Using Imagery to Hit PRs
I have always had a huge bias towards the mental aspect of training, health and performance.
I was first introduced to imagery while playing soccer in high school. From there, I was able to learn about it in much more detail during my undergraduate time at Long Beach State.
I absolutely loved going through it when preparing for my soccer matches in high school. I felt so much more prepared going through the game and felt more grounded during high stress moments.
I didn’t start to think much of imagery until I started powerlifting for fun again. I realized that it was something I would unconsciously do before going through a heavier lift.
To first introduce you to imagery you should follow the PETTLAP model.
The PETTLEP model was first introduced by Holmes and Collins in 2001 to enhance imagery.
PETTLEP stands for:
P- Physical
E- Environment
T- Task
T- Timing
L- Learning
E- Emotion
P- Perspective
Now let’s break it down a bit more and see how it can be beneficial for lifters and hitting PRs.
The physical aspect includes your equipment that you use, the clothing you wear, and positions that you need to get into for your sport. Whether you are using straps or lifting raw.
The environment would include the place where you are performing said task. Ex: the lifting platform, your spotters.
The task includes the task that you are performing. Whether it be a Deadlift at a powerlifting meet with a straight bar path and clean lockout.
The timing should be consistent across the board. If it takes you 1 minute in total to approach the bar, complete the lift and get back up, it should take you that long to complete the imagery.
The learning aspect should change over time. As you become better in your tasks, your imagery should reflect this.
The emotional aspect is going to be huge for lifters, especially those that are attempting to hit PRs. The emotional aspect focuses on experiencing all the emotions that are linked to that performance. Whether you are the kind of lifter that loves to get hyped up or you are the lifter that stays in the zone, you need to use imagery to make that happen.
The perspective aspect is how you view the imagery. This can either be from a first person perspective or a third person perspective. It is best to use both to help do this.
Using imagery in strength training has been shown to be beneficial and cost free.99 to perform.
With every new skill, it takes time to master. It is something that needs to be practiced often and something that I still continue to learn and get better at.
Add it to your training regardless of what sport you take part in and see how impactful it can be.
Sources:
Caroline J. Wright & Dave Smith (2009) The effect of PETTLEP imagery on strength performance, International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 7:1, 18-31, DOI: 10.1080/1612197X.2009.9671890
Holmes, P. S., & Collins, D. J. (2001). The PETTLEP approach to motor imagery: A functional equivalence model for sport psychologists. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 13(1), 60–83. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200109339004
