How great are your visualization skills? Can you imagine a move with such vividness that it is almost as if you were performing it live? Did you ever hear of Nikola Tesla? He invented AC power and his imaginative skills were so well honed that he was able to assemble and disassemble a motor within his mind’s eye and do this with such accuracy that when the motor was built it ran perfectly.

Next time you picture yourself performing a move, imagine the feel of locking in that armbar. See yourself pulling off the submission with perfect technique. Keep repeating this until you can see yourself performing the armbar PERFECTLY. However, the most CRUCIAL part of this training is constant repetition and using the imagination to create the reality.

If you don't do that you might as well swim in the sand.

One of the benefits of visualization is that your buddies may start calling you the "Armlocking Monkey" because of your enhanced mat skills. However, a larger benefit is that consistently practicing this visualization will allow you to vividly work a move inside your head, iron out any kinks, and when you step on the mat, you’re already in Monkey Stomp Mode!

Remember, visualization isn’t anything difficult. Just taking fifteen minutes a day in a quiet, relaxing environment and beginning to see yourself training sharper and more technical will be the first step to seeing the results on the mat. Relax as you train on the mat, too, and it will allow you to perform better technically.

As always, enjoy Jiu Jitsu and train for longevity!

Eddie Edmunds is the head instructor of Team Fusion Academy in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is a Black Belt under Professor Pedro Sauer and has been a loyal student under Professor Sauer since 1992.