Athletes are under immense pressure to make quick, accurate decisions on a consistent basis. However, mental fatigue often leads to mistakes, as the brain becomes unable to process multiple stimuli under such conditions. Hence, it is imperative for athletes to develop unique neuro cognitive performance training. By learning how to optimize neural pathways, athletes can maximize their physical and mental potentials.
Brain training
Expert and novice athletes have different types of neural mechanisms involved in the sport-related performance. Interestingly, expert and novice athletes' neural performance is related to the same factor: the amount and quality of training. Furthermore, long-term specific training could improve connectivity between top-down processing pathways. Thus, it may be beneficial to use unconscious resources in the frontal region for improving fast-task response performance. Such resources may also be saved for motor task processing.
Neurofeedback
When used properly, neurofeedback can help an athlete increase their athletic performance. By targeting specific areas of the brain, this technology can help refine skills and decrease barriers. The process of neurofeedback is noninvasive and requires no conscious effort on the part of the athlete. Patients often notice positive changes after just five to 10 sessions. As with any training, the more you practice, the more likely you are to see lasting results.
Expert-novice paradigm
In studies comparing expert and novice athletes, the neural mechanisms that affect performance were compared. Experts were found to perform faster and better than novices, despite reporting lower activity in the motor and sensory cortex. The neural performance of the expert group could explain the differences between novices and experts in athletic performance. However, the neural efficiency of the expert group may not be directly correlated with the performance of the novice group.
Bidirectional reduction phenomenon
In high-performance sports, the brain is considered an untapped resource. Unfortunately, coaches and athletes do not have the resources to study it with neurotechnologies. But recent research indicates that the brain's neural mechanisms can be trained to make you a better athlete. And the results are compelling. Specifically, the Bidirectional Reduction (BR) Effect, also known as the "arena of optimum performance," can be a powerful tool for improving athletic performance.
Optimal energy supply
The study of expert athletes has uncovered that their neural mechanisms differ from those of novices. Experts have multiple neural mechanisms that are complementary to one another, including transient hypertonicity and proficiency. These mechanisms work together to promote optimal performance. Therefore, a thorough understanding of these neural mechanisms will enable you to become a better athlete. Read on to discover the most important neural mechanisms for optimal performance in sports.
Automatism
To be an elite athlete, you must train your brain for success. Expert athletes use neurocognitive training to predict their outcomes. They learn from watching their opponents and train themselves to avoid their mistakes. But what can neurocognitive training do to an athlete's performance? It's possible to train your brain for performance by combining neurocognitive learning and automatism.
Repetition
Repetition optimizes your neural pathways to become a better athlete by increasing the speed of nerve signals to your muscle cells. The more you repeat the same exercise, the more refined your neural pathway becomes. You also develop new connections between your neurons and your muscles. During repetitive training, your body adapts to the new skills you teach it. By practicing new movements regularly, you will develop a more efficient neural pathway for the task.