New findings on imagery use: What do exercisers imagine during gym workouts and why

Background: Mental imagery (MI) is a psychological technique that is traditionally used in the absence of movement by athletes, exercisers, and dancers. In the few instances that MI (i.e., the formation of mental images) was investigated during exercise, it was found that it may produce positive emotional responses. Therefore, its use during movement deserves further investigation. Objective: The aim of the present research was to investigate the types and functions of MI used by gym members during their workouts (i.e., what do they imagine and why), both when the images are dictated by the instructors (i.e., guided MI) and when generated by the exercisers (i.e., personalized MI). Additionally, to examine if MI use is influenced by individual characteristics. Methods: A total of 130 exercisers completed the Exercise Imagery Pilot Questionnaire-Gym Version, which investigates through open and close-ended questions the characteristics of MI used during work-outs. Data were analysed with SPSS (descriptive statistics, analysis of frequencies, and chi-square test of independence). Regarding the types and functions of MI, the answers of the exercisers in the open-ended questions were grouped into common categories. Results: More than half of the exercisers responded that they use MI while exercising. Younger adults were more prone to use MI than older ones. The most frequent type of guided MI was “metaphorical images” and of personalized MI “images of other places”. MI was mainly used for motivational reasons, for example, to distract attention from tired-ness and pain and to make the exercisers feel peaceful and relaxed. Conclusions: These findings indicate that MI is used creatively by exercisers, mainly to reduce exercise-induced unpleasant sensations and enhance pleasant feelings during exercise.