'Sensory overload' while racing...
Discussion
I'm glad somebody else gets it, I was beginning to worry!
Last weekend I pulled off an overtake for the lead around the outside at Paddock Hill Bend and it was almost as if I had my eyes shut for the manouver (perhaps I did!?). My first recollection after passing is checking my mirror to check I was clear to sweep across to take the defensive line at Druids...
Another example was Cadwell last year where I had a big moment through hall bends and in the process of recovering I found myself shooting over both apexes using a load of grass and then somehow getting it stopped in time to hit the apex and 'old hairpin', I kept my position and continued the race, but when the guy behind me asked about it in Parc Ferme I had no recollection of it and it only popped back into my head a day or so later.
It's kind of worrying really!
Last weekend I pulled off an overtake for the lead around the outside at Paddock Hill Bend and it was almost as if I had my eyes shut for the manouver (perhaps I did!?). My first recollection after passing is checking my mirror to check I was clear to sweep across to take the defensive line at Druids...
Another example was Cadwell last year where I had a big moment through hall bends and in the process of recovering I found myself shooting over both apexes using a load of grass and then somehow getting it stopped in time to hit the apex and 'old hairpin', I kept my position and continued the race, but when the guy behind me asked about it in Parc Ferme I had no recollection of it and it only popped back into my head a day or so later.
It's kind of worrying really!
It's not sensory overload it's to do with how your brain is wired up.
Your brain has a conscious part and a subconscious part. Your conscious mind can only process 1 to 3 bits of information at any one time plus or minus depending on you. Its a bit thick and very slow to be honest. All other information is filtered to your subconscious mind which decides when you need to know something so you can take action.
When you are overloaded with information in a race situation for example your subconscious literally takes over and does not inform you (your conscious mind) and this is why you can't remember. Your subconscious mind draws on all your previous race experiences, knowledge, feeling etc and pulls off the maneuver for you perfectly. This is called being in the zone. It's a nice place to be and what you should strive for in sport.
You perform your best when YOU (your conscious mind) get out of the way of your subconscious mind which has far more power and experience to draw upon than you do. I know both are of course you but you get what I mean I hope.
You perform your worst when YOU prevent this process from happening by forcing your conscious mind to retain control by thinking too much and too hard and over analyzing the process. In golf this is called the yips
Coues law also comes into play here. as in
This is a law of the mind and it simply states that when the conscious will is in conflict with the imagination it will lose – but only 100% of the time!
The way to manage this law is to focus your imagination on what you want, not what you fear. Imagine positive outcomes and scenarios.
Your brain has a conscious part and a subconscious part. Your conscious mind can only process 1 to 3 bits of information at any one time plus or minus depending on you. Its a bit thick and very slow to be honest. All other information is filtered to your subconscious mind which decides when you need to know something so you can take action.
When you are overloaded with information in a race situation for example your subconscious literally takes over and does not inform you (your conscious mind) and this is why you can't remember. Your subconscious mind draws on all your previous race experiences, knowledge, feeling etc and pulls off the maneuver for you perfectly. This is called being in the zone. It's a nice place to be and what you should strive for in sport.
You perform your best when YOU (your conscious mind) get out of the way of your subconscious mind which has far more power and experience to draw upon than you do. I know both are of course you but you get what I mean I hope.
You perform your worst when YOU prevent this process from happening by forcing your conscious mind to retain control by thinking too much and too hard and over analyzing the process. In golf this is called the yips
Coues law also comes into play here. as in
This is a law of the mind and it simply states that when the conscious will is in conflict with the imagination it will lose – but only 100% of the time!
The way to manage this law is to focus your imagination on what you want, not what you fear. Imagine positive outcomes and scenarios.
Soul Reaver said:
You perform your best when YOU (your conscious mind) get out of the way of your subconscious mind which has far more power and experience to draw upon than you do.
I find I'm affected by this a lot. If I start thinking too much during a race my performance drops away quite significantly, if I just let go and drive I'm far quicker. When I start to analyze the last missed apex or try too hard to catch the guy in front I inevitably go slower.
The trick is to leave the last incident behind and let my subconscious get on with the race.
This affects all sportsman to be honest and I am amazed that more racers don't give credence to the mental aspect of the sport. It is SO important.
I try to get Coues law working for me by imagining certain aspects of the race going well, the start for example. I visualize myself getting off the line fast and smooth and avoiding trouble. It is a constant battle though because your conscious mind does not like to shut up or to keep quite for that matter and is motivated by fear. That little voice in your head that tells you things like. You can't do that, you're crap, you will never win, you're rubbish at starts blah blah.
It's not your friend and you need to replace those thoughts with positive imaginings to train your mind to work for you and not against you.
I try to get Coues law working for me by imagining certain aspects of the race going well, the start for example. I visualize myself getting off the line fast and smooth and avoiding trouble. It is a constant battle though because your conscious mind does not like to shut up or to keep quite for that matter and is motivated by fear. That little voice in your head that tells you things like. You can't do that, you're crap, you will never win, you're rubbish at starts blah blah.
It's not your friend and you need to replace those thoughts with positive imaginings to train your mind to work for you and not against you.
Wow, very interesting. Glad to hear it should be considered a positive attribute because for some reason I was beginning to wonder if it made me unsafe to compete!
So now my conscious mind only moves over for my subconscious when I am in a very dicey situation and I have exceeded the limit of my conscious mind's computing power- is there anything I can do to acclimatise myself to this or even encourage it? Is it literally just a case of focussing the mind on positive outcomes?
I have to say I thought I was in 'the zone' throughout my races but it appears 'the zone' is more illusive than I thought!
So now my conscious mind only moves over for my subconscious when I am in a very dicey situation and I have exceeded the limit of my conscious mind's computing power- is there anything I can do to acclimatise myself to this or even encourage it? Is it literally just a case of focussing the mind on positive outcomes?
I have to say I thought I was in 'the zone' throughout my races but it appears 'the zone' is more illusive than I thought!
Name drop time: I went to Get Race Fit at the Porsche Experience Centre last year and they get Mark Webber in to talk about his race preparation and fitness training. On top of what he told me about necking energy drinks before a race, he said he does yoga and its popular with other F1 drivers too.
I found that at the start of my racing 'career' (over a decade ago, how time flies) a day with Don Palmer really helped with the mental side of things. I was there to learn car control but chatting to him we realised that the car control side didn't need as much coaching as the mental preparation did.
To this day I use the techniques he taught me at the start of the race and (almost) always get good starts and am into the 'zone' straight away. Staying there for the duration of the race is a bit harder and I always mean to go back and do another day with him but never seem to find the time.
To this day I use the techniques he taught me at the start of the race and (almost) always get good starts and am into the 'zone' straight away. Staying there for the duration of the race is a bit harder and I always mean to go back and do another day with him but never seem to find the time.
Race starts are my speciality, I don't know why. I am in the habit of shutting my eyes in the assembly area, concentrating on breathing only and trying to put thoughts that are now beyond my control out of my mind i.e. 'have I cocked up these tyre pressures' etc. I find it very beneficial to leave all of that in the paddock/assembly area.
Sadly we have all been brought up in society where for some reason developing mental prowess and control seems to be looked down on, like you're a bit geeky or out there.
I guess it's that whole hippy flower power association with it and yoga in general.
I myself have studied many courses from Paul Scheeles learning foundation and is where I learnt most of this from. The photo reading one is amazing as it teaches you to bypass your slow clunky conscious mind when reading and read with your subconscious mind instead by photographing each page!
You should only really be using your conscious mind for asking questions to your computer in the back of your head. You should not be trying to
Read
Comprehend
Understand
All at the same time as your conscious mind just can't handle that much processing. We are just not designed like that. Your subconscious stores everything you know, you just need to learn how to access that vast store of information better, which we are not taught how to do. We are taught to accept that learning is hard and retaining information is even harder.
I would say that if you want to get really good a motorsport then you simply must meditate before races and imagine the race in a positive way. See the start and the first corner the way you want it to go. Banish any negative thought the moment you have it and replace it with a positive one. Every little tenth helps eh and it's tenths you're after here because they win races for you.
I guess it's that whole hippy flower power association with it and yoga in general.
I myself have studied many courses from Paul Scheeles learning foundation and is where I learnt most of this from. The photo reading one is amazing as it teaches you to bypass your slow clunky conscious mind when reading and read with your subconscious mind instead by photographing each page!
You should only really be using your conscious mind for asking questions to your computer in the back of your head. You should not be trying to
Read
Comprehend
Understand
All at the same time as your conscious mind just can't handle that much processing. We are just not designed like that. Your subconscious stores everything you know, you just need to learn how to access that vast store of information better, which we are not taught how to do. We are taught to accept that learning is hard and retaining information is even harder.
I would say that if you want to get really good a motorsport then you simply must meditate before races and imagine the race in a positive way. See the start and the first corner the way you want it to go. Banish any negative thought the moment you have it and replace it with a positive one. Every little tenth helps eh and it's tenths you're after here because they win races for you.
THe alternative approach is the Keke Rosberg technique- spark up a red Marlboro, stub it out in the pit lane, and then pull a 162 mph lap at Silverstone....
But seriously ...I think Sir JOhn Whitmore was exploring many of the thems and techniques mentioned above back in the 60s- a pretty brave thing to do back then.
But seriously ...I think Sir JOhn Whitmore was exploring many of the thems and techniques mentioned above back in the 60s- a pretty brave thing to do back then.
coppice said:
THe alternative approach is the Keke Rosberg technique- spark up a red Marlboro, stub it out in the pit lane, and then pull a 162 mph lap at Silverstone....
But seriously ...I think Sir JOhn Whitmore was exploring many of the thems and techniques mentioned above back in the 60s- a pretty brave thing to do back then.
Alternative? I would say you have hit the nail on the head. That IS the approach. Relaxed, chilled out. And from an outside perspective an almost I don't care attitude. That is the key to finding the zone quickly. Allow your mind to be calm. But seriously ...I think Sir JOhn Whitmore was exploring many of the thems and techniques mentioned above back in the 60s- a pretty brave thing to do back then.
Would that "barsman" be the one who slowly pulls you a pint or the one that whacks your balls?
I agree - good thread. If you are in the Zone only the next few seconds matter. When the lights go out I know that all of me is dealing with the now and nothing else is allowed in. I'm sure I can recall inconsequential moments from a meeting better than any part of a race but I don't consider myself in need of therapy yyy
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I agree - good thread. If you are in the Zone only the next few seconds matter. When the lights go out I know that all of me is dealing with the now and nothing else is allowed in. I'm sure I can recall inconsequential moments from a meeting better than any part of a race but I don't consider myself in need of therapy yyy
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Edited by 11mx1 on Friday 12th July 22:59
my race prep used to consist of a redbull and a banana approx 30 mins before the race,10 Marlboro and umpteen visits to the loo!
some people just think way too much,get out there and do it! if you've got to think about it that's why your not doing as well as you should be!
no matter how much mental prep you do you cannot have any idea of whats going to happen 2 yards off the startline until it actually happens!
some people just think way too much,get out there and do it! if you've got to think about it that's why your not doing as well as you should be!
no matter how much mental prep you do you cannot have any idea of whats going to happen 2 yards off the startline until it actually happens!
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