https://youtu.be/bzMVDAJGUJE?

si=NsYisG60XWy6CUra
Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur

Flow & Visualization

In sports

Manas K Mandal
Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur

The flow state

• A state in which a person is
completely focused on a single
task or activity
• …is the experience of being so
absorbed by an engaging task
that your attention is completely
held by it
• The idea behind flow originated
from the sports psychology
theory about an Individual Zone
of Optimal Functioning

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The Flow state

• Flow is the melting together
of action and consciousness,
being in the zone or locked in
• The state of finding a balance
between a skill and the
challenge in the task
• We generally lose sense of
Mihaly Robert
time, self-consciousness, and Csikszentmihalyi
anything that doesn't have to
do with
https://youtu.be/I_u-Eh3h7Mo?si=Wur1_Jd1usQ0H4
Hu
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Hyperfocus
• Flow is different from
hyperfocus (hyperfocus can
"capture" a person, perhaps
causing them to appear
unfocused like playing
videogames)
• Hyperfocus can be a natural
consequence of ADHD, which
is characterized by a lack of
control over attention

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Flow theory
postulates
• The activity must have clear goals
and progress
• The task must provide rich &
immediate feedback. This helps to
negotiate any changing demands
and allows adjusting performance
to maintain the flow state
• Good balance is required between
the perceived challenges of the
task and one's perceived skills

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The experience of flow:

Factors behind
 Intense & focused concentration on the
present moment
 Merging of action and awareness, a loss
of reflective self-consciousness
 A sense of personal control or agency over
the situation or activity
 A distortion of temporal experience, as
one’s subjective experience of time is
altered
 Experience of the activity as intrinsically
rewarding, also referred to
as autotelic experience 6
Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur

Flow & neurotransmitters

• Noradrenaline: Speeds up heart rate, improves

tension, triggers the release of glucose giving
you more energy.
• Dopamine: Gives you the feeling of engagement
in a task, excitement, adventure... and rewards
you for it.
• Endorphin: This pain-relieving and 'euphoria-
generating' neurotransmitters
• Anandamide: Sanskrit word ananda, meaning
bliss, joy or delight. It lifts mood, dilates blood
vessels, bronchial tubes (aiding in breathing),
inhibits anxiety
• Serotonin: found in the gastrointestinal tract. It 7
Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur

Case Study 1: Michael

Jordan
• Arguably the greatest basketball player of all time,
Michael Jordan's career was punctuated with
moments that seemed superhuman. Observers
often noted how Jordan seemed to play as if time
had slowed down for him.
Quotes and Observations:
• "When I'm in the zone, I don’t think about the
game... the game just comes to me... and
everything else is just blocked out." - Michael
Jordan.
Studies and Analysis:
• A study by Jackson and Csikszentmihalyi found
that elite athletes, like Jordan, often experience
Flow when the challenge of the game matches the 8
ir skill level
Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur

Case Study 2: Serena Williams

• Serena Williams has displayed moments of unparalleled

prowess on the court. Her ability to maintain composure
and deliver under pressure is a testament to her frequent
encounters with Flow.
Quotes and Observations:
• "When I'm out there, and I'm in the zone, I don’t think
about anything else... just my game, and my next move." -
Serena Williams.
Studies and Analysis:
• A study by Swann et al. found that athletes in Flow, like
Williams, were more likely to win medals in international
competitions. The study also highlighted the importance of
a supportive team environment in facilitating Flow.
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Case Study 3: Usain Bolt

• The fastest man on Earth, Usain Bolt's record-

breaking sprints are a blend of physical prowess
and mental alignment. His races, though mere
seconds long, are a vivid display of Flow.
Quotes and Observations:
• "You don’t think about the start of the race, or the
finish, or the crowd. You just run." - Usain Bolt.
Studies and Analysis:
• Research by Young and Pain suggests that
athletes in short-duration, high-intensity sports
like sprinting often enter a state of Flow due to
the sheer demand for focus and the immediate
feedback the activity provides. 10
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Visualization

• Visualization techniques involve creating a

mental image or scenario in which you see
yourself successfully performing a task or skill
in your mind
• When we visualize, try focus on something
specific — an event, person, or goal we want
to achieve — and hold it in our mind,
imagining our outcome becoming reality

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Theoretical foundations:
guided imagery
• Information processing model: mental imagery
activates similar neural pathways as actual
activity
• Symbolic theory: …acts as a symbolic language.
When athletes engage in practice, they mentally
encode the desired actions, creating a symbolic
representation of skill
• Bio-informational theory: …involves the
generation & manipulation of internal
representations of sensory (visual, auditory,
kinesthetic) & motor experiences, enabling the
athlete to simulate the complete sensory
https://www.drdevroy.com/visualization-in-sport-and-exercise/
experiences associated with desired performance 12
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Neuroscience behind
visualization
• Visualization techniques engage the same
neural pathways used during the actual physical
execution of a sport, thereby strengthening
motor skills without the physical wear and tear
• The key is the brain plasticity; by consistently
visualizing specific actions, athletes can mold
their neural pathways to facilitate actual
performance.
• This brain-body connection means that by
vividly imagining performing a task, you can
effectively prepare your body to execute the
action in reality.
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Types of Visualization Techniques

• Process Visualization: This involves imagining

the process of performing a task, including
each step and movement required to execute
the skill or strategy effectively.
• Outcome Visualization: Athletes focus on
visualizing the desired outcome, such as
winning a race, scoring a goal, or achieving a
personal best.
• Motivational Visualization: This technique
involves visualizing internal states or
emotions, such as confidence, resilience, and
the thrill of victory, to enhance motivation
and mental toughness.
https://www.performancepsychologycenter.com/post/visualization-techniques-and-mental-im
agery

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Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur

How to visualize?

 Setting the Scene: Begin by finding a

quiet, comfortable space … Close your
eyes, take deep breaths to reach a state
of calm
 Creating the Visual: Imagine in detail
including the environment, sounds,
sensations, and emotions you associate
with this setting
 Executing the Skill: visualize yourself
performing a specific skill or maneuver.
See it in rich detail
 Incorporating Emotion: Integrate
emotional responses into your
visualization. Feel the joy of success, the
rush of adrenaline 15
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Key to quality mental

imagery
• Perspective: where the “imagery
camera” is when you do imagery
(seeing yourself from inside your body
looking out)
• Control: ‘you keep leaning in or sitting
back? – that’s a control problem.
Rewind the “imagery video” and edit it
and rerun the imagery video until you
do it correctly
• Multiple senses: Good imagery is more
than just visual
• Speed: Slow motion (frame by frame) is
effective in the beginning before reset
to real-time 16