Agility Psychology – Do you think about agility?
A question I am often asked, generally after a tough, but successful training session is – ‘How can I be more successful?’ And I absolutely love that handlers ask me this. I know I have been there myself, constantly asking myself what can I do better? How can I improve? What do I need to know? The pursuit of success and knowledge is what I love about my job and the agility community I live in.
After chatting with many different handlers over the years, one key to success has resonated with me more than any others, and that is just thinking about agility.
What on Earth do I mean by that?
I think about agility a lot. Like all. The. Time.
A friend asked me what I was thinking so hard about, and in my head I was running an agility course. Damn, I have even dreamed about running courses. Courses that I have done. Courses I won. Courses I was eliminated from. I even dreamed that I fell over a tunnel while running a course, something that has never actually happened in real life!
I think about what my dogs are great at. I think about what needs work. I think about the training I need to do to improve. I think about the training I can do if it is a rainy day, or I’m too tired or busy.
Most importantly, I think about running the course successfully right before I run it.
You know, that nerve wracking time when you have just walked the course, now you need to go and warm up your dog before you do the actual running of the course.
That is when I am thinking the hardest about agility. By the time I have stepped on the start line I have already run the course successfully several times in my own mind. I sit in the van and visualize how I will handle the course. I physically run through the movements and cues while running it in my mind. Whilst queuing, I am still memorizing the patterns.
This course has already been competed a hundred times in my head. Now I just need to do it once more.
“If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it.” – Muhammad Ali
The more you rehearse the course in your mind, the better prepared you will be on the start line. Half the battle is already won.
So how do I visualize my success?
- Visualize the outcome that you want. A clear round as fast as you can! See the course in your mind and run through all of the obstacles. Its OK to think about any traps there may be on the course, or any places where you feel your dog might go wrong, but do not visualize them going wrong. Think about what you are going to do to get it right!
- Add in the physical movements. Yes it feels a bit silly at first. Take yourself off into a quiet corner if you are self conscious.
- Practice in low pressure situations, like training classes, or on short sequences.
- If your in a competition, feel the excitement of completing the course at the end.
- Practice, practice, practice!
So, how much do you think about agility?
