I will often visualise technique a lot before I teach it in class, especially on the way to class. But yeah, not much apart from that: I'd rather do it. Though it's definitely a useful training tool, particularly when you don't have access to training (which would be the case for most of us for at least some of this year, I'd assume).

Do you see yourself doing the move? Do you see in 1st person or 3rd person, or some other way? Are you visualizing your teaching/instruction, or just the act of the technique?

in the shower after class

This is different than sobbing in the shower in fetal position after tough rolls?

I've always replayed tough rolls in my head trying to fix what went wrong or at least identify why. Found it tremendously useful. I'd do this on the bus ride or drive back home (be careful when doing this), in the shower after class etc.

Yep, I visualise myself doing it first person, both doing the technique and also how I'd teach the technique. Anybody that knows me will have heard me talk about how much I love planning, because I'm super German about it. I like to plan to the nth degree, so all the timings, plus specific phrases I want to use when explaining. YAY PLAN! :D :D :D

Do you mean to be careful so as not to dwell on the negative too much? Or, more about diverting your attention away from a more important task, such as driving home?

I do this often, mostly as a comp prep tool. How to initiate the first attack, simple grip fighting exchanges, different options to finishing a single leg, transitioning straight to a pass after a takedown etc... Also mentally preparing to react to most common scenarios that happens on the comp mat. Always get pumped up when I start to think about it. :D Not imagining me winning or stuff like that, just mentally drilling (aggressive) attacking & reacting. If I try to mentally visualize a more complex move sequence, I easily get lost and it doesn't translate so well to actual training.

I mean when driving and not paying attention to the road as you're mimicking a grip change instead of holding on to the wheel. You're supposed to dwell on the negative in the sense of what you've done wrong, not in the sense of emotions etc.

This is different than sobbing in the shower in fetal position after tough rolls?

Differentiate between visualisation for motor skill learning and emotional / cognitive regulation. Then look up fro best practices depending on your goal. Sincerely yours, Jorgen a-soon-to-be-licenced-sport-psychologist

a-soon-to-be-licenced-sport-psychologist

Differentiate between visualisation for motor skill learning and emotional / cognitive regulation. Then look up fro best practices depending on your goal. Sincerely yours, Jorgen a-soon-to-be-licenced-sport-psychologist

I only do it while preparing for class now. I used to do this more often when planning my rolls and after rolling or drilling. Haven't really thought about it anymore. I brain dump more now after training. I don't even think about it.

Is your profession is teaching Jiu-jitsu? Do you possess another occupation? I do think about my rolls after, but it is in a detached way. Soooo....obviously, you have WAY more reps than me! I don't even need to tell you that. It is given, but it applies to my point. I am getting more reps for myself quicker by visualizing. My brain fools my body vice versa into thinking that I am doing the move repetitiously. I study a move, I do a move in class with the instructor's supervision (sometimes), I review or study the move on video after class, (that day or the day after) I visualize. In the next few days, I visualize the move/s until I can get back to class or drill with partners. We hardly ever go back to that same move in class. It may be weeks or a month or more before we get to it again. This might pertain anecdotally, I pick it up fairly quickly using the methods mentioned.

I am full time manager/construction worker. BJJ while a passion, is really a side gig for me. Always has been. I find focus/positional sparring works best after drilling technique. This way when it fails you start right back in the same position and continue to repeat until you iron out any errors in execution. Then try and hit it while rolling with your partners. Stay true to your plan of getting to the desired position and keep trying until you hit it. May take a long time but it works.

We hardly ever go back to that same move in class. It may be weeks or a month or more before we get to it again.

This sounds like a problem. Can you get early to a class to drill with a buddy, or stay after? Or get somebody on some kind of a suitable surface somewhere else to practice the moves until you got em.

This sounds like a problem. Can you get early to a class to drill with a buddy, or stay after? Or get somebody on some kind of a suitable surface somewhere else to practice the moves until you got em.

Regular open mat + dedicated training partner makes a MASSIVE difference to your progress. Especially purple and up.

It is actually because I don't get to class on a consistent schedule. Not their fault. My fault.

ONLY WHEN CLASSES BUILD UPON THE LESSONS OF PREVIOUS CLASSES IN A CONTINUOUS LINE OF PROGRESS CAN YOU BUILD TOWARDS YOUR LONG TERM GOALS IN THE SPORT From a recent Danaher post... :D but I find this very truthful. If you cannot get in class often enough to follow the 'line', you need to probably work in some aux training yourself to supplement it. And if every class is just a random techniques (either by design or by your attendance intervals), it makes learning unnecessarily difficult in the long run.