How to set goals
An important first step in any higher level athletic endeavor is to set realistic goals and picture the end result in your mind. Some goals are typical and general as in “lose my gut.” But, to use your mind effectively, you have to be more specific: “I want to see the definition of my 6-pack abs as if I’d never had a prior beer belly,” or, “I want to weigh 130 lbs. like I used to.” These are both goals you can “see” in your mind. You can see and feel defined abs and you can see the numbers on the scale and feel the lightness of walking around without extra weight or tight clothes. Practice making your goals as specific as possible so you can see the end result and tell your body what you want it to do. This will also enable you to re-evaluate your workout so it exactly meets your needs.
How to see your success in your mind
There are many published studies from around the world on almost every aspect of this skill called, mental imagery, and sports psychologists and coaches alike have been teaching this technique to high level athletes in performance sports like gymnastics, swimming, tennis and many others to overcome fears, break through
plateaus, build confidence after injuries and enhance practice time. Here’s how you can use mental imagery to improve your own techniques and accomplish goals you have set for yourself:
Relax your mind. A very good time to practice this mental imagery of yourself is just before you go to sleep. This way, your breathing is slower, your mind is relaxed. Added bonus: your mind will continue to work on your goals while you’re asleep!
Use all five senses, but in your mind. Be as observant as you can as you picture yourself achieving your goals or completing a skill. See your surroundings, hear the noises around you, feel the equipment, smell the familiar surroundings.
Don’t just watch yourself, feel the movement. As you picture a move or a result in your mind, feel your muscles doing it and see the number of the dumbbell or holding seconds that is your goal. Picture and feel your “cut” abs as you want them to be. See and feel your self doing and achieving the action or result in your goal!
Think outside the box. See yourself like you’re on TV from outside of your head, then try to see it from inside your head as you direct your muscles how to move and what to do.
Give yourself a “do-over!” Use your imagery to perfect your skills. If you watch yourself in your head and you’re imagining dropping that heavier weight, or thinking of a time you got injured, just “rewind the tape” in your mind and try it again, making the correction in your head.
