How much motor imagery practice is optimal?

A large meta-analysis of 86 studies with over 3,500 athletes found that the strongest performance gains came from approximately 10 minutes of imagery practice, three times per week, over about 100 days. Combining imagery with one or two other psychological skills trainings (e.g. goal-setting, relaxation) yielded greater benefits than imagery alone.

Does motor imagery work for all sports?

Meta-analytic evidence shows significant effects across domains, with particularly strong benefits reported for agility, muscle strength, tennis, and soccer. Effects can be skill-specific: for example, tennis service accuracy and technique improved with imagery training in studies, while service speed and return accuracy did not always show gains. Imagery ability itself predicts athletic success in some research, so individual differences matter.

What if I'm not good at imagining movements?

Motor imagery ability varies. People with strong [motor imagination](/imagination-types/motor-imagination) may benefit most from classic mental rehearsal; others find action observation (watching themselves or others perform) or hybrid sequences (alternating imagined and physically executed segments) helpful. Imagery can also be trained—see [how to improve mental imagery](/articles/how-to-improve-mental-imagery). Knowing your [imagery profile](/articles/what-is-the-imagination-spectrum) helps you choose the right strategy.

2026-02-28

Mental Imagery for Athletes and Performers

Athletes and performers have long used "mental rehearsal"—imagining a routine, a shot, or a sequence before doing it. The research now backs that up: motor imagery (imagining movements without executing them) can improve real-world performance, and in some conditions the brain changes from imagery practice look similar to those from physical practice. This post summarizes what meta-analyses and key studies say about effectiveness, optimal dosage, and how it works—so you can use mental practice with more confidence and fit it to your imagery profile.

What the Meta-Analyses Show

A Bayesian multilevel meta-analysis looked at 86 studies with 3,593 athletes and found a statistically significant effect of imagery practice on motor performance (standardized mean difference ~0.5, 95% CI 0.34–0.67). So across a large body of work, mental practice does more than placebo or no practice. The benefits showed up in several domains: agility, muscle strength, tennis performance, and soccer performance, with especially strong effects for tennis and soccer. That doesn't mean imagery works only there—it means the evidence is particularly solid in those areas. Other work has shown gains in basketball free throws, volleyball decision-making, and penalty-taking, as in our overview of imagination styles at work.

Two practical takeaways from the same meta-analysis:

Dosage. The strongest gains came from a protocol of about 10 minutes of imagery practice, three times per week, over roughly 100 days. So consistency and duration matter; a one-off visualization is less likely to move the needle than a structured, repeated routine.
Combine with other skills. Adding one or two other psychological skills trainings (e.g. goal-setting, self-talk, relaxation) yielded greater benefits than imagery alone. Mental practice fits into a broader performance-psychology toolkit.

How It Works in the Brain

Motor imagination isn't just "thinking about" a movement. When you imagine an action in detail, brain regions that overlap with actual execution are activated: premotor cortices, supplementary motor area, parietal regions, and cerebellar networks. Neurophysiological studies show that the strength of neural activity during motor imagery—especially event-related synchronization in alpha and beta frequency bands—correlates with motor adaptation and learning. In other words, the more your brain "does" the movement during imagery, the more it supports learning. Training-induced cortical plasticity from motor imagery can be comparable to physical practice, which is why mental rehearsal can supplement or partially substitute for reps when physical practice isn't possible (e.g. injury, travel).

So mental practice isn't only motivational. It engages the motor system in a way that supports skill acquisition and retention.

Not Every Skill Responds the Same Way

Effects are skill-specific. In tennis, motor imagery training improved service accuracy and technique in controlled studies, but service speed and return accuracy did not always show significant gains. So imagery may be especially useful for the aspects of a skill that depend on form, timing, or sequence—and less so for raw speed or reactive elements that depend heavily on live perception. That nuance is useful when you design your own mental practice: focus on what imagery can plausibly rehearse (technique, sequence, feel) and pair it with physical practice for the rest.

Research also suggests that imagery ability itself predicts performance: athletes who report stronger imagery abilities—including affect imagery (imagining the emotions and pressure of competition)—tend to show higher athletic success. So there are individual differences; knowing your profile can help you decide how much to lean on imagery and whether to work on improving it.

Beyond Rehearsing the Same Movement

A landmark PNAS study showed that imagined movements don't only improve the movement you imagine—they can improve physically executed movements that are sequentially linked to the imagined one. In hybrid training, participants alternated imagined and physically executed segments in a sequence. That combination facilitated motor learning of the full sequence. So you can use imagery as one segment of a longer chain: imagine the setup, then execute the shot; or imagine the transition, then do the next phrase. That expands the role of mental practice beyond "rehearse the whole thing in your head."

Established Uses: Performance, Psychology, and Rehabilitation

Imagery interventions are now established as psychological tools for:

Enhancing performance — technique, consistency, and confidence in sport and performance contexts.
Psychological skills — managing arousal, focus, and self-efficacy (often in combination with other PSTs).
Injury rehabilitation — maintaining or restoring motor representation when physical practice is limited.

So mental imagery is not a fringe idea; it's part of evidence-based practice in sport and performance psychology.

Practical Takeaways

Schedule it. Aim for structured blocks (e.g. ~10 minutes, several times per week) over weeks or months rather than ad hoc.
Combine. Pair imagery with other psychological skills (goals, self-talk, relaxation) and with physical practice where possible.
Match the skill. Use imagery for technique, sequence, and "feel"; rely on physical practice for speed, reaction, and perception-heavy elements.
Consider hybrid sequences. Use imagined segments to link or prepare for executed segments in a sequence.
Know your imagery. If motor imagery comes easily, lean on it. If it doesn't, try action observation or hybrid methods, or explore training your imagery. The Imagination Index assessment gives you a profile across visual, motor, and other senses in about 12 minutes.

See Your Motor (and Full) Imagery Profile

The Imagination Index assessment includes motor imagination along with visual, auditory, and other dimensions. Athletes and performers can use it to see where they're strong—and where to supplement with observation or other strategies. The core assessment is free.

Further reading: Meta-analysis of imagery and athletic performance – PMC; Motor imagery and sequential learning – PNAS; Tennis and motor imagery – PMC; Imagery ability and athletic success – Frontiers.