Mental Rehearsal & Visualization: The Secret to Improving Your Game Without Touching a Basketball!

Visualization is an often-taught mental rehearsal technique in sports. It is an extremely powerful tool and numerous studies have been done to test this. You may have heard of this basketball study or a different one with similar results.

A study conducted by Dr. Biasiotto (spelling corrected 8/4/14) at the University of Chicago was done where he split people into three groups and tested each group on how many free throws they could make.

After this, he had the first group practice free throws every day for an hour.

The second group just visualized themselves making free throws.

The third group did nothing.

After 30 days, he tested them again.

The first group improved by 24%.

The second group improved by 23% without touching a basketball!!!!

The third group did not improve which was expected.

  
Picture by Hape Gera

We're not condoning being lazy and not practicing. What we're trying to drive home is imagine what you could do if you implemented both practice and the mental rehearsal technique of visualization. The sky is the limit. You can apply this to all sports and if you do, it can do wonders for you and your team.


Tips on How to Use Visualization..

You need to involve Sight, Sound, and Feeling to really gain from the benefits of visualization.

Now, there are some important things to consider when visualizing. If you just picture yourself shooting free throws in third person as if it was a movie, you probably won't improve as much as you could.

You need to visualize everything out of your eyes (in the 1st person). You have to be there at the free throw line feeling the basketball. Seeing the goal. Hearing the noise.

As you shoot, you should FEEL the ball roll off your fingers. You should SEE the ball traveling through the air with perfect backspin. You should SEE your hands out in front of you with the perfect follow through. You should SEE your hands out in front of you holding the follow through as you HEAR & SEE the ball swish through the net.

Once, you do this, you're guaranteed to see results.


On a personal note...

We had decided to discuss the concept of visualization and the importance in doing so at practice one day. We told the players to go home and visualize themselves shooting 10 free throws before they go to bed. We had to forgot to mention to everybody to visualize every shot going through the hoop. The next day some of the players were telling us about it. Jokingly, we asked a few of the players, "So, how many did you make?" assuming of course that everybody made 10. A couple of the kids said I made 10. Then one of our players sheepishly raised his hand and said, "But coach… I only made 7." The funny thing about it is that he wasn't joking.

So, don't assume anything with your players. Explain everything.



What do you think? Let us know by leaving your comments, suggestions, and questions...



Comments

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SCOTT says:
3/21/2018 at 4:45:23 PM

This computer that we use to discuss was at one time visualized by someone. Its the power of the mind to unlock potential.

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Maria says:
4/5/2017 at 7:47:34 PM

During my basketball career (HS and collegiate), I used visualization on and off the court and it helped so much in my making decision and offensive skills. Creating a scenario in my head and responding to it (1v1) to also going through plays and responding to any possible scenario that could occur.

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Bianca says:
2/25/2017 at 7:20:21 AM

The concept of visualization cited in this article is based off of the Law of Attraction which has been proven scientifically by quantum physics. It''s scientific FACT that like energy attracts like energy. Our thoughts are energy and whatever we think about, feel, believe and take action to support those beliefs/feelings WILL MANIFEST ITSELF INTO OUR LIVES. If you''re skeptical about this study, just research Law of Attraction or watch "The Secret".

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Dariusz Wyspianski - Psychologist, Basketball Coach, Neurotherapist says:
6/11/2015 at 9:13:16 AM

I knew results of these researches. From perspective of my experience, visualtion in basketball can be useful more in case of stress reduction or mindfullness practices than technical aspects of basketball skills.
Of course positive visualitions supported by imagination practices concerned basketball skills are OK as a Mental Practice but REAL (musce engaded) practice also must be done. I think the most useful is engagement visualitation sessions during individual coaching with a player and continuing this practice in real activity in a gym

rgds

d.w.

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Jamaar says:
5/7/2015 at 2:04:41 AM

Ok so I'm having a big problem with visualization perfect games with sports. I'll be on a streak for some games and be on fire because of the mental game and the use of visualization. And then some games I'll be completely off air balls everything off the back of the rim. But when I have great games my visualization is very clear I kno I made like every shot in my head for sure. But sometimes I'll think it was very good and I'll play terrible and I know this is the reason because I'll be really streaky as a shooter. Please someone help has anyone had this problem before? I want to keep trying with visualization because if I get it right I could be a very consistent dominate player. But sometimes when I imagine my self shoot it's really hard I'll hang in the air for a while the ball won't just fall through the net it kinda just hangs in the air and then I'll be in a different gym and the ball never really fell through the net. For some reason I have a problem with the ball actually clearly going through the basket. Then when it doesn't go in and I try and force it in during visualization I'll start grabbing my shirt and moving a lot during it. Grabbing on my shirt REPEADETLY and moving a lot please help me guys if u kno anything about the mental part of sports please help me out 😭

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Del Wolfrath says:
2/14/2015 at 6:45:50 PM

Add on: This mental pic of success instantaneously influences the shot in progress! SUCCESS!!!

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Del Wolfrath says:
2/14/2015 at 6:39:43 PM

Coached and taught Elem.BB teams - and officiated high school and college 26 years. "What ever the mind of mankind can perceive (visualize as possible) and believe, it can achieve!" Improved shooting results when, at the instant of shot release, the ball is visualized going through the net. This mental picture of success causes an impulse being sent back to the shooter, causing his physical body to respond in such a way, as to bring to fruition the success his minds eye has just witnessed! While being consciously aware of this ''''miracle'''' at first, it will soon become second-nature for the shooter - happening automatically!!! AMEN!! Enjoy success!

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Brainbuster says:
2/7/2015 at 6:08:01 AM

No one has replicated this 1943 study
in 72 years?

That''s very suspect.

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  1 reply  

Joe Haefner says:
2/7/2015 at 10:04:14 AM

Could be. But many similar studies have been produced in different areas of expertise.

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ROBERT ARNOLD says:
1/25/2015 at 4:54:52 PM

i REMEMBER LEARNING THIS TECHNIQUE IN HIGH SCHOOL BACK IN 85. MY FIRST YEAR PLAYING BASKETBALL MY SOPHOMORE YEAR I SHOT 8% FREE THROW. I ATTENDED THE BASKETBALL CAMP AND THEY TAUGHT THIS TECHNIQUE. SO FOR THE NEXT 9 MONTHS I VISUALIZED SHOOTING FREE THROWS 100 EACH NIGHT AND i COMBINED THAT WITH SHOOTING 50 FREE THROWS EVERY DAY. THE NEXT YEAR I IMPROVED TO 89% THIS DOES WORK.

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  1 reply  

Joe Haefner says:
1/26/2015 at 8:48:46 AM

Robert, we're glad to hear about your success with the techniques. Thanks for sharing!

I have read many books and research since I wrote this article about professional and Olympic athletes using these exact techniques with success... even pianists and violinists.

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Joe Haefner says:
11/19/2014 at 11:05:56 AM

Thanks to Coach John, he forwarded information form the specific study:

Vandell RA, Davis RA, Clugston HA: The function of mental practice in the acquisition of motor skills. J Gen Psychol 29:243-250,1943

The MP and PP groups improved 23% and 24%, respectively, as compared
with no improvement in a control group that did not practice
either task. This classic study from 1943 is often cited as
evidence of the effectiveness of MP.

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