“Going to the movies in your mind.” — Jack Nicklaus
With the NWHL and NHL back in action, players can hone their mental skills while watching their favorite teams and players. In fact, that is how I first began to develop my mental skills as a young athlete. By watching talented players in person or on television, we train our brain to perform in similar ways. In truth, imagery is considered the most powerful mental skill. While there are many advanced applications, what follows is a simple, effective and fun introduction to the world of imagery.
What is imagery?: Imagery, as opposed to visualization — which focuses solely on sight — is multi-modal. Research has shown that imagery is more dynamic and effective. By incorporating all of their senses, hockey players can more accurately simulate their ideal hockey experience.
Senses:
See: the rink, the players, the puck, etc.
Hear: teammates, whistle, fans
Feel: skate blade on the ice, puck on the stick
To a slightly lesser degree:
Taste: salty sweat dripping down face
Smell: distinctive aroma of hockey gear
Possible game scenarios:
Goalies: making saves of all types of shots
Defense: breaking up plays, clearing the zone, rushing the puck
Offense: making/receiving clean passes, stealing the puck, scoring specific types of goals
How imagery works: A simplified description of what happens is that through repeated imagery exercises, our brains make new neural (relating to the nervous system) connections and our working memory develops pattern recognition. Imagery’s benefits include activating the mind and creating and strengthening neural connections. I explain to my clients that consistent mental conditioning creates physical changes in their brains similar to those that occur with physical conditioning. If only we could watch the changes take place in our brain!
Mental rehearsal: Just as every player is unique, so, too, is their experience with imagery training. Typically, athletes imagine themselves, in as much detail as possible, playing with confidence and skill. They are often in “flow state,” more commonly known in hockey as “the zone.” In that state, they are playing their best, at their peak performance level, a time when a player is fully focused and playing hockey feels effortless.
To begin developing their imagery skills, players can focus on what they already do well in hockey. In other words, if the player has experienced success with a wrist shot to the top stick-side corner, then they could begin with that shot or plays that included that shot. Imagining previous successes allows players to identify with the positive experience and emotions as they view their “highlights.”
Once athletes feel comfortable with that initial exercise, they can practice a fun exercise. To prepare, it helps to have a clear view of what they are doing when they play their best. Factors to consider include: How energized are they? What is their attitude? How are they playing the puck? How is their skating? How focused and determined are they? Once they have a clear idea of these dimensions, they recreate them through imagery. Again, the more expansive the detail, the more impact on the brain and the better the results on the ice.
Simple imagery exercise: Find a comfortable place to sit and close your eyes or look down at the ground.
Take a few deep breaths, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. Imagine yourself on the ice, in as much detail as possible, making your favorite highlight moves.
Next, imagine yourself on the ice, in as much detail as possible, making your highlight moves similar to those of your favorite players. Generate the feeling of making powerful strides, skillfully stickhandling or successfully scoring, or for goaltenders, saving shots, in whatever way you like.
One of the fun features of this exercise is that players can customize it the way they want. There is no set script, and the plays do not even need to be ones that you have done before. The imagery generates from each player’s own imagination.
In addition to practicing their current skills and strengths, players can then work on more advanced skills, ones that they have not perfected or even ones that they have only seen leading players in the NWHL or NHL perform. Through imagery, players replicate and rehearse in their minds whatever hockey skills they choose.
Common times to use this skill are in the locker room before practice or game, or in a car (if not driving) or bus on the way to the rink. Some players enjoy performing them in the morning and others in the evening before games. Again, this technique can be used as individual athletes prefer.
Most of all, I encourage you to have fun with this mental training technique. After all, you are doing what your favorite player is doing … in your head.
Dr. Elizabeth Ward is a former Harvard hockey player, licensed psychologist and peak performance coach/consultant. Learn more at www.DrElizabethWard.com.
