Visualisation (or ‘visualization’ for our North American readers) is the act of forming a mental image of the outcome event, before the event has taken place. Although it’s often dismissed as being ‘new-age’ (or something a little stronger, but you get the idea), it has a logical base that stands up to a little testing.
If you’ve never been exposed to visualisation before, here’s a brief example to illustrate just what it is.
Imagine yourself at a powerlifting competition, standing on the platform with a bar loaded to 200kg on the floor in front of you. You’ve deadlifted 195kg in the gym, and you feel ready for the 200. Just before you walk up to the bar you see a great image in your mind - it’s you successfully completing the lift, and a subtle grin forms on your face as you stand there for a second with the bar in your hands. The training has paid off.
Back to reality - you walk up to the bar, set yourself up and get down to business. The bar moves fast, your head feels ready to explode and your eyes are about to burst. Seconds later, however, you find yourself standing there with the bar in hand, and a subtle grin on your face. You’ve done it.
This is the way visualisation can, and does, work. It’s an extra bit of help; not a miracle. If you’ve worked up to 195kg in the gym, visualisation won’t have you suddenly pulling 350 in a competition. It just takes you one step closer to a successful lift.
Now, the rational part. There are many reasons why visualisation (and positive thinking in general) helps, including :
  • Forming a mental picture of you successfully completing a lift is not a lot different to watch a video replay of a previous success you’ve had. The more often you see these successful lifts (whether via video replay or visualisation), the more likely you are to repeat them. It’s a great way to learn.

    The benefit of visualisation here is that the outcome may be based on something you haven’t done before. Sure, you may have done the exercise many, many times; but not with that weight. Or perhaps you’ve run that distance numerous times; but not quite that fast. Whatever the activity, visualising success can be the difference between your actual success and failure.
  • If you believe you can do something, you try harder. If you walk up to the bar telling yourself ‘there’s no way I can lift this’, you’re probably right. Walk up there with a positive attitude, picturing yourself lifting it successfully, and you’re in with a real chance.

    Part of this is purely physical. Think about the times you’ve lifted something in order to impress someone. This doesn’t matter whether it’s a group of friends in your backyard, a young girl in the gym or your mother trying to rearrange the furniture. Chances are you took a deeper breath, puffed your chest out a bit more, pushed your shoulders back and arched your back slightly - all without realising it. It all helps.