your warm up by connecting your movements to how it will feel in your lifts. For example, as you are maybe doing air squats think about how your feet are rooted into the ground and mimic how that will feel during a heavy snatch or clean in that same position.
During your session, if you find yourself making small or silly mistakes you could take a moment to step away from the bar and run through successful repetitions in your head.
“The key to effective visualization is to create the most detailed, clear and vivid a picture to focus on as possible. The more vivid the visualization, the more likely, and quickly, you are to begin attracting the things that help you achieve what you want to get done.”
George St-Pierre
Moving Through Adversity
As you approach a competition or the end of a cycle and you are looking to hit a heavy weight/personal record you can visualize this challenging event. Allow yourself to complete it successfully before you do it physically. With the example of a competition, even before thinking about how the lift feels, picture the environment. Take note of things like where the judges might be, pictures the crowd and how they sound. Practice feeling nervous. This has been something that has helped me significantly. When I am prepping for a competition I make it a habit to approach every lift like I am on the competition platform. I let myself get nervous and embrace the feelings of sweaty hands and butterflies in my stomach. The repetitions of this feeling allow me to hone the tools I need when it comes to actually stepping out and using them on the competition platform.
I’d love to read about some of your experiences with visualization, add any comments or thoughts below.
PACIFIC WEIGHTLIFTING 