Training the Central Nervous System to Improve Speed, Coordination, and Outcomes
by Melinda Burris

This article explores the need for competitive athletes to prime the central nervous system (CNS) to encourage faster response times, improved coordination, and desired outcomes. As the literature shows, there is a close relationship between mental focus and the ability to visualize and manifest your goals. It will also discuss how your mental strength affects your physical prowess.

To sharpen your central nervous system’s  (CNS) response time, you need to be able to focus mentally. Experts agree, and research studies have repeatedly shown that athletes who practice visualization and mental imagery techniques as part of their training for competition are able to improve sports skills and strategies to achieve desired outcomes.^1,2

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Visualization has been likened to a “cognitive rehearsal” that allows the athlete to bring together the mental and physical in sports training. Constantly visualizing yourself performing a feat causes stimulation in the brain in the very neural pathways that would be lit up if you were to execute the task you are focusing on. In essence, the human brain does not make a distinction between something a person vividly imagines and something a person is actually doing.¹

Types of Visualization

• Process Visualization: As the name suggests, this is where you focus on imagining yourself reaching your goal in a step-by-step manner, paying attention to every detail, every movement your body must make to complete the task at hand.¹
• Outcome Visualization: This type of visualization is results-oriented. Imagine yourself performing at your peak to win the race or improve your finishing time substantially.¹
• Motivational Visualization: In this type of visualization, you focus on the emotions you will feel as you perform and succeed in achieving your goal. Having visions of victory can instill a stronger sense of self-confidence and resolve to succeed, increasing positive motivation and mental toughness.¹

Experts agree that solid athletic performance is linked to mental strength and fortitude. Your valuation of yourself as a strong athlete will help you perform as one with increased explosive power, strength, coordination, speed, and better outcomes. Plateaus can be very frustrating, and they are frequently seen when an athlete seeks to increase their speed. To push past these blocks, make sure you are training at your full speed as often as possible so that eventually your body senses the need to go faster and a new brain pattern is created, pushing you into overspeed training.²

It is important to remember that one of the primary functions of the CNS is to evoke a physical response to stimuli. This is how the human body relates to external stimuli, such as flinching in response to fire or swatting away insects that come near your face.  Your CNS also controls how your muscles contract in response to movements you make during a workout or competition. When your central nervous system is strong and alert, you are able to complete more reps because your response times and coordination are faster.

To prompt your CNS to be more alert, you will want to do power-based drills using a kettlebell or medicine ball rather than a barbell with extra weight on board. Because you want your drills to be quick, it is easier to have one large item that you can quickly swing rather than bulking up with additional weight.²

A key point you must remember when using visualization to stimulate the CNS is that you must be able to get past any mental blocks that leave you unable to see yourself as successful in achieving your goal. Essentially, we are talking about the need to develop mental fortitude. If you approach a workout or competition with a positive attitude and conviction in your ability to win, you will have better outcomes. Conversely, if you see yourself as weak and question your ability to perform, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

To optimize CNS performance, you should do certain things:

1. Target your training on the movements you need to be able to make in your specific sport.
2. Increase your focus on high velocity and reflexive training.

You want to appreciate the fact that your CNS is always active; if it weren’t, you wouldn’t be able to move or react to anything. However, a competitive athlete wants a CNS that is primed.

You can help prime your CNS by combining power training with weight lifting. This has been shown to yield better results than warming up by completing 10 minutes of anaerobic exercise. Jump drills such as the single leg lateral jump and the vertical jump can improve your coordination, strength, speed and agility.

One thing you want to remain clear about is that the CNS is the body’s protection system. It senses stimuli so it can protect you. Because of this if you try to complete a workout using an injured body part, your brain will perceive this as a threat to the body and will “down regulate power to the muscle.”³ The brain senses when your joints are unable to bear full power, such as when you have a damaged knee. The brain sends the body signals to send less power to the compromised area.

Conclusion

Training of the central nervous system is based on the understanding that to be strong physically, you must be strong mentally. If you are able to visualize yourself achieving something and you go in with mental clarity that it will happen, your performance will improve. In essence, the adage, “If you see it, you can be it,” is true. Combining visualization with explosive power exercises will help you increase your speed while honing your coordination and agility. When the mind and body are on the same page, goals are achieved.

References:

1. Puentes, J. (13 March 2024). Visualization Techniques for Athletes: Boosting Performance Through Mental Imagery.
2. Dickson, J. (18 March 2025). How to Activate Your Central Nervous System to Become Freakishly Fast.
3. Smith, J. (2025). Central Nervous System Training 101: The Creation of Strength and Superhuman Athleticism.

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