 Columns> LJs
Tour Log > >
01-03-07 |
 |
 |
|||
CURRENT
EVENTS |
|||
|
|||
LJ's Tips : Worst Case Scenario Visualization
By L-J Anjema © Jan 3, 2007 Laurens-Jan Anjema and SquashTalk LLC
 |
| Everything's a BONUS! (photo ©Debra Tessier ) |
I’d like to delve into a somewhat different subject this time: preparing mentally for a match. We already discussed how we can minimize the effects of nerves and pressure on how you want to feel and play. Visualization is another important tool for mental preparation. In Michael Jordan’s autobiography he says that, without him knowing that “normal people” actually actively have to learn how to do it, he VISUALISED exactly how he was going to play before a game.
The type of visualization I’ve had good experiences with is called: worst-case visualization: in your head you go through your match in the worst-case scenario. You might think this is not a positive way to prepare but let me explain: if you imagine all the things you can’t control to be very bad and against your liking, you’re gonna be very well prepared! The reason is that things never turn out as bad as you visualized which results in a: “Is this all? Is this all you got?” mentality. Note Mohammed Ali’s words against George Foreman during his fight in Zaire while he was getting pounded!
Let’s go through the following scenario:
You’re playing the final of a big important tournament. The truth is that you’re playing a difficult opponent: someone you’ve never beaten, someone you maybe don’t like. The truth is that the conditions are not in your favor: playing at altitude, playing on a hot and bouncy court, playing with bias referees, playing for an ‘away crowd’ for example.
One hour before your match you’re in your hotel room and in your mind you should go through these ‘truths’ in a very exaggerating way (!).
So here we go: your opponent starts a brutal pace, plays super tight, makes no mistakes whatsoever and is super fast and gets your best shots back easily. The hot and bouncy court makes your best drops bounce up to shoulder height!!! The altitude makes you feel very out of breath on the 3rd point already… The referees take EVERY decision against you. You visualize a crowd of 2000 all cheering for the other guy. Not only cheering after his winners, but after your mistakes!! They’re even banging with their hands on the back wall after you lose a long rally… Come on, visualize!! See it happening. This is your nightmare. This is chaos!
This visualization period takes 20 minutes to half an hour where you’re living and experiencing everything IN DETAIL in your mind.
Now this is the wonderful part: when you finally go on court and get down to business you’ll see that your opponent’s start is not as brutally fast paced as you imagined, he’s not as fast as you imagined and he even makes a mistake! Bonus!! The court is not as bouncy as you thought, your drops are actually pretty low!! Bonus! The altitude isn’t getting to you as you visualized it would, you’re actually feeling pretty fit!! Bonus! The referees even give some calls in your favor and the crowd is only a mere 500… BONUS!! They’re not even screaming and shouting when you lose a point. They’re OK. Everything is OK. Nothing is as bad, man! This is easy!! COME ON!! IS THIS ALL YOU GOT?!”.
(L.J, like a sardine in a tin, above some ocean, 4th of December 4:01)
Laurens
Jan Anjema: Audio Interview |
 |
Squashtalk.com
All materials © 1999-2007. Communicate with us at info@squashtalk.com.
Published
by Squashtalk LLC, 6 Franklin Place, PO Box 2918, Acton MA 01720 USA, Editor
and Publisher Ron Beck,
Graphics editor Debra Tessier Send
comments, ideas, contributions and feedback to the webmaster.
Global Gallery Articles Copyright © 1999-2007 by Martin Bronstein and
SquashTalk, all rights reserved, may not be reproduced in any form except
for one-time personal use.
