The Athletic Brain by Amit Katwala

Author:Amit Katwala [Alward, Amy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781471155925
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

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SHORTCUTS TO PEAK PERFORMANCE

Listen to your brain

Neurofeedback devices such as the Versus headset are helping people control their brain activity and produce the same pattern of alpha waves found during flow. Learning to control your brain activity through neurofeedback could help train the brain to produce the pattern of activity found during flow in a sporting context, and build neural pathways that will make it easier to get into the zone when you’re playing.

Control your breathing

You don’t have to splash out on expensive neurofeedback sessions or a do-it-at-home kit, or choke down earthy beetroot juice. Buddhist monks and nuns in meditation show a similar pattern of brain activity to people in flow, and you can unlock some of the benefits of flow, such as a release of relaxing endorphins, through meditation. But the easiest way to improve your chances of getting into flow is to simply control your breathing. By doing so, you’ll help release the calming endorphins and neurotransmitters that, when combined with those released during the flight, fight or freeze response, trigger a hyper-productive flow state. ‘If you’re breathing really shallow, fast, anxious breaths you’re producing too much cortisol, stressing your body out too much and it’s going to block flow,’ says Kotler.

Pull the right triggers

Flow happens when you’re pushing at the edge of your abilities, so whatever activity you favour, make sure you’re not stuck in a rut. Get out of your comfort zone and challenge your skill level, but don’t go too far. The sweet spot is thought to be around 4 per cent – the challenge should be 4 per cent harder than your current skill level to maximise flow. You can maximise the chances of flow in other areas of your life by eliminating distractions. Turn off alerts on your phone or from your email account, minimise any background noise, and you’ll find it much easier to get into hyper-productive flow state.

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