How the hell...?

[Blood_fox]

I dont understand what you ppl mean about visualisation and such, I mean, wtf will it change if I visualise myself fighting a 7 feet tall man? Why not just simply spar instead, it'll end with better results, dont ya think?

Well, if ya dont think that way, mabey you could clear me up on your point of view..

See ya!

[Sean J]

More than 10 years ago there was an article about this in Black Belt: They took a bunch of basket ball players testet their skill in throwing a ball into tha basket at a certain distance.

Then they were divided in 3 groups.

Group one trained one hour a day, one montn, throwing balls into the basket.

Group 2 did not train at all for real, just visualized throwing balls into the basket for the same amount of time.

Group 3 visualized the activity for 15 minutes and trained it for real 45 minutes each day.

Then they were all tested again.

The average improvement in ballthrowing skills of group 1 and 2 was about the same.

Group 3 was far ahead of group 1 and 2.

If you want to know more get some books by Schroeder and Ostrander.

Sean

[eXcessiveForce]

The point of visualization is that you cannot physically perform perfectly. Your body never moves as efficiently as you can imagine it to.


Visualization allows you to make your mind believe that you can in fact perform perfectly.

You mind does not know the difference between a visualization or reality. So you can learn to perform much better still in keeping with your physical limits.


However if you have no basis for combat visualization you may have trouble improving just using visualization. You will benefit from experience and visualization. More so then no experience and visualization.


The only problem with the basketball study was that it was a static exercise. Combat is more dynamic which makes visualization a little more difficult but still a valuable tool for training.

[RBFC]

It also depends on what you are training for. Sparring provides a limited range of psychological stress. You know your opponent, you know what techniques are allowed, and which aren't. You know he isn't REALLY trying to kill you. You get the point......

Your mind allows you to "invent" situations which would be hard to duplicate for training, and you therefore get much more creative in your responses. It's like doing the stupid fire drills in grade school. If you hadn't done them, it would be very hard to figure out what to do under the stress of the actual event. Visualization and then practicing allows you to form PLANS in your mind, then you will have a head start if and when you actually face that situation.

Lee

[ceasarx]

I would suggest doing what these guys are saying. spar and practice with the body but also train and strain your mind. I like meditation and I use my visualization drills while doing my ki breathing. A friend of mine does a kata routine while visualizeing in his mind all that he want his body to do and it shoes over time. I hope you try it I think you will notice the differance.

[Blood_fox]

I wish I could.. But I dont know how to breath or visualize, they dont teach that in my jeet kune do class. Ive seen shaolin class do it. I wish I knew exactly what to do how to breath. Someone once told me about Tan-Jun breathing but I do not have the money to afford another class, its already hard for me to pay for my jeet kune do class but I just love it.

thanx to everyone who replied for clearing me up

[ryanhall]

You're thinking of the wrong kind of visualization and breathing. You don't need to pay money and stimulate your chi to be able to visualize properly. Here's a good article on the value of visualization and how to do it:

http://www.sammyfranco.com/visualization.html

[Zero18]

Calm yourself and focus. The results and answer to your question comes if you just relax. You are very confused but don't be angry. have patience.

[shuyun]

I wish I could.. But I dont know how to breath or visualize, they dont teach that in my jeet kune do class. Ive seen shaolin class do it. I wish I knew exactly what to do how to breath. Someone once told me about Tan-Jun breathing but I do not have the money to afford another class, its already hard for me to pay for my jeet kune do class but I just love it.

thanx to everyone who replied for clearing me up

visualization is not a martial arts thing its a human thing. we do it all the time.

you imagine inscribing a perfect circle when you tee off in golf. you visualize numbers when you compute. you visualize and expected picture when you draw.

to visualize is simply to give your mind a right brain equivalent (artistic intuitive) to a left brain requirement (logic analytical e.g. proper technique).

"to push forward with power imagine pulling the ground with your feet" that puts you in to the proper stance and execution becuse you know how to pull carpet with your feet.

to punch stronger you aim a few inches below/behind the target becuse if you punch only what you see you strike skin deep only.