March 1, 2006

Visualize Your Way to Success!
Special guest editorial by Kary Odiatu, 2002 CBBF Canadian Fitness Champion and IFBB Pro

During my years in the bachelor of physical education program at the University of Manitoba, I learned a tool that would later help me achieve my ultimate dream of competing in the Fitness Olympia. This tool was called "Visualization," or "Mental Imagery." I also learned a concept called the "Self-fulfilling Prophecy," which translates into: What we see is often what we get.

Successful athletes use the skill of visualization to create a positive self-fulfilling prophecy for the outcome of their event. They see themselves performing successfully, and this in turn is played out at the time of the competition. Respected Canadian sports psychologist Terry Orlick says that mental imagery allows you to experience something in your head before it happens in real life. This allows you to arrive at your competition with feelings like "I’ve been here before; I can handle this."

There are many other benefits to using visualization as part of your training regime. The book Human Potential mentioned the following:

• Prepares you for activity
• Clears negative or random thoughts from your mind
• Narrows your focus to help you avoid distractions
• Builds and maintains confidence
• Energizes you

In my own training, I have found visualization to be extremely helpful while recovering from an injury. Even though I could not work on my fitness routine for many weeks during a hamstring tear recovery, I was able to spend at least ten minutes per day performing the skills and routine in my head. Once I recovered from my injury and was able to train for gymnastics again, I was surprised to realize that some of my skills had actually improved from all the perfect practice I had been doing in my mind.

"Each sport or training regime determines what the athlete’s body will be like. But the process can be aided by suggestion, visualization, and other mental techniques."
~ Michael Murphy, author of Golf in the Kingdom

Developing your imagery skills

Like anything else, visualization takes practice. It is best to start off with short five-minute sessions and slowly work your way up to 10 to 15 minutes of quality imagery. I always used a short visualization to get focused before a training session, and a longer one before I went to sleep. I have tried the technique during cardio, while in the tanning bed, and with music. If you are a fitness competitor, try visualizing your routine in your mind while you listen to your music. When your body tires physically, you can still get a few more routine practices done in your head. Just be careful about trying this while you are driving your car – I once drove right through a red light with my music blaring as I vividly imagined my perfect routine at the Olympia!

It is really important to recall the feeling of the experience, not just see it. Actually imagine the smells, sights, sounds, and physical feeling of your performance. Try to imagine how it will feel as you move through the skills, or walk on the stage. How will you feel when you hear your number called out? When you hear the applause as you leave the stage?

"With practice it will develop to the point where, through imagery, you can draw on all of your senses to pre-experience the achievement of many of your goals, moves, competitive performances, and coping strategies."
~ Terry Orlick, author of In Pursuit of Excellence

A good way to prepare for a visualization session is to start with some deep breathing. Close your eyes and take a long, slow, deep breath in, hold for ten seconds, then release slowly. As you do this, visualize your breath entering different parts of your body. I always start from the base of my feet, to my pelvis region, to my lower abdomen region, to my upper abdomen, to my lungs, to my throat, to my brain, and out of the top of my head. After you have felt the oxygen in all parts of your body, maintain a deep, steady breathing pattern and focus in on positive thoughts. I try to "flood" my senses with feelings of love – don’t laugh, it works! You can use any images of love or joy from your past experiences to bring back these positive, feel-good hormones that will intensify your experience.

I also ask for the energy and enthusiasm to give the best performance that I possibly can, so that I can inspire the audience, judges, and other competitors. I also repeat the word "YES" right before I go onstage. I started doing this in 1999 and my performances since then have been incredible for me, no matter what my placing. I really feel alive out there and connected to my audience. The rush is incredible. Many top fitness and figure girls admit to having some kind of mantra they say to themselves right before they take the stage. I have heard everything from "Kick butt" to "Nail it." It can also be extremely motivating to dedicate a performance to a loved one. Picture that person in your mind and do it for them. Imagine that person as a Guardian Angel sitting on your shoulder or sitting in the front row, cheering you on.

The next step is to actually see and feel yourself performing your best on competition day. Imagine the venue, the crowd, the judges, how amazing you look, and how confident you feel with all of your preparations. Visualize every step you will take on and off the stage; see the perfect quarter-turns you will execute with ease. Hear the cheers and feel the pride of finally accomplishing your goals. You can even imagine the outcome of the event and see the trophy and medal being handed to you as they announce your name for a top-place finish.

"When I’m in this state everything is pure, vividly clear. I’m in a cocoon of concentration. And if I can put myself into that cocoon, I’m invincible."
~ Tony Jacklin

In 2003, my husband Uche and I flew to Budapest, Hungary, for the Hungarian pro show. I had decided that this would be my last try to qualify for the Fitness Olympia – something that I had dreamed about from the time I first stepped on the stage in the 1995 Novice Bodybuilding Championships in Manitoba. I knew that I had to pull out all the stops because I had invested ten years of my life (and money) preparing for "the dream." I visualized every single day at least two to three times a day. I saw myself being in the best condition of my life. I saw a perfect routine and I saw myself in the first call-outs for the physique round. I imagined hearing my name being called in third place – yes, I said third. I only needed a top-three finish to qualify, and something in me could not imagine any better than third, because my best placing in the pro ranks had only been sixth – and that was in my own country of Canada.

To make a long story short, I did have a flawless routine and I did get first call-outs in the physique rounds. It was surreal! When the time for awards came, I was brought out with the top-five competitors; my name was called for third place. I screamed, cried, and jumped as high as I could in my platforms. I got exactly what I had visualized thousands of times prior to the event. Later that same year I stood on the Olympia stage with the best athletes in our sport and knew that I could finally relax and start a family.

To this day I look back and wonder what would have happened if I had dared to visualize first or second in Hungary….

...Kary Odiatu

You can learn more about Kary at her website, www.KaryOdiatu.com, and at www.fitspeakers.com.

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