MAN, NBC and the Olympic committee make it tough (as you would expect for all the money that changes hands over the broadcast/internet rights) to get video!

I’ve been looking for video of Lindsey Vonn’s pre-run mental rehearsal. Did you see it?? For me, who’s been using, and talking to athletes about visualization (and having many of them say it’s all voodoo…hocus-pocus) it was a huge validation!! I can’t seem to find even one link to that video. (If you find it…and it’s legal…please comment, and link!)

There were some great learns from Lindsey’s pre-game ritual for athletes of all levels. They’re oversimplified here, but I’m sure that her sports psychologist has her working on this visualization to:

-Remain calm, and focused (even when a billion people are about to watch her)

-Stick to, and execute the routine. No matter what the stage, or circumstance

-In her DAILY practice…practice seeing herself do it RIGHT every day, so that the vision is clear, and vivid.

-Do the mental reps in the equipment, and environment that she’s going to use in competition.

-Move physically just as you would as your mind moves you down the course. Lock in those mental pictures with physical feelings.

-Keep your mind in the now, and focus on the things that are in your control.

That last one really stuck with me from the moment. Here’s a wildly talented athlete, at the Olympics, one of the last skiers on the course, with her teammate already charging down the hill to (then) first place, and a TV camera in her face….and she’s STILL sticking to her mental training plan. Champion stuff.

There’s a list of elite sports psychologists to the right that can help you learn, practice, and perfect these skills. Holler at one of them, and maybe in a few years, we’ll be watching you on TV.