You read the piece with the a couple of days ago 10 Questions for Harrie Lavreysen, the world's fastest sprinter? And did reading about his approach to challenges on the track give you goosebumps?
It will be that the effort under 10 seconds at 73 on average it's something that escapes the imagination of the most traditional cyclist, We asked ourselves how the Dutchman's mind works and how much work goes into his way of thinking.. So we hung on to the bell of the Dr. Manuella Crini, asking her as a psychologist to try to interpret those sentences.
"For some people," he explains, "saying 'I win' creates anxiety. He even needs to say it to himself." I set myself victory as my only option., so I tap directly into dopamine before I've even won."
The changing brain
It is a mechanism in which the prefrontal cortex is involved, the front part of the brain that plays a key role in executive functions, such as strategy-making, planning, emotional control, attention, concentration, and impulse control. By simulating the challenge in his head, Lavreysen produces an early release of testosterone. While convincing himself that he is running for victory and that he has already won, take advantage of a release of dopamine that causes positive feelings and in the long run it succeeds change not only the chemical composition, but also the structure of the winner's brain.
Could we think that we are facing a borderline case?
I don't think so. These aren't the words of someone who says, "I have to win, otherwise I'm nobody." Here a notable self-esteem shines through, calibrated and well-centered. A sign that he has worked hard at it since he was a child or that his parents have been good. In the same way that he exudes confidence when he talks about his teammatesThey are super competitive in competition, but they are not competitive with each other. Internal competition does not determine defeat on a human level, on the contrary. Even if you beat me, I can use your strategies to be better than you next time.
Does there have to be a lot of coaching behind it?
There is certainly someone very prepared behind this. Someone who made him understand that one's being good depends on others.They have a truly remarkable mind behind them. To the point of thinking that if Lavreysen can't keep up this pace in the long run, due to the simplest of physical declines or because he can no longer live solely for sport, he will be willing to change roles without making a drama out of it.
Does the fact that the race lasts 9 seconds change things?
Conscious thought has no time to formulate itselfThere's also a lot of endorphin in those nine seconds. You just go, knowing that the margin for error is very small. We need to work on the automatisms and to do this, he needs to experience the race first..
In fact, he says: when there isn't enough tension, I sit down and run the race in my head...
And here we enter in the wide world of concentration techniques, although in this case we must speak of focused attention. It would be It's curious to know if they use simulators or virtual reality tools., where the headset allows you to modulate the image with brain control.
How does knowledge of your opponents fit into this picture?
I don't think you can look too much at others. Knowing them by heart means you can predict their moves.. The way he tells it, the race is all about prediction. In my opinion, when he gets on the track, Lavreysen has already done and won the race.
Skiers are also responsible for racing first, as they retrace their turns by miming the trajectories with their hands…
You close your eyes and the first task is to empty the mind, chasing away intrusive thoughtsThen you create the scenario with your imagination. The act of moving the limbs tricks the brain, which does not understand whether it is true or not.. If I can do this type of training consistently, the motor cortex develops more, the nerve endings increase and in competition I perform di più.
How do you get rid of intrusive thoughts?
It's part of coaching. Thought is a reflex, you can't stop it, but you can manage it when you have it in your handsAnd in any case, it also requires a great deal of motivation, without which you can't even manage such a rhythmic life. Without which you can't sleep with your arms trapped in some kind of straitjacket. You do it only because it is functional to something else: you have a goal and motivationDo you really want to know how to get rid of intrusive thoughts?
Maybe thanks…
Take a clock with a second hand and set it to turn for 60 seconds. Without thinking about anything else, keeping your mind clear. Every time a different thought comes, put it away.. If you do it once a day, after three weeks you will be able to manage your thoughtsJust try it…
