Effects of motor imagery training on service return accuracy in tennis: The role of imagery ability

Abstract

International audienceThis study examined how imagery ability could affect motor improvement following motor imagery training in tennis. Skilled tennis players were divided into 3 groups with regard to their MIQ scores (good imager, poor imager and control group). During a pre-test, participants physically performed 15 service returns towards a target. The motor imagery training period was included during physical training for 15 sessions and each session consisted of 2 series of 15 imagined trials and 15 physical trials. Some of the participants were required to use internal visual imagery (good and poor imager groups) while others were given a reading task (control group). Finally, 48 hours after the last training session, participants were submitted to a post-test similar to the pre-test. Results indicated that motor imagery improved service return, and that this improvement was better in good imagers than in poor imagers. The impact of motor imagery practice on motor performance, for skilled tennis players, is discussed

Methodological Variations in Guided Imagery Interventions Using Movement Imagery Scripts in Sport: A Systematic Review

“…Goss et al (1986) provided an early indication that those with better imagery ability benefit more from imagery use than those with poorer imagery ability. This finding has been supported by more recent studies such as Robin et al (2007), in which better imagers experienced greater improvements in tennis serve return accuracy following an imagery intervention compared to those with lower imagery ability.…”

Measuring Athlete Imagery Ability: The Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire

“…We decided to remove the vividness rating and retain ease of imaging for two reasons. Firstly, this dimension has been used extensively in other questionnaires (e.g., MIQ-R, MIAMS), and has been shown to influence the effectiveness of imagery interventions (e.g., Robin et al, 2007), and moderate the relationship between imagery use and a range of outcomes (e.g., Goss et al, 1986;Cumming, 2008). Secondly, some athletes voiced difficulties in comprehending what was meant by the vividness of an image.…”

“…The effectiveness of an imagery intervention increases for those reporting a higher ability to image (Hall, Buckolz, & Fishburne, 1992). For example, Robin et al (2007) demonstrated that individuals with higher imagery ability experienced greater improvement in the accuracy of their tennis serve return compared with poorer imagers. In addition, Martin et al (1999) hypothesized imagery ability would moderate the relationship between imagery use and its intended outcome-a proposal that has received support (Goss, Hall, Buckolz, & Fishburne, 1986;Cumming, 2008).…”

Action Observation and Imagery Training Improve the Ease With Which Athletes Can Generate Imagery

“…Although imagery can be a beneficial technique for improving sport performance, its efficacy is influenced by the ease with which athletes can create and control images of their own performance (Martin, Moritz, & Hall, 1999;Weinberg, 2008). Indeed, researchers (e.g., Hall, Buckolz, & Fishburne, 1992;Robin et al, 2007) have implied that the imagery ability characteristics of the athlete are probably the most important factors that influence the effectiveness of imagery interventions. For example, Robin et al (2007) reported that whereas imagery was generally an effective technique for improving tennis serve return accuracy, the effectiveness of the intervention was meditated by the ease with which participants could perform imagery.…”

“…Indeed, researchers (e.g., Hall, Buckolz, & Fishburne, 1992;Robin et al, 2007) have implied that the imagery ability characteristics of the athlete are probably the most important factors that influence the effectiveness of imagery interventions. For example, Robin et al (2007) reported that whereas imagery was generally an effective technique for improving tennis serve return accuracy, the effectiveness of the intervention was meditated by the ease with which participants could perform imagery. In this experiment, those classified as good imagers based on their responses to the Movement Imagery Questionnaire, which measures ease of imagery generation, improved their service return performance to a greater extent than those classified as poor imagers.…”