Category: Sports Performance

Does Brain Training Really Work?

Good performance is a sum of physical and mental capabilities. Sometimes the limitations that the athletes face during the workout and actual competitions are not brought about by their physical incapabilities. They come about due to cognitive demands that stem from fatigue.

So, does brain training really work? There is evidence that points to better performance and resilience after training. This training is meant to enable the mind to overcome negative events. It also helps the athlete rise above accidents and failure for a starring performance.

There is evidence that links slower reaction time to increased likelihood of getting musculoskeletal sprain and injuries to the knees, and the ankles. The communication for the muscles in these areas to contract or relax comes from the brain.

If one is trained to enhance balance and reduce the reaction times, there can be greater coordination of muscles and better performance. The training can help the athlete return to his or her pre-injury performance and strength quite fast with the right brain drill.

Physical Benefits Of Brain Training

Mind training also improves vision. The vision acuity declines as one moves up and down. Brain exercise can enhance eye tracking and eye coordination. The super sight helps the athletes, especially the ball players figure out the direction of the ball, control the ball, and hit the target. This gives the athlete a competitive advantage and a higher probability of scoring than average athletes. Visual work out improves eye performance and ability to distinguish contrasting colors during the game.

Brain training helps one get through negativity and past failures when on the track. It is common for an athlete to be overwhelmed with memories of a time that he or she did not perform well in the past. Furthermore, it is also possible for one to be under a lot of pressure to perform. These two may really put one down to a point that they are unable to perform. The training helps the athlete overcome the fear of failure and entertain feeling of happiness, success, and confidence.

Building Resilience With Mental Training

Mental training also helps build resilience. Resilience is the ability to bounce back in a catastrophic occurrence or accident. There are people who swam to victory using a single hand after the tendons of the other were torn. Their minds are better at handling the situation and push the body to perform beyond the physical limitations.

Resilience in turn helps build endurance. This is the ability to handle pain and still perform. A tough mind can deal with various difficult situations out of the playing field.

Standard mental preparation involves stressing out the intellect so that it learns to perform under strain. Several approaches are used. A popular one is the use of computer simulations and tests to keep the mind occupied.

The Mind And The Experience Of  Fatigue




Brain Training For Athletes To Enhance Performance

Just as the physical training makes you gain strength and endurance thus improving your physical performance, mind training also improves your resilience and enhances your overall performance. The mind in many times limits your performance. Brain training for athletes works by enhancing your mental ability to deal with tough, physical challenges that your body endures on the pitch and in training.

Mental Training For Focus And Beating Fatigue

If you feel too heavy and cannot run any faster, physical training can help deal with the problem by going to the gym and doing more exercise. However, if you find that you cannot run faster even when your muscles feel okay or cannot increase pace even with trying hard, you need mental training against fatigue. This training deals with distraction, cumulative stress and other cognitive demands that you may be having. Thus, if you feel that the track is getting harder with an extended workout, get your brain in shape.

A good example of pre-workout brain training involves sitting in front of your tablet, phone, or computer and perform a classic cognitive task. You may pick such a task as Stroop, Attention Network Task, or Flanker. Concentrate on the task for at least 20-90 minutes. At some point, you will lose interest on the game and the mind will start to wonder off. Looking for answers will also become tiresome. Immediately, start your workout session. The workout would be a little harder that it would have if you had not taken up the task. Try this daily and build resilience.

Mental Training Hacks