Polo Players' Edition is the official publication of the U.S. Polo Association. Dedicated to the sport of polo, it features player profiles, game strategy, horse care, playing tips, polo club news and tournament results.
Issue link: https://polo.epubxp.com/i/31965
experience in your mind: Imagine holding a cool lemon in your hand. Feel its weight, firmness and the bumpy texture of the skin. Study the bright yellow skin and light green ends. Raise and touch the cool rind to your nose. Scratch the rind with your fingernail so the oils lightly spray into the air. Breathe the rich scent into your nose. Place the lemon on a plate, take the knife by its wood handle and press the sharp blade into the rind and through pale yellow flesh. Feel the juice on your fingers as you pick up half and peel a circle of rind with the knife. Watch the peeling drop to the plate. Now press the yellow flesh to your lips, and feel the faint sourness make your mouth water. Now squeeze the lemon hard and feel the overwhelming sourness, the sharp liquid puckering your lips and mouth and stinging the back of your throat. Were you able to vividly feel the experience? If you practice imagery exercises like this for 5-10 minutes a day for two weeks you will begin to notice an increase in your ability to create and control images. The next step is to apply your imagery skills to simple experiences for a few days then try a longer, guided imagery. Perhaps image every detail and step in the process of deciding to make your favorite meal; driving to the grocery store, shopping, selecting ingredients, returning home, preparing the dishes and savoring every bite. If you feel utterly competent in your imagery skills after two weeks, great. If it takes longer, be patient and keep practicing, while enjoying the process. It is important to wait until you have confidence in your skills before applying them to polo. Always practice new polo playing imagery in a non-stressful setting away from competition. When you feel competent in the non-stressful setting incorporate imagery into your polo practice. After thorough use in practice you are ready to take your imagery skills into competition. At this point you are ready to use a powerful mental training procedure called mastery and coping rehearsal. In mastery rehearsal you mentally practice mastering your event by writing a detailed script of a perfect performance and tournament experience. Include travel, sleeping, eating, driving. Skip the relaxation segment if you’re driving. Begin listening to a mastery rehearsal tape far before a competition, three to five times a week. After a week, introduce the coping rehearsal the days between the mastery. A week before the competition use mastery rehearsal only. These are only a few aspects to beginning imagery. There are many other specific programs and mental skills that are incorporated if you undertake imagery training. If using imagery seems complicated or Visualize yourself in a positive experience, and counter any negative images with positive ones. arriving at the field, preparing, warming- up, social interactions, weather, playing each chukker, finishing, receiving awards and departing—exactly as you would like it to be. Mastery rehearsal has powerful benefits, but we also want to prepare for the predictable problems and adversities that are part of every game. We use coping rehearsal to do this. In coping rehearsal you utilize your mastery script by inserting problems that can arise during competition and mentally imagine coping successfully and continuing with the event. You anticipate every possible occurrence that could deter, interfere, or distract you in your performance. Insert these problems throughout the script and the moment you are aware of a negative, irrational thought or worry, mentally tell yourself to stop, then breath, relax and counter the negative with a positive, appropriate thought. Replace anxious thoughts with positive rational thoughts. Coping rehearsal prepares you to overcome obstacles that previously interfered with your performance. You can use your scripts three ways. Relax yourself then open your eyes and read the scripts, have someone else read them, or make an audio recording, then listen in your relaxed state. I prefer the audio recording. It is very pleasant to listen in a relaxed state and you can also listen when doing other things like exercising or difficult, I understand. Most people fail to understand and use the process properly, which is unfortunate because it is an effective way to improve mental and physical skills and performance. Seek guidance, learn to use the process effectively, and you can improve all aspects of your playing. I once heard author and motivational speaker Steve Chandler tell of interviewing Arnold Schwarzenegger after his first film, Stay Hungry, was released in 1976. The film did poorly at the box office and Chandler asked Arnold what he was going to do now that he was retired from bodybuilding after dominating it for many years, winning seven Mr. Olympia titles. In a calm and confident voice Arnold said, “I’m going to be the No. 1 box office star in Hollywood.” Chandler was startled and amused. The reception of Arnold’s first film, his thick Austrian accent and awkward, monstrous build did not suggest Hollywood acceptance. Chandler asked Arnold how he planned to accomplish this. He said, “It’s the same process I used in body building. What you do is create a vision of whom you want to be and then live into that picture as if it were already true.” Arnold had learned you don’t wait for a vision, you create one. I hope you explore and organize your powers of mental imagery and enjoy creating your own vision of success. Mark Brownlee provides professional physical and mental skills development for sport and business worldwide. He can be reached at: mbsportpsych@yahoo.com. POLO PLAYERS EDITION 39
