Doyoueverpracticeplayingthepianoinyourmindbytappingonimaginaryblackandwhitekeyswhenyouhavenopianoinfrontofyou?It’snotunusual--greatpianistslikePolish-AmericanArthurRubinsteinsometimesusedtopracticeintheir

　　Doyoueverpracticeplayingthepianoinyourmindbytappingonimaginaryblackandwhitekeyswhenyouhavenopianoinfrontofyou?It’snotunusual--greatpianistslikePolish-AmericanArthurRubinsteinsometimesusedtopracticeintheirminds.

　　Formorethan100yearsscientistshavebeentryingtounderstandhowthismentaltrainingworks.Inthe1930sresearchersshowedthatwhenyou’reimagininganactionyourbrainsendssignalstoyourmusclesthataretooweaktomakethemusclesmovebutmighthelptrainthebodytoperform.Practicinginyourheadmightalsocreateaninnerhow-toguideforaspecialskillinyourmind.

　　Sportspsychologist（心理学家）havecarriedouthundredsofstudiescomparingimaginedandreal-lifepracticeforactionssuchasjugglingandtapdancingaccordingtothePopularSciencewebsite.Overalltheresearchshowsthatmentaltrainingworks.A2012studyforexamplecompared32amateurgolferswhotriedtohitgolfballsintoholestoanother32whojustheldagolfclubintheirhandsandthoughtabouttheirswings.Underthesametrainingbothgroupsendedupdoingbetterandgettingtheballaboutfourinches（10cm）closertothehole.

　　Visualizationhasadvantagesovertherealthing:youcandoitanywhereevenwheninjured.It’ssafe--abigadvantageforpeoplewhoworkinjobsinwhichtherearebigproblemswhenthingsgowrongsuchasgymnastsandsurgeons（外科医生）.Andyoucanpracticeforlongerperiodsoftimeinyourheadbecauseyourbodycan’tgettired.Thatdoesn’tmeanit’seasyhowever.“We’vehadOlympic-levelathletessittinginourlabvisualizingfortwohours”saysTadhgMacIntyreasportspsychologistattheUniversityofLimerickinIreland.“Whenwe’redonethey’reincrediblytired.”

　　Itdoesn’tworkforeveryonethough.“Ifyou’renotexperiencedintheactivityitcanmakethingsworse”warnsMacIntyre.“Ifyou’retryingtovisualizeafreethrowandyoudon’tevenknowtheproperwaytoholdtheballandmovethenyou’reprobablygoingtopracticethewrongskillinyourheadandyouwon’tgetbetter.”

　　32.Accordingtothetextmentaltraining .

　　A.canbeaseffectiveasphysicaltraining B.isgoodforbuildingupmuscles C.canbenefitbeginnersaswellasmasters D.issuitableforallkindsofskills