Using mental practice combined with music to train complex motor skills in sports

Journal title RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA
Author/s Andrea Gaggioli
Publishing Year 2014 Issue 2014/1
Language Italian Pages 19 P. 127-145 File size 215 KB
DOI 10.3280/RIP2014-001007
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Mental practice is a training technique based on the repeated mental simulation of a motor skill, with the goal of improving performance. This strategy has been successfully applied in sport psychology to help professional athletes enhancing their skills. Here, we describe the design and pilot evaluation of a novel mental practice strategy, called Imagery-Musical Training, which combines motor imagery with music listening to improve effectiveness of mental rehearsal. We tested this novel strategy in two different sport disciplines: basketball and softball. Preliminary findings showed that this integrated approach enhanced motor performance as compared to physical training alone, with specific reference to the dimension of motor coordination.

Keywords: Mental practice, motor imagery, music, sport.

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Andrea Gaggioli, Il training immaginativo-musicale per il potenziamento della prestazione motoria nello sport in "RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA " 1/2014, pp 127-145, DOI: 10.3280/RIP2014-001007