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Mental toughness ??

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#1
Richard Astacio

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I have been doing pretty well at regional events around my area battling for podium only to falter towards the end and the mistake typically comes when I am in a battle and someone is behind me and for some reason I loose concentration for that split second and bam!! 

There are times I do talk to myself and try to convince myself its just a track day, hit your marks......I am a very emotional guy in a good way, not a drama queen but I get amped up...for example the past 3 nights I have been getting up at 2:30 in anticipation for the runoffs. 

 

How many top flight drivers work on their mental edge? I did some research and there are some doctors or programs that work on this type of coaching. 

Is it worth it has someone try this before?

 

 

 

https://www.competit...alog/car-racing


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#2
FTodaro

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When I first started racing, my Adrenalin would be to high. I worked on trying to keep calm. The more relaxed i was the better decisions i would make. I don't monitor my heart rate but its much lower than it used to be. I think all of this gets better with seat time, but worked with measures to relax helped me. 


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#3
Rob Burgoon

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Add cool suit and report back.


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#4
Cnj

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I found this book to be helpful:

Psychology of Motorsports Success - by Dr Paul Hardcastle

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#5
luvin_the_rings

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listening to the first youtube link just gave me the chills.  does anybody else get a semi when thinking about improving mental focus throughout our lives through Motorsport?

 

I digress...

 

During my long motorcycle rides, I often catch myself not focusing as hard as I can on the road and traffic ahead.  It gives me the chills sometimes.  I found that using earplugs, and taping off my visor to eliminate the peripheral vision that I don't use helps me maintain my focus for longer rides.  I got the tip from a guy who used to race Motocross, he said that when he started using this trick, he taped off his goggles so much he couldn't even see his handlebars, or the scaffolding that holds the start/finish sign.  

 

He said it's all about eliminating distractions.  A lot of times, I would catch myself listening to the car coming up behind me or to the side of me.  You said that often your mistakes come at the end of the race, maybe this is due to mental fatigue, which is understandable and completely normal.  Maybe if you lessen the distractions, then you decrease the amount of work your brain is doing by having to re-focus your attention to the proper tasks.  This could possibly cut down on mental fatigue, keeping you more fresh toward the end of the race.  A set of earplugs and a 10" strip of duct tape could be a cheap experiment to see if it works, hey what do you have to loose?

 

Maybe just install some Idiot lights in the dash, to illuminate when the car is having trouble, that way you don't have to break focus to check the gauges?

 

Just spitballing here...



#6
Danny Steyn

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F O C U S   is   E V E R Y T H I N G! Eliminate the garbage. it starts at least a month before the race, making sure you are NOT listening to the BULL SH!T being spoken by the masses. There will be talk of all sorts of DYNO numbers, of all sorts of ECU Maps, yada yada yada. Stay above it. Focus through the big window, ignore the small window behind you. Believe in yourself, your crew, your program. Drive your race. Do not get suckered into someone else's race!


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#7
Robt 94

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Not a poster but wanted to pass on comments from a few coaches.

 

You can only control yourself and what you do in the car.  The rest of the field is important, but you cannot control them.  Drive your race, focus ahead, you cannot control what is behind you.

 

While there are many emotions involved, the best drivers are those that are absolutely emotionless when behind the wheel.  I heard a coach talk about my driving coach one day.  He said: "I have never seen a more in controlldriver than your coach.  He is absolutely stone cold behind the wheel.  This is how you should strive to be.  You cannot let what happened the last race or the last corner enter your mind.  Even if that is good emotion, and especially if you are chasing someone."

 

Hope their words help 


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#8
Bench Racer

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You can only control yourself and what you do in the car. 

While there are many emotions involved, the best drivers are those that are absolutely emotionless when behind the wheel. 

Fits JRHille to a T. Cool, Calm and Collected 110% behind the wheel.


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#9
Adax

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I'm a pretty chill guy naturally and can generally stay focused and not let the actions of those around me break my concentration. The problem I'm currently struggling to overcome is when I make a dumb or costly mistake without the assistance of my competitors.  Putting that behind me immediately and getting back to my previous level of focus before the next turn is very difficult.

 

Any motorsports psychologists have any advice here?

 

AC


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#10
LarryKing

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This guy is really good.

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#11
LarryKing

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Wait, stop the clock. Ring luver decreases his peripheral visual and blocks his sense of hearing when street riding. How is he still alive?

Can't say I recommend that technique.
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#12
Danica Davison

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Just get some Adderall and call it a day. 


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#13
luvin_the_rings

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Wait, stop the clock. Ring luver decreases his peripheral visual and blocks his sense of hearing when street riding. How is he still alive?

Can't say I recommend that technique.

 

Maybe I could have been more clear Walter, wearing earplugs doesn't block my hearing, it just cuts down on the wind noise which can be mentally exhausting during long rides.  I can still hear sirens, cars coming to pass, horns and all the other sounds of the road, just at a more mild level, which cuts down on the stress and mental load.  Also, its important to not block the peripheral vision that is needed to ride/race safely, like the vision to the right and left, but the vision that just lets you view the sky is useless, and can be a distraction;  as is the peripheral that allows you to see the gauges. Like I said, its important to only block the peripheral vision that is not used.  



#14
Richard Astacio

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This guy is really good.

https://m.youtube.co...h?v=sWH811TcckU

:P


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#15
Richard Astacio

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Just get some Adderall and call it a day. 

 Lol funny you mentioned, i was supposed to take my son med and try it....my wife didn't let me. 


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Richard Astacio

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#16
Danica Davison

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Amphetamine is definitely a performance enhancing drug. When I played college soccer, I played much better when I was on it than when I wasn't.  I think it probably has the somewhat of a similar effect in racing.  (Yes I am prescribed.  I am super ADHD) lol


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