Science-Based Mental Training & Visualization for Improved Learning

In this episode, I explore the science of mental visualization and its application for learning motor and cognitive skills. I discuss neuroplasticity-based skill development and the roles of focus, sleep, movement restriction, and agitation. I then present five key principles of mental visualization to enhance learning speed, accuracy, and consistency. I also provide examples of specific protocols, including repetitions, rest periods, and session frequency, and how to adapt these methods for injuries or breaks from traditional training. Throughout, I reference the scientific studies supporting these concepts. This episode should allow anyone to learn or teach more effectively through the use of mental visualization and training. For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman Momentous: https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Mental Training & Visualization (00:05:01) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up (00:08:04) Developmental vs. Adult Neuroplasticity (00:11:42) Learning New Skills: Focus & Sleep (00:14:49) Long-Term Potentiation (LTP), Long-Term Depression (LTD) & New Skills (00:23:42) Principle #1: Very Brief, Simple, Repeated Visualization (00:26:35) Sponsor: AG1 (00:30:51) Principle #2: Mental Training Cannot Replace Real Training (00:37:36) Principle #3: Combining Real & Mental Training (00:43:17) Principle #4: Assigning Real-World Labels to Visualizations (00:50:37) Principle #5: Mental Imagery Equivalence to Real-World Perception (00:55:28) Tools: Effective Mental Training: Epochs, Repetitions, Sets & Frequency (01:05:00) Adding Mental Training; Injury, Travel or Layoffs (01:11:09) Timing of Mental Training & Sleep (01:15:17) Role of Gender & Age on Mental Training (01:17:10) First-Person vs. Third-Person Visualization; Eyes Open vs. Closed (01:23:53) Physical Skills, Motor Cortex & Cerebellum (01:31:15) “Go” & “No-Go” Pathways (01:34:19) Stop-Signal Task, Withholding Action (01:44:19) Aphantasia, Synesthesia; Social Cognition (01:52:58) Mental Training Practice & Benefits (01:57:36) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer

Om Podcasten

Huberman Lab discusses neuroscience — how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health. We also discuss existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works. Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist and tenured professor in the department of neurobiology, and by courtesy, psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford School of Medicine. He has made numerous significant contributions to the fields of brain development, brain function and neural plasticity, which is the ability of our nervous system to rewire and learn new behaviors, skills and cognitive functioning.  Huberman is a McKnight Foundation and Pew Foundation Fellow and was awarded the Cogan Award, given to the scientist making the most significant discoveries in the study of vision, in 2017. His lab’s most recent work focuses on the influence of vision and respiration on human performance and brain states such as fear and courage. He also works on neural regeneration and directs a clinical trial to promote visual restoration in diseases that cause blindness. Huberman is also actively involved in developing tools now in use by the elite military in the U.S. and Canada, athletes, and technology industries to optimize performance in high stress environments, enhance neural plasticity, mitigate stress and optimize sleep.   Work from the Huberman Laboratory at Stanford School of Medicine has been published in top journals including Nature, Science and Cell and has been featured in TIME, BBC, Scientific American, Discover and other top media outlets.  In 2021, Dr. Huberman launched the Huberman Lab podcast. The podcast is frequently ranked in the top 5 of all podcasts globally and is often ranked #1 in the categories of Science, Education, and Health & Fitness.