Pursuit of Gold with Laura Wilkinson
Health & Fitness:Fitness
S1E69 - How to Effectively Implement Visualization with Our Host Laura Wilkinson
On today’s episode, Laura’s talking about one of the things she gets asked about most frequently: visualization. Laura credits this technique as a big part of why she was able to make the Olympic team and win gold when no one else expected her to. Having seen other athletes succeed with this approach, she adopted it as a way to continue training after shattering her foot three months before the Olympic Trials, making an opportunity out of that forced sidelining. Visualization has remained part of Laura’s personal toolset, and she uses that experience in this episode to explain what the technique is and walk us through how to get started visualizing in a way that will actually make a difference.
Visualization is defined as purposely rehearsing a skill, routine, or performance in your mind to program your body physically for success. Practicing it consistently becomes a fortifying competition strategy, rewiring your brain to prepare it to deal with all the different factors that come into play while competing. Laura explains that there are a few different ways to visualize, including first and third-person versions, which contribute different effects and should be used in conjunction with each other. She also points out the importance of engaging all your senses while visualizing to better immerse your brain and make changes more easily. Laura then shares some how-to basics for those wishing to start visualizing, from giving yourself a set amount of time to practice, to making sure you have a quiet place to visualize in, and starting with the approach that comes most naturally to you. And finally, Laura finishes the episode with some tips and tricks for beginners, including practicing frequently and consistently, mixing things up every day, and using video study to enhance your visualization.
Episode Highlights:
Quotes:
Pursuit of Gold Podcast is brought to you by Kaatsu Global
Links: The Pursuit of Gold 1-on-1 Coaching with Laura The Confidence Journal Life at 10 Meters: Lessons from an Olympic Champion
Laura’s Social Media: Laura’s Instagram Laura’s Facebook
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