Visualising the road to glory

[AbbeySider]

A couple of weeks ago we had the topic on Overtraining which was in relation to Articles from the "Coach Corner" in the Galway Independent
(http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=6554.msg243849#msg243849)

This week they expand on the idea of visualisation techniques as part of sport psychology and preparation.

Here is the article...


Visualising the road to glory
Written by Liam Horan   

Last week, we talked to Cork-based sport psychologist Canice Kennedy about the role of psychology in ensuring that athletes regained peak performance after injury. A number of readers have enquired about the visualisation techniques Canice recommended, with several keen to know how these techniques can be applied to free-taking.
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Sports psychologists often describe visualisation as a rather complex five-step process.

   1. Internalising: Picture yourself making the perfect kick
   2. Externalising: Project these pictures outside of yourself
   3. Forecasting: Imagine yourself in a game situation
   4. Emotionalising: Feel the energy of a successful kick
   5. Verbalising: Describe the process out loud.

Canice Kennedy likes to keep things as simple as possible.

"Basically, visualisation is what we all did as kids. When we pictured ourselves in Croke Park or Wembley scoring the winner, that was visualisation. The problem is, as we move into adulthood, those positive visual images are increasingly replaced by negative ones.

So instead of putting good message into our brain – which is what visualisation is all about – we are sending negative ones. We recall the time we missed that crucial free. We fear letting the team down. All these negative thoughts impair performance.

Let's take the example of a free taker. Closed skills like kicking frees are ideal subjects for visualisation.

Without getting too bogged down in the scientific jargon, the key to successful visualisation is not to picture yourself kicking but to experience the kick in your head.

Go to a quiet place, relax and cut out any distractions. You must carry out the entire process of the kick at game pace.

Carry out your regular routine in your mind. Place the ball as you normally would – picture the logo facing towards you maybe. Take your steps back and begin your run-up as you normally would. Experience the kick itself and watch it sail over. Enjoy the feeling. Keep sending your brain positive messages.

The ideal age to start practising visualisation techniques is in the early teens, when the mind is more open, but athletes of any age can benefit hugely.

Jonny Wilkinson is probably the greatest example of a kicker using visualisation to retain his technique during injury layoffs."

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[AZOffaly]

1. Internalising: Picture yourself making the perfect kick

I used to do this, Tony McTeague was the man who told me about it. Basically, I'd kick at least 20 or 30 frees after training every night, and on days 'off'. Then on the day of a game, I knew I was able to kick the free, and I just visualised the ball arcing over the black spot every time. I used to even envision the curl of the ball as it came in.

I never counted, but I'd say I had at least a 90% success rate with frees. I used to be shocked if I missed one.

My biggest problem was with distance, but inside 40 yards, I was very confident and this visualisation was a big part of it.

I'd strongly recommend that every young free taker would use this technique, along with practise. Oh yeah, and kick the frees off the fecking ground.

[Zulu]

I was speaking to a leading sports psychologist recently and he told me that the stance that Wilkinson uses when kicking is about him forming a protective circle about himself and nothing to do with a better kicking technique. So when you see lads imitating him it is of no benefit to them unless they are using it for the same psycholgical reasons as him, i.e. they know why they are doing it.

[AZOffaly]

That's just copycat stuff by the other lads in my opinion. They think it's affecting their mechanics.

All good free takers need a routine though. From Charlie Redmond's lick hands, wipe on shorts, to fellas pulling up their socks, to three little skips at the start of the run up, to always pacing 8 steps back or whatever. Practice, Repetition, Routine and Visualisation.

[Zulu]

That's just copycat stuff by the other lads in my opinion. They think it's affecting their mechanics.

Oh yeah absolutely AZ, that's my point unless you know why your doing something then you shouldn't copy the little quirkes of other free takers. Like you say once you get the basic mechanics of the kick correct, just repeat the method that is most comfortable for you. Don't copy others as it probably won't work for you.

[GalwayBayBoy]

[ Then you see class acts like Michael Meehan, or Tierney from Laois, Mattie Forde. It was good to see kicking from the ground last summer coming back.
[/quote]

Those two gave an absolute exhibition of free-taking from the ground in the recent Galway v Laois game. They were landing them over from all angles and distances.

[optimus euhregab]

i was talking to meehan there a while ago and he was sayin jack o shea was comin up for a few sessions. hes workin on their fitness cause he said there all a bunch of fat heures