Mental Training to Improve the 40-Meter-Distance Archery Accuracy with Imagery and Meditation Methods

Abstract

Lack of concentration and accuracy can lead to less optimal shot results in archery sports. This study aimed to find the effect of imagery and meditation exercises on the accuracy of 40-meter-distance archery performed by archery athletes. This research was an experimental study with two groups of pretest-posttest designs. The sample included 24 athletes selected using purposive sampling, with the criteria included: being men, being active athletes, and doing routine training. The sample was divided into two groups through ordinal pairing. The first half went into an imagery group, and the other went into a meditation group. Both groups were given treatment in 10 meetings. The research instrument used involved an archery test scoring for a 40-meter distance. The collected data were tested for their normality using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov technique and homogeneity using the Levene statistic technique with a significant level of 5% (p>0.05). Meanwhile, the researcher applied the paired samples t-test for hypothesis testing. Conclusions. The study results showed (a) there was an influence of imagery training and meditation practice on improving the archery athletes' accuracy, (b) and there is a difference in the effects between imagery practice and meditation on improving archery accuracy, where imagery practice has a greater degree of improving archery accuracy in archery athletes than meditation practice.