IndexMental Imagery (MI) / Mental Practice (MP)Self-TalkConclusionAccording to Weinberg & Gould (2007), mental skills training refers to “ systematic and consistent practice of mental or psychological skills with the aim of improving performance, increasing enjoyment and/or achieving greater personal satisfaction". As part of mental skills training, there are numerous effective techniques that could be implemented in an athlete's prevention. However, this article will probably focus on the two most popular techniques applied in modern practice; Inner dialogue and mental images/mental practice. Vealey et al. (1998) defined mental imagery as a process of internalized rehearsal strategies involving a precise multisensory representation of athletic experience while mental practice refers to a particular application of mental imagery in which performers practice in their head or they symbolically rehearse their skills before actually performing them. .Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayDifferently, self-talk has been defined as the expression of a syntactically recognizable internal position in which the sender of the message is also the recipient of the message. This document will provide a critical analysis and evaluation of the above skills outlining the relevant key considerations to consider before their implementation, as well as providing a solid evidence base for the level of effectiveness respectively. Furthermore, an attempt will be made to provide a comparative study between the two skills to provide an understanding of the similarities and paradoxical characteristics between them. Additionally, a skill fit analysis with “what works best and for whom” will be presented. Relevant case studies will be applied within this section. Throughout the article, relevant models and theories will be applied consistently within each relevant section. Finally, a short conclusion will provide a holistic summary of the article in its entirety. Mental Imagery (MI) / Mental Practice (MP) Before implementing an MI/MP intervention, it is critical to understand the many approaches and categories of MI/MP MP to ensure the correct technique is applied to the relevant context. According to Wraga and Kosslyn (2002), there are two approaches to defining mental images; 1) intuitive, the experience of 'seeing' in the mind's eye and 2) theoretical, a cognitive representation that gives rise to the experience of perception in the absence of the appropriate sensory input. It is also critical to gain an understanding of the types of mental imagery to ensure a successful athlete-centered approach. According to Hassan et al. (2016) the types of images are as follows; 1) Visual; e.g. Imagining the movement of a visual form 2) Motor images; imagining your hand moving and 3) Kinesthetic, imagining the sensation of your hand moving. To successfully define a strategy for an individualistic MI intervention, it is necessary to take into account the nature and characteristics of the MI itself, the desired outcomes, individual differences and finally its implementation (see fig 1.1). To optimize mental imagery, the 12 recommendations outlined in Figure 1.1 will maximize the effectiveness of mental imagery in a variety of contexts and help minimize unwanted effects for client groups. Focusing on multimodal images with relevant perspectives, shots must be relevant to skills, for example external images with morphokinetic tasks.Outlining clear outcomes of each intervention in correlation with the client's experience and preference with MP techniques, such as first-person perspective, will ensure maximum adoption. To effectively implement a PM intervention, five key components must be taken into account; 1) Time, 2) Perspectives, 3) Positive or negative images, 4) Sensory activation, and 5) Activation. It is crucial that imagined actions and real actions function in the same time frame and in close correspondence, for example, mentally executing a free kick when preparing to kick the ball, as reflected in a study conducted by Munroe Chandler et al ( 2006) in the study of cognitive imagery for football strategies. Determining perspective, i.e. first or third person, is crucial as it requires both contextual intelligence and imagination. For example, according to Decay (1996) the first-person perspective relies on motor-kinesthetic processing, better suited to hitting a golf ball than performing a complex gymnastics routine. Outlining the purpose of the image intervention is crucial when deciding whether it should be positive or negative. Negative images can be helpful when developing a coping mechanism, but otherwise positive images should be adopted, with the correct physical technique. By appealing to the appropriate senses, it helps to develop further understanding of the tactile feedback involved in skill execution and to gain further motor resonance, for example by imagining the weight of a golf club in your hands. This advantage of tactile feedback in motor acquisition can be seen in a study conducted by Lieberman and Breazeal in 2007 (Liberman & Breazeal, 2007). A key consideration of this is a person's capacity for imagination. It is crucial to evaluate athletes' ability to imagine as it affects the effectiveness of imagery. Therefore, measuring imagination capacity may lead to more individualized and effective imagination interventions. The measurement can be obtained by administering the Movement Imagery Questionnaire (MIQ -3) which evaluates visual images (internal/external) and kinesthetic images. Additionally, the Vividness of Moving Imagery Questionnaire (VMIQ-2) can be administered, which assesses the vividness of visual and kinesthetic imagery. Gaining deeper knowledge of one's specific abilities related to key characteristics of imagery, i.e. vividness, level of clarity, realism or richness of a mental image, controllability, the degree to which one can manipulate or control a mental image, and emotions associated, images can evoke feelings and physiological reactions, further strengthens one's intervention. According to Monroe-Chandler & Guerrero (2017), measuring an athlete's use of imagery highlights the frequency of a specific type of imagery and highlights changes from pre- to post-intervention. To measure this, evidence-based inventories include the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ) which assesses the five functions of imagery; general cognitive, specific cognitive, specific motivational, general motivational arousal, and general motivational mastery. The Exercise Imagery Questionnaire (EIQ) and the Exercise Imagery Questionnaire (EIQ) are also optional inventories that measure highly influential factors such as the purpose of the imagery, as well as exercise self-efficacy and exercise routine imagery. Following the model of the 3 learning phases of Fitts and Posner (1967) it is vital to know which learning phase, for example cognitive, associative and autonomous, the athlete is currently in. This influences the complexity and level of intervention requiredconsidering the contextual factors of the intervention, for example the time of the season, the environment or the stage of the injury, as this can dictate the emotional state of the participant which can influence their cognitive/emotional load. The average concentration cycle is approximately 15 minutes, so planning short imagery intervention sessions in line with the client's mental load constraints will ensure optimal frequency of imagery training. individual to learn and adopt. It can promote focusing attention, increasing motivation, reviewing performance, improving performance, acquiring skills, performing skills, breaking maladaptive habits, and strengthening adaptive habits. However, several key considerations must be taken into account before implementing a self-talk intervention. Ensuring the precise objectives of the intervention is crucial as this determines the strategy of the intervention. If the goal is to decrease insecurity and improve performance, positive self-talk is recommended as this supports a positive self-concept and increases self-confidence, benefiting self-efficacy and, according to Stretcher et al (1986 ), self-efficacy is vital to achieving human behavior change and skill acquisition. By taking advantage of positive self-talk, it also supports greater concentration of attention. Therefore, honing directed attention and task-specific attentional focus increases participants' performance ability. For example, by directing the focus of attention to external processes, the motor system is allowed to self-organize naturally while the participant concentrates on the effect of the movement, thus indicating a higher degree of automaticity and less conscious interference within of a technique-driven task, such as balance. Positive self-talk can also improve emotional control which can hinder performance such as high levels of anxiety. According to Craft et al (2003) high levels of anxiety have a negative effect on performance, therefore self-talk can have a direct positive impact on sports performance thanks to the improved ability to regulate and control emotions. Exploiting negative self-talk has been shown to be as maladaptive to performance as it promotes; Irrelevant thoughts, increased fatigue, increased levels of worry and disengagement. This is reflected in a study conducted by Raalt et al (2000), where players engaging in negative self-talk was correlated with reduced points earned. A critical aspect to consider is which category of self-talk is applicable to the relevant context for an optimal outcome. performance. There are two types of self-talk; 1) Instructive and 2) Motivational and both have independent benefits for performance. Taking advantage of didactic self-talk is very useful when facilitating the execution of tasks that require sustained concentration, action planning and specific motor movements. Instructive self-talk can be used for a beginner learning a new skill, as observed in a study by Anderson et al (1999) teaching third grade students hand throwing using instructive self-talk. Instructional self-talk can also be used in elite performance when reiterating a process to help regulate thoughts instead of focusing on the kinematics of movement. Leveraging motivational self-talk has a direct impact on improving confidence, increasing engagement levels, and improving positive mindset. Generally motivational self-talk is used for tasks that.