Abstract
Objectives
The aim of this research was to expand knowledge on the use of PETTLEP based guided imagery scripts, as a mental practice, for increasing performance and reduction of self-criticism in athletes. Imagery can serve not only as an accessory, but also as a replacement for part of the training process, as it has the potential to increase the athlete’s performance.
Methods
The research group consisted of 78 recreational CrossFit athletes who regularly work out and participate in group trainings. The participants were divided into three groups. The physical practice group trained two series of pushups, the imagery group, in accordance with the prescribed script based on the PETTLEP model, visualized these pushups and the role of the control group was to stretch before training. The intervention lasted 4 weeks, with a frequency of three times per week.
Results
The results showed that imagery is an effective tool for increasing the performance of athletes and in combination of with regular exercise can result in additional performance gains. There have been significant shifts in our study, in some subscales, specifically within groups. In the imagery group, it was namely the subscale of inadequate and reassuring self. In the physical practice group, the shift also occurred in the inadequate self-subscale and the hated self-subscale. However, after comparing these results with the other two groups, there were no significant differences.
Conclusions
The results confirm the potential of using imagery for increasing performance and reducing self-criticism.
Funding source: Vedecká grantová agentúra VEGA
Award Identifier / Grant number: 1/0075/19
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Research funding: Writing this work was supported by the Vedecká grantová agentúra VEGA under Grant 1/0075/19.
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Author contributions: VK and BS designed research project and created the intervention. VK collected data. VK and BS wrote the first draft of the article. VK and BS interpreted the results, revised the manuscript and read and approved the final manuscript.
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Conflicts of interest: The authors declare that they have no potential conflicts of interests.
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Ethical approval: All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Informed consent: Written informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
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