Mental rehearsal improved sport skills more than doing nothing did.

The review

1. 01

   Who took part

   1,438 athletes and sport players took part in 55 studies. They were aged 9 to 40, with an average age of about 22.

2. 02

   What they did

   People pictured a sport skill in their mind, in one or more sessions. Comparison groups did nothing, did another activity, or only practised the skill physically.

3. 03

   What happened

   Mental rehearsal helped sport skills by a moderate amount, and helped motivation and mood a little. Adding it to practice gave a small extra gain in skills, and studies with more sessions found bigger effects. About one result in eight came from before-and-after tests with no comparison group.

What the review found

1. HelpedGoals

   Across 48 studies, mental rehearsal helped people do sport skills better than doing nothing.

   • Action: Rehearse the steps in your mindtested

   Pooled analysis of 48 studies · vs people who did nothing or another activity · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ mixes trials with other kinds of study

2. HelpedMotivation

   Across seven studies, mental rehearsal gave people a small lift in drive.

   • Action: Rehearse the steps in your mindtested

   Pooled analysis of 7 studies · vs people who did nothing or another activity · they rated themselves · ⚠ mixes trials with other kinds of study

3. HelpedGoals

   Across studies, adding mental rehearsal to practice helped a bit more.

   • Action: Rehearse the steps in your mindtested

   Pooled analysis of 0 studies · vs people who only practised the skill · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ mixes trials with other kinds of study

4. HelpedOther outcomes

   Across six studies, mental rehearsal lifted mood a little more than the other groups, though only just.

   • Action: Rehearse the steps in your mindtested

   Pooled analysis of 6 studies · vs people who did nothing or another activity · they rated themselves · ⚠ mixes trials with other kinds of study

Source