Many athletes claim they play their game in their minds before actually playing it. For example prior to the evening of premier league football match, Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney habitually asks the club's Kitman, what color shorts, shirts and socks the team will wear the next day. He doesn't ask it to make him look good, he asks it to boost up his performance . He once said, "I lie in bed the night before the game, visualise myself scoring goals or doing well". Knowing exactly which kit He will be wearing helps him conjure up a richer and more detailed and authentic vision. He says it helps very much when he actually play on the ground.
While we may assume doing so is just a mental exercise that enables them to better focus on the game, there might be concrete changes happening inside the body. Take for instance AIRFORCE colonel George Hall.
GEORGE HALL
George Hall was an American soldier who was held prisoner in Vietnam for a number of years. He was locked up in a small dark prison 8. 5' x 8. 5' dimensions for nearly 6 years. While most would lose their minds in those circumstances, George tried to be happy (or so to say). In order to keep his sanity, he played a round of golf over his favorite course back home in his mind. This was despite of being difficult physical condition he was kept in.
Regardless of being weak and 100lbs lighter than before, one of the first things Hall wanted to do after his release was to play a legitimate round of golf. He was invited to the greater New Orleans open. On departing to Vietnam, he had played off a four handicap. To his friend's amazement, Five and a half later, on his return he played to his original handicap.
When asked he said, even though he has'nt played it on the ground, he played it mentally everyday and he knew every blade of grass, every sand traps, every bunker, every sand traps, the cool breezes and all the shots he knew to play.
Psychologists believe his body had developed muscle memories based simply on his imaginations
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