How Brain Training Improves Sports Performance

Want to win gold? It helps to train your brain, not just your body. Studies with athletes show that using imagery techniques to train your brain can improve your physical performance.

References:

Callow, N., Roberts, R., & Fawkes, J. Z. (2006). Effects of dynamic and static imagery on vividness of imagery, skiing performance, and confidence. Journal of Imagery Research in Sport and Physical Activity, 1(1).

Guillot, A., Genevois, C., Desliens, S., Saieb, S., & Rogowski, I. (2012). Motor imagery and 'placebo-racket effects' in tennis serve performance. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 13

Lotze, M., & Halsband, U. (2006). Motor imagery. Journal of Physiology-Paris,99(4), 386-395.

Miyai, I., Tanabe, H. C., Sase, I., Eda, H., Oda, I., Konishi, I., ... & Kubota, K. (2001). Cortical mapping of gait in humans: a near-infrared spectroscopic topography study. Neuroimage, 14(5), 1186-1192.

Munzert, J., Lorey, B., & Zentgraf, K. (2009). Cognitive motor processes: the role of motor imagery in the study of motor representations. Brain Research Reviews, 60(2), 306-326.

Medal images: Wikimedia commons

[jwalk]

Coaches always told me to "visualize" I would always ask why. They said "just trust me". One time coach told me I would slam a homer to left field next at bat....what happened? Exactly that, I thought he was magic

[Aelnathan]

Your videos have become something I actively look forward to! Bravo!

[sharplikerazor]

This is really useful to know. I'd heard about this idea previously, but you explained it really well. The little athletes are pretty cute too. Totally going to share this with my Underwater Rugby team!

[Cyberslashy]

The bass music playing in the background reminds me of blue's clues. 

[BlinkPopShift]

I wonder what the results would be if you had one group do the dynamic setup and one group do the static set up while wearing a VR headset like Oculus Rift.

[pedrojeha]

its not the same thing visualize and do a movement.
the activation can be in the similar area of brain, but movement is more complex and need more functions. So, mental training cant substitute the physical tecnique training. The movement teachs

[Athrun]

Please tell me I'm not the only one that have difficulty creating image in the mind...

[captainzork]

Real curious what kind of brain training could work for something like squash now o:

[MaryRachaelBennett]

Came here cuz I saw the Canadian maple leaf #sorrynotsorry #canadian

[Darrylx]

Have some background music like a guitar play or something, it will make it more interesting.