Episode #235 The Power of Mental Repetition

Mindset Matters

🎙️ Episode Title: “How to Train Without Moving a Muscle (The Power of Mental Reps)” OPENING HOOK (0:00–0:30) “Let me ask you something... Have you ever laid in bed the night before a big game and walked through the whole thing in your head? The warm-up, the noise, the play-call, the snap, the moment... What if I told you—that right there—is actual practice? Yep. Today, I’m gonna show you the science behind mental reps—and how you can literally improve performance… without ever moving a muscle.” “There’s a fatty layer in your brain called the myelin sheath. Think of it like insulation on an electrical wire. The more reps you take—mental or physical—the more this sheath wraps around your neural pathways, locking in those skills and making your brain faster, sharper, and more focused. Now here’s the game-changer: You don’t actually have to move your body to build it. When you visualize an action with detail—your brain lights up as if you were physically doing it. 🧠⚡️It’s not ‘muscle memory’—it’s neural insulation getting thicker, stronger, and more automatic. One study I love—144 basketball players were split into two groups. One group physically shot free throws. The other group mentally rehearsed free throws in detail—same length, same emotion, same focus. At the end of the week? They improved the same amount. Let that sink in. You can use mental reps to get better without burning out your body.” “Alright, let’s make this personal. Think of a moment in your sport—or life—where you wish you’d done something different. 🧠💭 Now close your eyes and mentally walk through that scene. Slow it down. Rewind it. Now play it again—but this time, do it right. Ask yourself: What do I see? What do I hear? What do I feel in my body? What’s the smell in the air, or the taste in my mouth? The more senses you use, the more real it becomes—and the more myelin you build on those brain circuits. This isn’t fantasy. It’s not ‘woo woo’. It’s how elite athletes get extra reps without extra wear and tear.” “Here’s how I start imagery sessions with the athletes I work with. Step 1: Breathe. Inhale for 4… exhale for 6. Calm the mind, calm the body. Step 2: Progressive relaxation. From your toes to your forehead—relax each muscle group and sink into your seat. Step 3: Walk through the moment. Your warm-up. Your cleats hitting the turf. The crowd. The wind. The snap. The shot. The celebration. Use all five senses. And here’s the magic—practice both what’s already happened and what’s coming. Fix the past. Rehearse the future. Do both.” “You don’t need a field. You don’t need a gym. You don’t even need your shoes on. All you need is five minutes… and some guts. Champions see it before they live it. And like Bill Walsh said: ‘Champions act like champions long before they are champions.’ So… what moment are you about to rehearse? DM me your answer or tag me in your mental rep routine. Let’s build this together. Until next time—train your brain, and trust the reps.”