Triathlon: Using Imagery to Make the Most of Indoor Training

Written by: Kate Gracheck, M.Ed, CTS Coach

When the weather doesn’t cooperate with your training schedule, most people have to resort to training indoors. While you may not cherish the hours on the trainer or rollers watching old racing videos of the Tour, Paris-Roubaix, or my favorite Breaking Away, riding indoors can be an excellent time to begin incorporating sports psychology techniques into your training.

Mental imagery or visualization is one of the important techniques that can help you as you progress in cycling. Imagery is a technique used to create or re-create an experience in your mind using your senses, and it can be used to supplement physical practice for a higher probability of success and achievement throughout your cycling career. Imagery can be used for increasing self-awareness, acquiring new skills, maintaining learned/old skills, increasing self-confidence, regulating emotions, relieving pain, enhancing preparation strategies and regulating arousal.

Mental imagery is as powerful as you make it, and just like riding a bike, the more you do it, the more efficient and productive you become. This means that you need to practice to make imagery a useful skill and tool to improve your performance; and those hours on a trainer are a good time to practice. Whether it is rain, snow or darkness keeping you inside, you can use your mind to bring back the sun, tree-lined roads, dirt trails or grassy hills that you love so much. Not only can you hide from dull winter months and summer storms in imagery sessions, but you can also begin to improve your riding skills. Whether it is a tight corner, winding descent or technical trail that you work through, imagery can help bring you to a new level of riding. Imagery does not replace physical practice, but when supplemented together, your level of riding is greatly improved and success occurs more often.

There are a few things to focus on during your imagery sessions. First you need to develop a vivid image. Learn to fine-tune your image so that it is clear and concise; use all of your senses to create the most real image possible. See every detail around you. What does the road look like, do you notice cracks in the pavement? See the leaves as individuals and not a clump of green. Hear your tires rolling across the gravel and the wind sweeping past your ears. Smell the grass, feel the sweat dripping down your face and taste the salt. Focus on all of the details and use your senses to develop a vivid image.

Secondly, learn to control the image. Effective imagery not only comes from vivid images, but also controlled images. Create an image that you are in control of, manipulate the events to occur as you want them too. Rather than letting a corner take control of your ride, take control of the corner; create the feeling you desire around the turn. Follow your line down the technical parts of a trail with confidence, hit every point you see and ride through it effortlessly.

And finally, engage in self-awareness. Be aware of what you are thinking and feeling. Your underlying thoughts and feelings affect your performances, whether you are aware of them or not. Self-awareness will help you to identify them and you can begin to counter negative thoughts and feelings with positive ones, starting in your images and carrying over into actual rides.

Remember, imagery is a powerful tool that can be used to supplement your physical training and improve you chances of success. Creating vivid images, being in control and having self-awareness are the keys to successful imagery. Staying positive, relaxing, imagining real time, and looking from both internal and external perspectives will also help create more effective imagery sessions. But remember, the golden key to successful imagery is practice, and no better time to practice than during those long indoor training hours.

About Kate Grachek:

Within the past year, Kate has earned her M.ED in Counseling and Sport Psychology from Boston University, her BS in Kinesiology/Athletic Training from Indiana University, and her certification in Athletic Training. While attending BU, Kate interned at Northeastern University in the student athlete support office, providing athletic, academic, and emotional support for student athletes, while maintaining the role of a mentor. She also braved the Boston city streets while competing for BU's Cycling Team. As a student athletic trainer at Indiana, Kate had the opportunity to work with the varsity athletes, providing preventative and rehabilitative care. She also rode in the Little 500, competed for the IU Equestrian Team, and participated in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training.

Visit Carmichael Training Systems at: TrainRight.com.