Using Visualization to Prepare Before Games
Preparing for games is a process that becomes second nature for many athletes. Coach-led dryland and pre-game speeches, starting as young as mites, train hockey players that pre-game preparation is a natural element of their sport. While routines run by coaches and other team-oriented preparations are essential before games, it is also important for athletes to incorporate components of pre-game routines that are individualized and focus on the self.
Visualization, also known as guided imagery, is one such technique already used by a large number of players, whether or not they realize it. This involves taking time to self-reflect, turning your focus onto yourself in regards to the upcoming game; imagining yourself on the ice, and playing the game out in your mind before it has started. Even if you already use visualization, expanding your knowledge and understanding of the technique allows you to fully utilize this tool.
The overall goal of guided imagery in the hockey context is to put yourself within your own imagination using a combination of language and sensory-filled images. Think about what you do best when you succeed, using past game experiences to create clear images. This process connects physical muscle sensations with these experiences, preparing you both mentally and physically for upcoming play. In order for this to be effective, concentrate on how your muscles feel in coordination with the images in your head.
Begin by closing your eyes and taking a few deep breathes, focusing on your breathing while relaxing your body. Envision your first strides onto the ice, paying attention to how your legs and other muscles feel as you skate. Also concentrate on the smells, sounds, images, feelings and other sensations that accompany first getting on the ice. Use this as an opportunity to get comfortable in your imagination, regardless of whether this is your first experience with the technique or you have used it before. Becoming comfortable with the physical and sensory information is important before running yourself through actual game situations.
Once you feel comfortable within your own imagination, play out your first shift of the game, focusing on what you need to do in order to be successful. This includes team components, such as systems, in addition to those pertaining to your individual play. Remember to maintain the visual, emotional, and physical aspects of these images. After running through your first shift, continue to visualize other game situations. The more instances you are able to go through, such as power plays, penalty kills, odd man rushes, and so forth, the more useful the technique will be through better preparing you to face these situations.
As with mastering any skill on the ice, practice is essential with guided imagery. Work towards adding as much detail to your visualization as possible. The more conscious you are of working towards combining images with associated sensations, the more effective the results will be.
Riley Fitzgerald
BS in Psychology from CAL POLY
Undergraduate research focused on Sports Psychology
