20 Replies to “The Art of Visualization to Improve Your Performance: Guided Imagery 101”
Great article! I’m learning more and more about the power of visualization to enhance performance, but actually doing it has been hard for me (due to focus issues, or whatever) so this guided exercise really helped. Thanks for posting this: you are awesome!
Thanks for stopping by and the comment! I’m glad that you were able to find this help, a lot of the time it’s a matter of forcing ourselves to carve out time for the things that will help us. ๐
I just tried this before my workout today. I imagined myself finishing my goal workout of 4 miles strong and that’s exactly how I ended my run today. It helped a little becasue when I was struggling a bit on my run I thought I can do this I know I can do this. So yea. ๐
glad u gave it a test run! ๐ yea, reminding urself that u can get thru even the crappy runs always helps me, i just keep saying..just get thru this 5 mins or get thru this next mile. ๐
Such a wonderful article Cait. I love visualisation (not in a hippy-drippy trance meditation kind of way I promise you), I think that it has an important role in assisting people to reach their goals. If you can allow yourself to stand in the positive future that you want, you are more likely to be willing to put in the hard work it will take to achieve that. When you can “see” the pay off that the sweat sessions, or study sessions, or whatever work it is, will get you then those things don’t seem like mere torture; they are part of the journey to where you want to be.
Thanks Cait for another though-provoking post!
glad u liked the post!! haha…i luv this: ‘not the hippy-drippy trance meditation kind of way’….wat, u aren’t out there doing rain dances with scented candles burning? ‘)
I’ve heard so much about visualization, but I haven’t done it regularly. Sometimes before races. I definitely would love to work on it though. My trainer has ben encouraging me to visualize my races when I’m doing pool running workouts because a) it’s terribly boring and b) it’s incredibly motivating. Knowing all my competitors, I can easily pick a person and imagine out kicking them at the end of a race, and it helps me get through the end of my intervals when I’m starting to hurt. I need to take this skill and apply it to my running workouts in the future!!
cross-training time during an injury is the perfect time to work on other things that will make u better when u get back to running, so keep it up! yea, the pool is mind-numbing so keep up the great job and hopefully harness that image work to pass the time! ๐
This is a really great resource. It’s funny, but I guess I have been doing “visualization” without ever really knowing it was a legitimate (and valuable) practice.
Last year, I finally decided to try the whole long distance running thing. Long runs scared the crap out of me. The night before any long run, I had a routine: hydrate, make a good meal, lay out my gear, go to bed early, and imagine how my run would go. I did this almost religiously. One night, I didn’t imagine the run. The next day, I had my first crappy long run. Coincidence? Maybe… but you can bet I won’t risk it ever again.
thanks, i’m glad u’re able to find this helpful! and pleased to see u’ve conquered that fear of the long run, embrace it and know u’ll rock it! and then imagine it, sleep on it..awesome prep…hehe. ๐
Great article! I’m learning more and more about the power of visualization to enhance performance, but actually doing it has been hard for me (due to focus issues, or whatever) so this guided exercise really helped. Thanks for posting this: you are awesome!
Thanks for stopping by and the comment! I’m glad that you were able to find this help, a lot of the time it’s a matter of forcing ourselves to carve out time for the things that will help us. ๐
I just tried this before my workout today. I imagined myself finishing my goal workout of 4 miles strong and that’s exactly how I ended my run today. It helped a little becasue when I was struggling a bit on my run I thought I can do this I know I can do this. So yea. ๐
glad u gave it a test run! ๐ yea, reminding urself that u can get thru even the crappy runs always helps me, i just keep saying..just get thru this 5 mins or get thru this next mile. ๐
Such a wonderful article Cait. I love visualisation (not in a hippy-drippy trance meditation kind of way I promise you), I think that it has an important role in assisting people to reach their goals. If you can allow yourself to stand in the positive future that you want, you are more likely to be willing to put in the hard work it will take to achieve that. When you can “see” the pay off that the sweat sessions, or study sessions, or whatever work it is, will get you then those things don’t seem like mere torture; they are part of the journey to where you want to be.
Thanks Cait for another though-provoking post!
glad u liked the post!! haha…i luv this: ‘not the hippy-drippy trance meditation kind of way’….wat, u aren’t out there doing rain dances with scented candles burning? ‘)
Only when Mum and Dad aren’t home ๐
haha….but of course ๐
I’ve heard so much about visualization, but I haven’t done it regularly. Sometimes before races. I definitely would love to work on it though. My trainer has ben encouraging me to visualize my races when I’m doing pool running workouts because a) it’s terribly boring and b) it’s incredibly motivating. Knowing all my competitors, I can easily pick a person and imagine out kicking them at the end of a race, and it helps me get through the end of my intervals when I’m starting to hurt. I need to take this skill and apply it to my running workouts in the future!!
cross-training time during an injury is the perfect time to work on other things that will make u better when u get back to running, so keep it up! yea, the pool is mind-numbing so keep up the great job and hopefully harness that image work to pass the time! ๐
Pingback: Living to Answer the ‘What if’ Questions and ‘Chasing Ghosts’ Book Review |
Pingback: Don’t Try So Hard: Trying to Force Your Running Won’t Work…Relax |
This is a really great resource. It’s funny, but I guess I have been doing “visualization” without ever really knowing it was a legitimate (and valuable) practice.
Last year, I finally decided to try the whole long distance running thing. Long runs scared the crap out of me. The night before any long run, I had a routine: hydrate, make a good meal, lay out my gear, go to bed early, and imagine how my run would go. I did this almost religiously. One night, I didn’t imagine the run. The next day, I had my first crappy long run. Coincidence? Maybe… but you can bet I won’t risk it ever again.
thanks, i’m glad u’re able to find this helpful! and pleased to see u’ve conquered that fear of the long run, embrace it and know u’ll rock it! and then imagine it, sleep on it..awesome prep…hehe. ๐
Pingback: Running Better Without Your Head: Without that mind getting in your way you could be running faster |
Pingback: The Distance Runner’s Warm-up: Get your body and your mind prepared to run FAST |
Pingback: Sunday Morning Running Inspiration |
Pingback: The Art (or Science?) of Positive Thinking: Introducing Three Wins | Staying On Track
Pingback: Ask Me: HELP! I’m stressed… |
ิาปษt’s uั, just wanted to mention, I enjoyed tาปัั post.
It was funny. Kะตep onn posting!
Feel free to surf tโฒ mmy webpage – Vacation