IMAGERY TRAINING EXERCISES FOR ATHLETES

Rushall, B. S. (1995). Mental skills training for sports: A manual for athletes, coaches, and sport psychologists (2nd Ed.). Spring Valley, CA: Sports Science Associates. Published in Australia by the Australian Coaching Council, Canberra, ACT

A text written to assist serious athletes perform mental activities which will enhance sporting achievements and minimize problems. It contains self-administered exercises which are described in a step-by-step format suitable for use by serious athletes of a high school level or better. It serves three purposes: (1) to assist athletes with no outside help to develop mental skills; (2) to assist coaches to implement mental skills training programs purely by directing athletes to do exercises and monitoring their completion; and (3) to assist sport psychologists, as part of their professional practice, to set "homework" exercises for clients. The manual is used by athletes simply by following directions, completing steps and included forms, exercising self-reinforcement and evaluations in a public setting, and continuing until behavioral objectives are achieved. Coaches and psychologists monitor the progress of athletes as they complete the exercises.

The sections of particular importance to mental imagery training are:

Section 5: PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT IMAGERY

Section 6: RELAXATION

[Soft; 8.5 x 11 inches; 382 pages; US$35.00 per copy includes S&H; also from the Australian Coaching Council]

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