I’m building a course called “The Art of Coach Communication” for next semester and the research I am reading is fascinating. I can’t wait to share this information with the future coaches in my class. And although this is not a mental performance-based course, so much of it ties into what we do mentally to prepare to perform!
Before this material gets added to my syllabus, I thought now would be a perfect time to tie some of this information into our favorite mental performance tool: mental rehearsal!
How often do you “rehearse” things in your mind? How often do you “see” things without using your eyes?
I’ll bet it happens A LOT more than you pay any attention to in your everyday life! As we have discussed before, our brain “sees” in images constructed by our language and experience.
The words we use matter. They matter when we talk to ourselves. And it should come as no surprise that the words we use when giving instruction matter, too! As Trevor Moawad said “Words are tools. They predict and perpetuate performance.”
In this new course, we will spend a lot of time talking about “cues” to help those we lead to enhance their performance. And since I am a HUGE believer in the power of mental rehearsal, we will work hard to tie our cues to VIVID language that builds vivid images of what we want!
We talk a lot about talking about what we want! It is a rule I give to all those I work with. Talking about what we want keeps us focused on where we are going and what we need to do, not where we have been and what we should have done. It turns out that how we talk about what we want to do, or tell someone what we want them to do, or where the words we use words direct our athletes’ focus matters to performance.
When we use words that direct our focus toward an external cue, performance significantly increases. An external cue, in this case, means taking our focus off what our body is doing and placing it into the environment around us. Dr. Gabrielle Wulf, an expert in motor learning, highlights that "external focus" enhances motor performance and learning. When coaches instruct athletes to focus on the desired outcome using vivid imagery—such as picturing the perfect golf swing or the ideal stride—they help the athletes internalize the correct technique.
An example of an “internal” cue would sound like this. “Focus on triple extension through your ankles, knees and hips.” I have said that so many times in the weight room, reiterating what the strength guy said! In this case, the athlete is thinking about how each of these “hinges” will move throughout the skill.
An external cue sounds like this. “Focus on driving from the ground up as explosively as possible.”
Do you “see” a difference?
Dr. Wulf’s (and others') work repeatedly shows that when we can “see” and “feel” the result of a movement, we perform it better. The words we use when describing an external cue are less technical and help us avoid the “zoom fallacy” where our words create a “zoomed” focus on the technical movements or errors. When we are in this mode, it becomes harder to change because we are so far “in the weeds.” We are thinking about every single mechanical step and this slows us down and takes our attention away from the environment in which we must perform and adjust! Get too close to a beautiful work of art, the less you can take in its beauty! You can’t see the forest for the trees, as they say!
Why does this matter to our mental game? Teaching those we lead with vivid language and getting them to use vivid external cues can greatly enhance their performance. Although motor learning books don’t’ emphasize the mental game benefits of being externally focused, I THINK THIS IS HUGE.
If you give cues that create an image in your athlete’s mind, they get a chance to see, feel, and live it before they need to practice it. Why, because they are IN the environment in which they are working, not in their heads or bodies!
Neuroscientist and author of The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload, Dr. Daniel Levitin, emphasizes the power of imagery. He states, "The brain is wired to respond to vividly imagined experiences almost as if they were real." Thus, when we use vivid, descriptive language, we are tapping into a powerful neurological mechanism that can enhance learning and performance.
Study after study has found that when athletes focus on their body movements, their performance deteriorates. Connecting them to an image of something outside of themselves, like the path of the ball, or exploding toward the ceiling improves performance time and time again! Author Winifred Gallagher, in her exploration of attention, underscores this point by saying, "What you focus on shapes your experience." When weuse rich, image-based language, we direct focus to a detailed mental rehearsal of the desired action. This rehearsal primes the brain for actual performance, creating a kind of 'muscle memory' for the mind. Thus, vivid images and mental rehearsal aid the control Levitin describes by allowing individuals to practice movements in their minds, refining the neural pathways involved in these actions.
As the picture attached to this article shows, our brain lights up VERY similarly when we are looking at something with our eyes and with our mind’s eye. The first row of brains is you looking at your house from the street and counting the windows. The middle row is you counting the windows on the front of your house from the image you have in your mind of your house and the third row is the difference between the two. As you can see, with your eyes, researchers found no significant difference.
Not sure you buy that? Research has also shown (Lengheim et. al, 2022) that pianists who played a specific number of measures in a piece and those who mentally rehearsed playing the same passage ignited the same areas of the brain, including those that control movement.
When we picture something, it influences our movement. Dan Wolpert, in his TED talk "The Real Reason for Brains," explains that the primary purpose of the brain is to control movement. While we know that the brain’s first job is to keep us safe and often it does that by moving us away from danger without much thought! See a snake. Run! Or is that just me?
In the book, The Language of Coaching, author Nick Winkelman makes a list of verbs. He asks the readers to picture an image related to each word. Some of those words are blast, snap, drive, punch, explode, shatter, pop, burst and dig. What images do you see when you think about moving in those ways…or what would you do to mimic those actions if someone asked you to “explode”? I bet that you aren’t thinking about “getting into the slot” or “keeping your hands high”! You are thinking about using your power and moving toward a target.
When we use language that provides us with an image or feeling to strive for, we free up our thought processes. Internal cues and an internal focus pull more movements into the picture as we “force” our way into movement instead of “feel” our way into it. Add to that our tendency to give emotionally charged information preferential treatment, like images full of movement and life, these emotionally significant experiences/images leave a stronger imprint on our memory and attention. This is why Winkelman advocates for the use of metaphors and analogies that evoke strong images and emotion! He explains, "When you use language that paints a picture, you create an emotional connection that enhances learning and retention.”
Simple ways to implement this are:
Use Descriptive Language: Replace generic instructions with specific, sensory-rich descriptions. Instead of saying, "Run faster," say, "Imagine you're being pulled forward by a powerful magnet, feel the wind rushing past you."
Incorporate Metaphors: Use metaphors that resonate emotionally and visually. For example, "Move like a panther—silent, focused, and powerful."
Create Emotional Connections: Link the task to a positive emotional experience or a personal goal. This can be as simple as reminding them why they started or the joy they will feel upon succeeding.
Encourage Mental Rehearsal: Before a performance, guide individuals through a detailed visualization of the task. Encourage them to see, hear, and feel every aspect of the performance in their mind.
Reinforce with Repetition: Consistent use of vivid, emotionally charged language helps solidify these mental images, making them more effective over time.
As they say “a picture is worth a thousand words"! By painting vivid mental pictures with our words which become their words and thoughts, we can help those we lead reach their full potential. This technique bridges the gap between mental preparation and physical execution, leading to improved performance and a greater sense of achievement.
Be vivid and see WHAT YOU WANT!
Julie
P.S. Get your group up to speed on how to see what you want? Reach out and get scheduled for a THREE PART MENTAL REHEARSAL PROGRAM. Shoot me a text at 234-206-0946 or an email at juliej@ssbperformance.com and get on my schedule as you wrap up fall and look ahead to the next phase of the season!
Julie Jones
Mental Performance Coach
SSB Performance
juliej@ssbperformance.com • 234-206-0946
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