Ali Fathizadeh; Mehdi Sohrabi; Alireza Saberi Kakhki
Abstract
Introduction: The present study aimed to determine the effect of imagining the play strategies in comparison with imagining the motor skills on performance during a sports competition course.Methods: Participants were 30 (19 men, 11 women) karatekas who were evaluated as upper than moderate in terms ...
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Introduction: The present study aimed to determine the effect of imagining the play strategies in comparison with imagining the motor skills on performance during a sports competition course.Methods: Participants were 30 (19 men, 11 women) karatekas who were evaluated as upper than moderate in terms of performance level. In the beginning, participants' ability and past experiments in motor imagery were assessed. Then, they took part in a quasi-experimental design of one of three strategic imagery, movement imagery, or control groups. Each person immediately after combatting with an opponent performed the required action depending on the group and finally competed against the same previous opponent, again.Results: The results showed that karatekas had excellent imagery ability, especially in preserving the temporal characteristics of the movement, and at the past competitions, specifically before their matches, they had used both cognitive-general and cognitive-specific imagery. Also, the nonparametric analysis demonstrated that in the quasi-experimental design, the strategic imagery group gained a higher point difference during the post-test, however, the movement imagery or control group did not differ significantly.Conclusion: The research findings revealed that strategic imagery has more advantages compared to skill imagery, suggesting that strategies of play can be used between the matches as an effective factor in sports success.
Ali Fathizadeh; Parham Sistani; Ahmad Torkfar; Hassan Mohammadzadeh
Abstract
A motor task performance and imagery show several parallel characteristics. In this study, the effect of a voluntary speed change in mental images of a complex difficult sequence of karate techniques on subsequent motor performance was assessed. 24 male karate volunteers (mean age: 24.58±5.27 ...
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A motor task performance and imagery show several parallel characteristics. In this study, the effect of a voluntary speed change in mental images of a complex difficult sequence of karate techniques on subsequent motor performance was assessed. 24 male karate volunteers (mean age: 24.58±5.27 years) who were well skilled at performing the sequence movements participated in the pretest. During the training period, they imagined the motor task with normal, faster, or slower speeds in the real time, fast and slow groups respectively. The post-test was identical to the pretest. The data were analyzed by one-way variance analysis and t tests. The results showed no time difference between motor imagery duration and physical performance in real time group (P>0.05) while imagery speed decrease in slow group was not significant when compared with their own physical performance in the pretest (P>0.05). Fast group accelerated their mental imagery in the training period (P<0.05). The comparison between pretest and post-test by paired t test revealed that karate athletes improved the time of their performance after the real time and fast imagery (P<0.05). However, slow imagery had no effect on post-test performance (P>0.05). Also, independent t test results showed no significant difference between the effect of real time and the fast imagery (P>0.05). It seems that mental imagery in real speed of action and fast imagery had the advantage to improve the performance duration compared with the slower imagery. In conclusion, mental image speed is an important factor in motor imagery and it is suggested that it should be controlled by the athletes.
Ali Fathizadeh; Hasan Mohammadzadeh Jahatlo
Abstract
Motor imagery is the ability to imagine performing a movement without any action. The time a movement is mentally rehearsed highly correlates with the actual time of motor action. In this study, the effect of voluntary changes in imagery speed on the duration of the actual performance and learning ...
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Motor imagery is the ability to imagine performing a movement without any action. The time a movement is mentally rehearsed highly correlates with the actual time of motor action. In this study, the effect of voluntary changes in imagery speed on the duration of the actual performance and learning a complex unfamiliar skill, and also the difference between the effects of real-time and fast imagery were investigated. 32 male volunteers (mean age: 22.23±2.07 yr) participated in the pretest, imagery training period, posttest, and retention test. The motor task was a sequence of new skills involving coordinated movements of upper and lower extremities with body locomotion. During the training period and in the real time, they mentally rehearsed the sequence performed in the pretest faster and more slowly. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), dependent and independent t tests were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the actual duration of real-time and fast imagery group decreased after training period (p<0.05) and it did not change in the retention test compared with the posttest (p>0.05). However, there was no difference between the effect of real-time and fast imagery (p>0.05). Moreover, no significant differences were found in the subsequent performance and retention of control and slow imagery groups (p>0.05). It is suggested that the duration of motor imagery should be close to the duration of physical performance in order to promote the performance and learning new tasks and individuals should be cautious about changes in mental image speed.
