Anchors are a psychological tool used mainly in NeuroLinguisticProgramming and conversational hypnosis. However, it really doesn't work the same way here. You're just associating a certain thing, be it a phrase, action, thought, vision, etc., subconsciously with a specific and precise motion connected with your body.

Sometimes we even do it when we don't realize it. You could unknowingly tap your knee with your index finger when you eat ice cream, and so you never understood why you get "random" cravings for that delicious sweet.

But all you're doing is associating things; bringing up a mental picture/thought/action. All this would really do is make you think about the technique that you've anchored, and that can be done consciously.

I brought this up because I read about it in some article a while back, but never thought to try and apply it to motions. I can do backtucks no problem on my soft carpet at home, but I couldn't force myself to do one on concrete. One day I remembered it, and did like 20 back tucks with touching my shoulders before each one. The next day I went out on my driveway, touched my shoulders, and did a backflip no problem.

Its true that it brings up a mental picture/though/action, but that can be the key, because the fear of breaking your head open on concrete can be making you loose focus of the technique you should be doing. By bringing up that mental picture, you are focusing on that rather then the fact that you are doing the flip on concrete.

A lot of athletes do it too, consciously or subconsciously. For example tennis players bounce the ball a couple times before the serve. I'm sure many traceurs subconsciously do little "rituals" too before they do a move, like rubbing hands together, or taking a couple of breaths. I wrote this to shed some light on it as a tool you can consciously use to help yourself.

Thats what I believe, Im not an expert, but I do read a lot of books . Fear in those situations is just another obstacle,  mental anchors are a tool one can use pass that obstacle.

So could you conciously create a mental anchor to help you, or can they only be from a subconcious action or thought?

From the way he explains it, it sounds like it could be either.  Like giving a dog a treat after doing a trick?  But you'd only do it consciously if you completed the move successfully, that way only the good ones are ingrained with that mental anchor.  And if you are having trouble doing or getting the confidence for a move, then you would use your mental anchor motion (didn't know how else to put it) to give you that subconcious motivation for it.

At least that's what I got from reading everything above.

Well, you can do it consciously as a tool, or it might just happen sub-consciously. The downside is, you can be come somewhat dependent on it, which is why, when I feel mentally blocked, I force myself to just concsciously think positively about the move, rather than use an anchor. It's a personal choice, though. =]

wow 0.0 i had this today friday night i was precision jumping these two rails and i couldnt do it today ima try this thnxya so much
ruskiman

i know a lot of athletes that do this kind of stuff.
many gymnasts and pole vaulters i know for a fact have specific "rituals", routines, or w/e they have to do before each jump or move.
It can be anything too, my friend had to have on a specific pair of socks every time he competed, i had a pre-jump routine for pole vaulting that i did on the runway before every jump. It doesn't necessarily have to be an action, just the thought that somethings in place can put your mind at ease and be the mental anchor.

lucky underwear anyone lol