What if part of your training could happen without moving?

Mental imagery allows athletes to rehearse a skill, situation, or performance in their mind before actually executing it.

It's more than simply “visualizing success.”

Done well, imagery is a form of mental rehearsal.

You can rehearse the movement.

The environment.

The pressure.

And even your response when something goes wrong.

The science behind imagery

A 2025 systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis examined 86 studies involving 3,593 athletes.

The researchers found that imagery practice was associated with improvements in athletic performance across outcomes including agility, strength, and sport-specific performance. Interestingly, imagery appeared to be more effective when combined with one or two additional psychological skills rather than used completely on its own.

The analysis also identified a potential practical dose: approximately 10 minutes of imagery, three times per week, over an extended training period was associated with particularly strong performance gains.

Imagery isn't magic.

It's practice.

Don't just visualize the perfect performance

One common mistake is imagining only the ideal outcome.

Perfect start.

Perfect movement.

Perfect finish.

But competition isn't perfect.

A more useful approach is to rehearse performance and adversity.

For example:

Imagine you're a soccer player taking a penalty kick.

Don't just see the ball going into the corner.

Imagine:

• Walking toward the ball

• Hearing the crowd

• Feeling your heart rate increase

• Taking your breath

• Picking your target

• Using your cue

• Striking the ball

• Seeing the result

Now add adversity.

Imagine the goalkeeper moves early.

The field is wet.

You miss your first attempt in practice.

The score is tied.

The clock is running down.

Then rehearse your response.

That's mental performance training.

Make imagery multisensory

The more specific the rehearsal, the more useful it can become.

Don't just “see” yourself performing.

Imagine:

What do you see?

The field. The opponent. The equipment.

What do you hear?

Teammates. Coaches. Crowd noise.

What do you feel?

Your feet on the ground. Your grip. Your breathing. Your body position.

What do you think?

Your performance cue. Your tactical decision. Your next action.

Use imagery to train confidence

Confidence doesn't have to mean believing that everything will go perfectly.

A more durable form of confidence comes from knowing:

“I've practiced what I'm going to do—and I've practiced how I'm going to respond when things don't go according to plan.”

That is why imagery can be particularly valuable before competition, during injury recovery, or when returning to a sport after a setback.

Start small

You don't need 30 minutes of meditation.

Start with five to ten minutes.

Pick one skill.

Close your eyes.

Slow your breathing.

Rehearse the performance in detail.

Then rehearse one challenge—and your response to it.

Do it consistently.

The takeaway

Your next performance doesn't begin when the whistle blows.

It begins during the preparation that happens before it.

See it. Feel it. Rehearse it. Then perform it.

Mental imagery isn't a replacement for physical training.

It's another way to train.