A class of high school basketball players with similar skills was divided into three groups to conduct an experiment.Group one was told not to practice shooting free throws for one month. Group two was told to practice shooting free throws an hour a day for a month. Group three was told to practice shooting free throws an hour a day for a month – but only in their imaginations.
At the end of the month, all three groups were tested. The group that didn’t practice slipped slightly in its percentage of free throw successes. The group that practiced an hour a day also slipped slightly. But the third group, which practiced only in their minds, increased its success rate by two percentage points.
How could actual practice, such as that done by the second group, fail to improve performances as much as practicing in the mind?
The explanation is that in your mind, you never miss a shot.
What are you practicing in your mind?
