E51: PETTLEP Series - Basketball - Shooting a Free Throw

Hello and welcome back to the sports mastermind. Last week we used PETTLEP to break down serving a ball in beach volleyball. In this final episode of the series, we will be going over the sequence of events leading up to shooting a free throw in basketball. For those of you that are new to the series, see episode 46 for more details on PETTLEP imagery. 

Transcript

Laura Ratto: Ball. Breathe. Basket. What are those fans doing? Missed the first one, can't miss this one. What was I supposed to do before my shot? Why is it so hard to focus right now? I do this all the time in practice. Hello and welcome back to the Sports Mastermind. Last week we used PETTLEP to breakdown serving a ball in beach volleyball. In this final episode of the series, we'll be going over the sequence of events leading up to shooting a free throw in basketball. For those of you that are new to this series, see episode 46 for more details on PETTLEP imagery. I will describe a scenario, explain what to focus on, and run you through a sequence that you can listen to while you visualize that has keywords and phrases to help keep your focus on track. This is great for beginners and those new to visualization. As you become more comfortable with the skill of visualization, keep in mind that it's important to personalize the images when doing imagery intervention. As with any skill when you first start, you want to start with a few minutes a day and build up. Benefits can be seen in as little as 10 minutes a session. Research has shown that the range is anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes a session to see significant benefits. With a minimum of 3 sessions per week. Imagery can done any time from when you first wake up before practice, before competition, or before going to bed, just to name a few. This episode will be going over the sequence of events leading up to shooting a free throw in basketball. Imagery is best done in the environment in which you're going to be competing. If you cannot be in the environment where you normally compete, try to mimic it as much as possible, such as finding a wood floor to stand on. So grab your shoes, shorts and home game jersey and do this imagery session in your home gym or simulated environment. Are you there? Go ahead and pause this recording. I'll be here when you get back. Now that you have in your gear, imagine the situation. You're on the free throw line waiting for the ref to give you the ball. Imagine yourself in the gym, look to your side and see the stands pulled out. Imagine the fans that are in the stands smell the smells from your home gym. You remember listening to episode seven of the Sports Mastermind podcast that explained to you mental preparation and the importance of developing a pre-performance routine. You hear the home team fans as they cheer for you knowing that they will go silent before the shot. You look to the ref to throw you the ball. Standing behind the free throw line, you position your feet in the same location that you always do with your shooting foot in line with the center of the rim. You bounce the ball four times and then find the air valve hole and place your index finger over the valve. Remembering to slightly bend your knees, you bring the ball up and line up your shooting arm with the middle of the hoop, using your non shooting hand to steady the ball. As you move your gaze from the bowel to the basket, you shift your focus to the middle of the rim, visualizing the ball going into the basket. You take a deep breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth. As you inhale again, hold your breath and lift up the ball. You straighten your shooting arm to take the shot, snap your wrist to follow through and watch the ball go in the basket, barely touching the net on the way down. This is just one of many scenarios that can use PETTLEP imagery to practice shooting a free throw in basketball. While this first example is good to listen to for cues and specifics, as you get more comfortable with imagery, it is important to make it as personal and specific as possible. For example, you can envision playing in an away gym or in a playoff or championship match. Be as specific as possible to the details, such as the changing elements. Do you have home fans behind the basket that are being quiet? Or away fans that are making noise and causing visual distractions? In addition to changing the environment, you can also change the emotional or level of arousal component. Let's say that it is the beginning of the game. Now it is a tied game. Now there is 2 seconds left and the game is tied. Now is the end of the game with no time left and you are down by one and you have two free throw shots. How are these changes in the situation effect how you would be feeling? Who are you playing against? Is it a rival team? Is your focus where it should be? How is your self talk? Incorporating self talk when using imagery is important because that is the best time to practice imagining and working through highly stressful situations before you have to be in them. Notice how these changes in situations could lead to different thoughts and emotions going through your head. Think about what you'll be thinking and feeling in these situations and incorporate those into your visualization. What things can you do to help reduce your levels of anxiety so you're in a position where you can perform optimally? Here is a quick review of things to use when you're creating your own PETTLEP imagery scenarios. First, we start with the physical environment you imagined you were at your home gym. Next, we examined other components of the environment. In an ideal situation, imagery should be done in the same location as where you are competing or in an environment as similar to where you compete as possible. What are the sights, sounds and smells that you experience? We moved our focus a little more internal to the task. You imagined the details related to the task and your thoughts and feelings while performing the task. How long does the skill take? You imagined yourself performing the skill in real time. You imagine yourself performing the skill from an internal perspective, meaning seeing the action through your own eyes as opposed to watching yourself on TV. It is also important to factor in emotion of the skill. How do you feel in the specific scenarios? As you get better with imagery and the physical skills involved with your movement, the thing that you visualize will need to change. For example, you may move from a free throw at home to a free throw away, to a jump shot with a defender, to a more difficult play. Now that you have a basketball free throw example of PETTLEP imagery, what are some other scenarios that you want to try? If you'd like me to run you through a PETTLEP scenario, email or send me a voice memo to Laura@rattoconsulting.com and yours could be used in this or other upcoming series. If you or your coach's organization are interested in hosting a workshop or virtual seminar on this or any other sports psychology or performance optimizing topic, please contact me at rattoconsulting.com or email me at laura@rattoconsulting.com. That's Laura at R-A-T-T-O-C-O-N-S-U-L-T-I-N-G.com. And remember what Michael Jordan said, you miss 100% of the shots you never take.