Table of ContentsMental Imagery (MI) / Mental Practice (MP)Inner DiscussionConclusionAccording to Weinberg and Gould (2007), skill training mental skills refers to “the systematic training and constant practice of mental or psychological skills with the aim of improving performance, increasing pleasure and/or achieving greater personal satisfaction”. In the area of ​​mental skills training, there are a multitude of effective techniques that could be implemented as part of athlete prevention. However, this article will arguably focus on the two most popular techniques applied in modern practice; Inner conversation and mental imagery/mental practice. Vealey et al. (1998) defined mental imagery as a process of internalized rehearsal strategies involving an accurate multisensory representation of the sporting experience, while mental practice refers to a particular application of mental imagery in which performers perform practice in their heads or symbolically rehearse their skills before performing them. .Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Similarly, self-talk has been defined as the expression of a syntactically recognizable internal position in which the sender of the message is also the intended recipient. . This document will provide a critical analysis and evaluation of the above competencies by outlining the key relevant considerations to take into account before implementing them, as well as providing a solid evidence base for the respective level of effectiveness. In addition, it will seek to propose a comparative study between the two skills to help understand the similarities and paradoxical characteristics between them. Additionally, a skills match analysis with “what works best and for whom” will be presented. In this section, relevant case studies will be applied. Throughout the paper, relevant models and theories will be applied consistently in each relevant section. Finally, a brief conclusion will provide a holistic summary of the article in its entirety. Mental Imagery (MI) / Mental Practice (MP) Before implementing an MI/MP intervention, it is essential to understand the many approaches and categories of MI/MP to ensure the correct technique is applied to the relevant context . According to Wraga and Kosslyn (2002), there are two approaches to defining mental imagery: 1) intuitive, the experience of "seeing" with the mind's eye and 2) theoretical, a cognitive representation that gives rise to perceptual experience in the absence of appropriate sensory input. Understanding the types of mental imagery is also essential to ensure a successful athlete-centered approach. According to Hassan et al. (2016), the types of images are: 1) Visual; for example Imagining the movement of a visual form 2) Motor imagery; imagine your own hand moving and 3) Kinesthetic, imagine the sensation of your hand moving. In order to successfully develop a strategy for an individualistic MI intervention, one must take into account the nature and characteristics of the MI itself, the desired outcomes, individual differences and finally its implementation (see fig 1.1). To optimize mental imagery, the 12 recommendations outlined in Figure 1.1 will maximize the effectiveness of mental imagery in various contexts and help minimize adverse effects for client groups. By focusing on multimodal imaging withrelevant perspective, shots should be relevant to skills, for example external imaging with morphokinetic tasks. Describing clear outcomes of each intervention in correlation with the client's experience and preferences for PM techniques, for example first-person perspective, will ensure maximum adoption. To effectively implement a PM intervention, five key elements must be considered: 1) Time, 2) Perspectives, 3) Positive or negative images, 4) Sensory activation, and 5) Activation. It is essential that imagined actions and real actions operate within the same time frame and in close correspondence, for example, mentally executing a free kick while preparing to kick the ball, as reflected in a study by Munroe Chandler and al (2006) in the study of cognitive imagery for football strategies. Determining perspective, i.e. first person or third person, is essential as it requires both contextual intelligence and imagery ability. For example, according to Decay (1996), the first-person perspective relies on motor-kinesthetic processing, more appropriate for hitting a golf ball than for performing a complex gymnastics routine. It is essential to define the purpose of the imaging intervention to decide whether it should be positive or negative. Negative images can be beneficial when developing a coping mechanism, but otherwise positive images, accompanied by the correct physical technique, should be adopted. By engaging the appropriate senses, it allows one to better understand the tactile feedback involved in skill execution and gain greater motor resonance, for example by imagining the weight of a golf club in your hands. This advantage of tactile feedback in motor acquisition can be observed in a study conducted by Lieberman and Breazeal in 2007 (Liberman & Breazeal, 2007). A key consideration in this regard is essential: one's imaging ability. It is essential to assess the imagery ability of athletes as it impacts the effectiveness of imagery. Thus, measuring imagery ability may lead to a more individualized and effective imagery intervention. The measurement can be performed by administering the Movement Imagery Questionnaire (MIQ -3) which assesses visual imagery (internal/external) and kinesthetic imagery. Additionally, the Vividness of Motion Images Questionnaire (VMIQ-2) which assesses the vividness of visual and kinesthetic images can be administered. By gaining a deeper knowledge of one's specific ability relating to the key characteristics of imagery, namely vividness, the level of clarity, realism or richness of a mental image, controllability, the degree to which one can manipulate or controlling a mental image and associated emotions, images can invoke feelings and physiological reactions, this further reinforces each person's intervention. According to Monroe-Chandler and Guerrero (2017), measuring an athlete's use of imagery highlights the frequency of a specific type of imagery while also highlighting changes from pre- to post-intervention. To measure this, evidence-based inventories include the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ) which assesses the five functions of imagery; general cognitive, specific cognitive, specific motivational, general motivational-arousal and general motivation mastery. The Exercise Imagery Questionnaire (EIQ) and Exercise Imagery Questionnaire (EIQ) are also optional inventories that measure highly influential factors such as the purpose of imagery as well as exercise self-efficacy. exercise and routine imaging ofexercise. It is essential to follow Fitts and Posner's (1967) 3-phase learning model and know what stage of learning, for example cognitive, associative and autonomous, the athlete is currently at. This influences the complexity and level of intervention required while taking into account contextual factors. of the intervention, for example time of season, environment or stage of injury, as this may dictate the emotional state of the participant, which may affect their cognitive/emotional load. The average focus cycle is approximately 15 minutes, so scheduling short imagery intervention sessions based on the client's mental load constraints will ensure the optimal frequency of imagery training. individual to learn and adopt. This can benefit attentional focus, increased motivation, performance evaluation, performance improvement, skill acquisition, skill execution, and breaking maladaptive habits. and strengthen coping habits. However, before implementing a self-talk intervention, several key considerations must first be taken into account. It is essential to ensure the precise objectives of the intervention because this dictates the strategy of the intervention. If the goal is to decrease self-doubt and improve performance, positive self-talk is recommended because it supports a positive self-image and increases self-confidence, which benefits self-efficacy and, according to Stretcher et al (1986), to personal effectiveness. is vital for achieving human behavior change and skill acquisition. By leveraging positive self-talk, it also promotes increased attentional focus. Thus, refining task-specific direct attention and attentional focus increases participants' execution ability. For example, by directing attention to external processes, it allows the motor system to naturally self-organize while the participant focuses on the effect of the movement, thus indicating a higher degree of automaticity and interference less conscious in a technique-oriented task, for example balancing. Positive self-talk can also improve emotional control that can harm performance, such as high levels of anxiety. According to Craft et al (2003), high levels of anxiety have a negative effect on performance, therefore self-talk can have a direct positive impact on sports performance due to improved regulation and control ability emotional. Leveraging negative self-talk has been shown to be unsuitable for performance to the extent that it promotes it; Irrelevant thoughts, increased fatigue, increased levels of worry and disengagement. This is reflected in a study conducted by Raalt et al (2000), in which players who engaged in negative self-talk were correlated with a reduction in the number of points earned. A key aspect to consider is which category of self-talk is applicable to the relevant context for optimal outcome. performance. There are two types of self-talk; 1) Informative and 2) Motivating and both have independent benefits for performance. Leveraging instructional self-talk is highly beneficial in facilitating the performance of tasks that require sustained concentration, action planning, and specific motor movements. Instructional self-talk can be used for a novice to learn a new skill, as shown in a study by Anderson et al (1999) teaching third graders to throw overhand using instructional self-talk. The speech.