I have to send a huge thank you to everyone who came out to compete on Saturday. We had an excellent mix of newbies and old timers, those competing and those just there to cheer. It was an amazing experience and the air was absolutely ELECTRIC! I was worn out from yelling before I even started my own WOD. I can also say that I definitely would not have kept my pace without each of you there cheering me on. The camraderie and team spirit that you displayed has spurred us on to be better versions of ourselves. I’m so proud!!!
The Importance of Visualization
by Kevin L
Major James Nesbeth spent seven years as a prisoner of war in North
Vietnam. During those seven years, he was imprisoned in a cage that was
approximately four and one-half feet high and five long. During almost
the entire time he was imprisoned he saw no one, talked to no one and
experienced no physical activity. In order to keep his sanity and his
mind active, he used the art of visualization.
Every day in his mind, he would play a game of golf. A full 18-hole
game at his favorite green. In his mind, he would create the trees, the
smell of the freshly trimmed grass, the wind, the songs of the birds. He
created different weather conditions – windy spring days, overcast
winter days and sunny summer mornings. He felt the grip of the club in
his hands as he played his shots in his mind. The set-up, the down-swing
and the follow-through on each shot. Watched the ball arc down the
fairway and land at the exact spot he had selected. All in his mind.
He did this seven days a week. Four hours a day. Eighteen holes.
Seven years. When Major Nesbeth was finally released, he found that he
had cut 20 strokes off his golfing average without having touched a golf
club in seven years.
——
Here at Crossfit Local in Chapel Hill, I am a firm believer in visualizing and think that it is the edge an athlete can use that can give them an extra second or one more rep while competing. As a review from Saturday’s seminar with Dr. Hedgepeth, these are the 3 types of visualization I discuss with my athletes:
Inner Visualization – This is when an athlete visualizes what they see from the inside of their body. For example: When doing a burpee, you see the ground, see yourself performing the push up, standing up etc. This is probably the most effective way to visualize, because it is the closest simulation you can get into, while you are actually doing the skill. It’s very helpful in quick movements skills where you rely on your surroundings (gymnastics, diving, fencing, swinging a baseball bat, golf club or catching a ball).
1st person Visualization – This is when an athlete visualizes a side profile of themselves performing a certain movement. This is the most common type of visualization. It also is very effective if trying to learn or perfect a new skill. It’s the easiest way to visualize, but can be the most frustrating when it comes to visualizing successfully. It’s helpful in any sport or skill where you learn to master movements that your body normally cannot see unless you are looking in a mirror (technique of throwing a football, wrestling, weighlifting skills, Double Unders).
2nd Person Visualization – This is the exact same type of visualization as first person, except it is seeing someone else doing the skill instead of you. This is helpful when you have a reoccurring visualization that fails, or learning how to do a skill you cannot do. Repetition of seeing the skill done correctly, and then slowly working your body into the skill takes time, but it helps. This is probably the hardest type of visualization to do, but once it’s learned, it’s tremendously helpful.
Crossfit Local in Chapel Hill - a strength and conditioning program centered on functional fitness. We believe that people of all ages and levels of activity benefit from combining basic functional movements in varied ways to elicit greater personal fitness. We use pullups, lifts, gymnastics movements, running, rowing, climbing, kettlebells, sandbags, and even tire flips to produce rapid fitness results. We specialize in not specializing. We train the young, the old, the professional athlete, the weekend warrior, the student, the parent, and the beginner. CrossFit produces world class athletes and healthy individuals.
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