Bill Phillip's | Transformation

The power of visualizing before workouts!

Watch a world class down hill skier prior to a big race and you will see them close their eyes and ski the course in their mind.  On the absolute edge of their skis, they are going faster than anyone has dared to go.  Watch the Olympic divers.  They see themselves perform the most difficult maneuvers without a miss.  They enter the water below them without a splash and get a perfect score.  Gymnasts close their eyes and go through their routine performing their dismounts in their head and see themselves “stick it” and get the perfect 10.  When I was a dancer, I would stand backstage before my music began and close my eyes and go through my entire dance in my head.  I’d remember all of the tips my teacher had given me, pull up, straighten my legs, pull off my turns, I’d picture where the other dancers were around me and dance with them in my head.  The dance in my head was flawless and prepared my senses for what I’d be feeling out on stage.  It is no different for the experienced sales person who negotiates the best contract or the speaker who gives the most motivational presentation.  High level performers practice physically and visually over and over again.  It prepares you for the actual moment that you’re performing.

I’ve seen visualization in action and I’m finding it very helpful to close my eyes for ten minutes before my runs.  I see it, believe it and be it in my head.  I picture myself running through the pre-set course, feeling the wind as if it’s making me fly, I go through my list of focuses, pull-up, engage the core, stand up straight, lean, attach a bungee chord to my chest and let it pull me, let gravity do the work, relax my limbs, kick my heels up behind me as if they’re a wheel.  The runs that I have visualized before-hand are much more productive and successful than the runs that I haven’t properly prepared for.  It’s so effortless when I’ve done my visualization and so freeing.  If you haven’t tried visualizing your workouts before you get started give it a try next time!