The Usage of Neuropriming with Athletes Seeking Peak Performance

Neuropriming is a technique that uses electrical stimulation to enhance the brain's plasticity, or ability to change. This can be done in a variety of ways, but some of the most common types of neuropriming include:

• Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS): This is a non-invasive technique that uses electrodes to deliver a weak electrical current to the brain. tDCS has been shown to improve cognitive function, motor performance, and pain relief.

• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS): This is a more invasive technique that uses a magnetic field to induce an electrical current in the brain. TMS has been shown to be effective in treating depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other neurological disorders.

• Optogenetics: This technique uses light to activate specific neurons in the brain. Optogenetics has been used to study the neural basis of learning and memory, and it has the potential to be used to treat neurological disorders.

There are many different types of neuropriming, but some of the most common include:

• Motor priming: This type of neuropriming is used to improve motor performance. For example, tDCS has been shown to improve reaction time and accuracy in tasks such as tennis and golf.

• Cognitive priming: This type of neuropriming is used to improve cognitive function. For example, TMS has been shown to improve working memory and attention.

• Pain priming: This type of neuropriming is used to reduce pain. For example, tDCS has been shown to reduce chronic pain in patients with conditions such as fibromyalgia and back pain.

There are many different types of neuropriming, but some of the most common include:

• Motor priming: This type of neuropriming is used to improve motor performance. For example, tDCS has been shown to improve reaction time and accuracy in tasks such as tennis and golf.

• Cognitive priming: This type of neuropriming is used to improve cognitive function. For example, TMS has been shown to improve working memory and attention.

• Pain priming: This type of neuropriming is used to reduce pain. For example, tDCS has been shown to reduce chronic pain in patients with conditions such as fibromyalgia and back pain.

There are two other specific modalities in which neuropriming is used to enhance: visual neuropriming and auditory neuropriming.

Visual neuropriming involves using images or videos to prime the brain. For example, an athlete might be shown a picture of a successful free throw before taking a shot. This can help to improve their accuracy by priming their brain to expect success.

Auditory neuropriming involves using sounds to prime the brain. For example, an athlete might be given a specific word or phrase to repeat before performing a task. This can help to improve their performance by priming their brain to focus on the task at hand.

Here are some specific examples of visual neuropriming:

• Seeing a picture of a successful free throw before taking a shot.

• Watching a video of a top athlete performing a skill perfectly.

• Looking at a graph that shows your progress over time.

Here are some specific examples of auditory neuropriming:

• Repeating a mantra or affirmation before performing a task.

• Listening to a motivational speech or song.

• Hearing the sound of a metronome or heartbeat.

Here are some specific examples of how neuropriming has been used:

• **In a study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, researchers used tDCS to improve the performance of professional golfers. The golfers who received tDCS showed significant improvement in their putting accuracy.

• **In a study published in the journal Brain, researchers used TMS to improve the performance of athletes with chronic pain. The athletes who received TMS showed significant improvement in their pain tolerance and performance.

• **In a study published in the journal Nature, researchers used optogenetics to improve the performance of mice in a maze task. The mice that received optogenetics showed significantly faster learning and memory.

These are just a few examples of how neuropriming has been used. The technology is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to be used to improve the performance of athletes in a variety of sports.

The latest news in neuropriming with elite athletes is that it is becoming increasingly popular, with more and more athletes using it to improve their performance. One of the most well-known athletes who used neuropriming is Tom Brady, the retired quarterback for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady has said that he used neuropriming to help him stay sharp and focused during games. Other elite athletes who use or used neuropriming include Serena Williams, LeBron James, and Usain Bolt.

A study published in the journal Brain Stimulation in 2019 found that neuropriming can improve athletic performance by up to 45%. The study looked at a group of elite athletes who used neuropriming for 8 weeks. The athletes who used neuropriming showed significant improvements in their strength, power, and speed.

Another study, published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience in 2020, found that neuropriming can improve motor learning. The study looked at a group of participants who were learning a new motor skill. The participants who used neuropriming were able to learn the skill more quickly and efficiently than the participants who did not use neuropriming.

These studies suggest that neuropriming is a promising new way to improve athletic performance. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine the long-term effects of neuropriming.

Here are some other athletes who are using neuropriming:

• Simone Biles, Olympic gymnast

• Rafael Nadal, tennis player

• Lindsey Vonn, alpine skier

• Stephen Curry, NBA basketball player

• Alex Morgan, soccer player

• Roger Federer, tennis player

• Jordan Spieth, golfer

• Katie Ledicky, swimmer

Here are some specific examples of how neuropriming is being used by elite athletes:

• Serena Williams: Williams uses neuropriming to improve her reaction time and accuracy. She wears a headset that sends electrical pulses to her motor cortex, which helps her to fire her muscles more quickly and precisely.

• Roger Federer: Federer uses neuropriming to improve his focus and concentration. He wears a headset that helps him to block out distractions and stay in the present moment.

• Jordan Spieth: Spieth uses neuropriming to improve his power and endurance. He wears a headset that helps him to recruit more muscle fibers during his workouts.

• Katie Ledecky: Ledecky uses neuropriming to improve her swimming technique. She wears a headset that helps her to visualize her perfect stroke.

• Stephen Curry: Curry uses neuropriming to improve his shooting accuracy. He wears a headset that helps him to focus on the target and release the ball at the perfect moment.

These are just a few examples of how neuropriming is being used by elite athletes. The technology is still in its early stages, but it is showing great potential to help athletes reach new levels of performance.

It is important to note that neuropriming is not a miracle cure. It is a tool that can be used to improve performance, but it is not a guarantee of success. Athletes who use neuropriming still need to train hard and be dedicated to their sport.

For more on mental conditioning, enroll in our new online, self-paced course developed by Psychogenyx:  Strengthening Your Mental Core. 

Super Bowl LI Match-up: The Tale of Two Mindsets

Let's take a look at some factors that may influence the outcome of Super Bowl LI between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons.

The Franchise Systems

• Patriot head coach Bill Belichick's management and leadership secrets have been well documented in books and magazine articles such as James Lavin's Management Secrets of the New England Patriots.  Owner Robert Kraft is a successful businessman who built his fortune with Gillette.  

• Arthur Blank, co-founder of Home Depot and current owner of the Atlanta Falcons has a long history of success as a businessman, and has a set of leadership principles that he follows closely.   

Advantage:  New England Patriots

Super Bowl Experience

• This is Bill Belichick's seventh Super Bowl appearance with Tom Brady as his starting quarterback. They have won four of the six Super Bowls they have participated in.  Brady was voted MVP for Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII and XLIX.

• This is the second appearance in the Super Bowl for the Atlanta Falcons since their were founded in 1966.  It is their first Super Bowl since the 1998 season.  Dan Quinn has been an assistant coach for Seattle Seahawks during their Super Bowl appearances.  He knows what it is like, but he has not been head coach there.  

Advantage:  New England Patriots

Mental Conditioning, Team Training and Team Building

• In the off-season, Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff and director of sports medicine and performance Marty Lauzon had a four day team-building session with seven veteran Navy SEALs of Acumen Performance Group.  

• Falcon head coach Dan Quinn spent several years with the Seattle Seahawks and their head coach Pete Carroll.  The Seahawks embrace the use of mental conditioning and employ various high-profile mental conditioning coaches, including Michael Gervais and George Mumford (Michael Jordan's meditation ) guru.

• Bill Belichick is a master of getting his teams prepared for playoff and Super Bowl games.  He understands the mental aspect of the game as well as anyone.   

Advantage:  Atlanta Falcons

Neuroscience

• For the past 3 years. Tom Brady uses the BrainHQ training program developed by Dr. Henry Mahncke, CEO of Posit Science.  A cognitive enhancement tool and brain training program, Brady had it installed at his TB12 Sports Center.  BrainHQ has 29 brain exercises that are done on a computer screen. One example of an exercise that Brady uses is called “Double Decision.”

• Matt Ryan, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback uses a device called NeuroTracker that he says has helped him sharpen his cognitive skills, providing an edge when he targets receivers or chooses plays. The focus has helped fuel an MVP-caliber season.  Ryan uses the 3D glasses at least three times a week to improve peripheral vision.

Advantage:  None

Motivation/Complacency

• The New England Patriots won the last Super Bowl in which they participated two years ago.

• The Atlanta Falcons have never won the Super Bowl.  This year they have embraced "The Brotherhood" as their rallying cry.  

Advantage:  Atlanta Falcons

Distractions

• New England has been distracted by the focus the media and the public has placed on Tom Brady's alleged support of Donald Trump; the injury to star tight-end Rob Gronkowski, and the long-standing Deflategate controversy.

• The Atlanta Falcons are slight underdogs in Las Vegas.  This may take any pressure off of them.  

Advantage:  Atlanta Falcons

Overall Advantage:  Atlanta Falcons

What is your prediction?  

Super Bowl Post-Mortem: The Makings of a Champion

Super Bowl XLIX provided so much drama and excitement.  Thank you New England and Seattle.  

It was also memorable and valuable for what we can learn from it.  Despite the outcome and the fact that the Super Bowl trophy belongs to the New England Patriots, it can be said that both teams played like champions. 

Let's look at the anatomy of championship mindset and what mental conditioning is necessary to compete for a Super Bowl. This Super Bowl was a lesson in putting yourself in the best possible position to win.  Both teams did so much to make themselves champions.  Understandably, most pundits will look at the reasons for winning and losing.   But, I want to analyze the post-game reactions by the players and coaches for some potentially more useful insight; beyond winning and losing.    

Vision

If you can't see yourself doing it, you probably won't be able to do it. 

 

"I just had a vision that I was going to make a big play and it came true," said Malcolm Butler, rookie New England Patriot defensive back and Super Bowl hero, after making a game-winning interception to end the game and seal the victory.  

Preparation

"Goal line, preparation, the formation they were in with the two-receiver stack, I just knew they were throwing a pick route," Butler said. "It was on the line, we needed it, and I just beat him to the route and made the play."

Individual and Team Resilience

Two plays before, Butler was covering Seahawks receiver Jermaine Kearse during his improbable, on-his-back, juggling catch down the right sideline that seemed to propel the Seahawks to a sure victory.

Butler was step-for-step with Kearse in coverage on the play, but it was just a once-in-a lifetime effort by the Seattle receiver.  While staring a bitter loss in the face, Butler did not quit, however.  

"I went to the sideline, wasn't feeling too well, my teammates were trying to cheer me up and said I made a great play," Butler said.  "I just went up and deflected it. Nine times out of 10, it usually goes away from him. As I was looking, he was bobbling it and caught it. Just devastating."

Two plays later, though, "it was the best feeling ever." 

Butler knew he had to get past the previous play and that he might be targeted again.

"I'm pretty sure he knows I'm a rookie, and who wouldn't try a rookie?" he said [referring to Seattle quarterback, Russell Wilson]. "I was ready."

Mental Toughness

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, the MVP of the game, asked for the key to victory, responded, "Mental toughness."

"It's just a lot of mental toughness,'' Brady said. "I think the whole team had it. Coach always says, 'Ignore the noise and control what you can control.' We had two great weeks of practice. That's what it took. That's what we needed to be focused on and that's how we got the victory.''

"It wasn't the way we drew it up," said Brady, who won his third Super Bowl MVP award. "It was a lot of mental toughness. Our team has had it all year. We never doubted each other, so that's what it took."

Leadership Responsibility 

Pete Carroll, the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, took full responsibility for the loss, rather than push his players under the bus.  

“We were on the precipice of another championship,” Carroll said. “Nobody to blame but me.”

Confidence

Even the losers of the Super Bowl must have confidence.  During the last play, the interception by Butler, the Seahawks felt good.

“I didn’t have any doubt,” Seattle receiver Doug Baldwin said. “At that time, you didn’t think there was anyone on the sideline who didn’t think we’d score.”

“When they made the call, I didn’t question it,” said Wilson. “We thought we had them. I thought it was going to be a touchdown when I threw it. When I let it go, I thought it was going to be game over.”

Passion and the Will to Keep Winning 

With no intention of retiring, MVP Brady seems to be ready to do it all over again.

"I love doing it, so I don't want it to end any time soon," he said. "A lot of decisions I make in my life are how to sustain it. That takes a commitment in and of itself. You have to put it in the bank, as Coach always says, so it's there when you need it."

I, for one, would love to see a rematch next year.  But, the rest of the NFL might have something to say about that.  If they have learned anything, each team is preparing to put themselves in the best position to win next year's Super Bowl right now.

Excerpts from espn.go.com (2/1/2015), nytimes.com (2/1/2015),  and newsday.com (2/2/2015).

The Winning Super Bowl X-Factors: Patriots vs. Seahawks

Welcome to my annual Super Bowl prediction!  OK, that's not true.  This is the first time.  I've never attempted this (I did do a post Super Bowl analysis once upon a time).  Please be gentle.

Anyway, here goes.  With all unfathomable, unknownable and unpredicable factors being accounted for and controlled, the most important intangibles, or X-Factors, in winning this year's Super Bowl XLIX are:

X-Factor #1:  The New England Patriots have the longevity, stability and culture of a proud and successful franchise with a mindset and expectation of winning.  Similarly to the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA, the Patriots have a strong organization that has installed a unique system of success and excellence that has stood the test of time.  Advantage:  Patriots

X-Factor #2:  The Seattle Seahawks have incorporated a very systematic approach to mental conditioning that is unmatched in professional sports.  Their collective use of sports psychology. positive psychology and mindfulness has provided great value.  They believe in their ability to be resilient and have leveraged that for two years. They could not have comeback against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship without this cultivated and deliberate approach. They have the mental skills to deal with adversity and bounce back from real-time setbacks.  Advantage: Seahawks.

X-Factor #3:  The Seattle Seahawks are defending Super Bowl Champions.  They have the recency effect going for them.  They will have swagger.  Advantage:  Seahawks.

X-Factor #4:  The Patriots have lost the last two Super Bowls in which they have played.  They were favorites in each loss.  They have a Super Bowl albatross around their necks.  They are slight betting favorites again.  The Seahawks are slight underdogs.  Advantage:  Seahawks.

X-Factor #5:  The Patriots have lost the last two Super Bowls in which they have played.  They were favorites in each one.  They have the motivation of having something to prove.  They are not playing the New York Giants.  Advantage: Patriots. 

X-Factor #6:  Deflate-Gate has been a great distraction to the Patriots.  This has to affect their focus and preparation to some degree.   Advantage; Seahawks.

X-Factor #7:  Nevertheless, the absurdity of the media coverage and sensationalism surrounding Deflate-Gate has kept the Patriots loose and relaxed.  Advantage: Patriots.

X-Factor #8:  Marshawn Lynch is in full beast mode.  He has also kept the Seahawks loose and relaxed, by taking the focus and pressure off the rest of the team.  Advantage: Seahawks.    

It is difficult to quantify each of these X-Factors, but if you add them all up, I give a slight edge to the Seattle Seahawks in a surprisingly low scoring game.  Overall Advantage:  Seahawks.  

What's your prediction?  Your comments are welcomed.          

         

Tom Brady's Success Is Due to the Talents and Help of Others

"To me it comes down to the mental toughness and determination of the players and coaches."

--Tom Brady, New England Patriots' quarterback, the 2007, and the new 2010 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, identifying the reason for his award.  

A unanimous choice for the NFL All-Pro team, Brady threw for 36 touchdowns while being intercepted just four times. When he won the award in 2007, Brady set an NFL mark with 50 touchdowns passes as New England went undefeated in the regular season.  Brady led the Patriots to a 16-0 mark in 2007 then and a league-best 14-2 this season.  In three other seasons, the Patriots have won the Super Bowl.  Brady is the only quarterback and the only active player to win the Offensive Player of the Year award twice. In addition, he has won 2 Super Bowl MVP awards, 1 NFL MVP award, and has been to 5 NFL Pro Bowls.     

"Tom studies a lot.  We get the bulk of it in the meeting rooms with just the players when we sit down to go over the things that he's been looking at. It carries over to the practice field as well. Tom is a dork when it comes to that, so I'm going to leave that alone, but Tom is a dork in that meeting room."

--Deion Branch, Patriots' veteran wide receiver.

• Do you recognize these qualities in your business or professional life?
• Do you acknowledge that your success is directly attributable to the talents, teamwork and help of others?
• How do you exhibit mental toughness?  
• Are you a student of your business or professional craft?

Excerpts from ESPN.com (February 2, 2011).  

For more on the New England Patriots franchise, click on the New England Patriots:  Peak Performance Case Study.  

For more on the Peak Performance System for mental conditioning, click on The Handbook of Peak Performance.

  

The New England Patriots Get Back on Track

"I thought all of the guys played really hard, stayed focused, and it was an exciting win for all of us, everybody in this locker room. We haven’t been this happy in a long time. We're pretty good when we play and we execute the right way, do the right thing, and when everyone is doing their job."

--New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who completed 30 of 43 passes for 350 yards and had four total touchdownsa in a surprisingly easy 39-26 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

The Patriots (7-2) couldn’t wait to get back onto the field to redeem themselves and remove the memories of an upset lost to the Cleveland Browns the previous Sunday.

"We just wanted this game to hurry up and get here," Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork said. "But at the same time, we had to take care of what we needed to take care of in practice, preparation, game planning and all that stuff. I think everybody did a good job of coming to work."

Does your team come back from adversity with a renewed focus and a sense of urgency and preparation? Does failure motivate or hinder your team?

Excerpts from http://www.nesn.com (November 15, 2010).

For more on the New England Patriots franchise, click on The New England Patriots: Peak Performance Case Study.

Key to Long-Standing Patriots' Success: Stand Behind the Coach and his Decisions

”Coach has a lot of confidence we can make a yard and a half to win the game. They showed us the drive before they can go pretty fast and score. Coach was being aggressive and I love that about him. As a coach, you’re not thinking let’s punt it to them and see if they can do it again. He’s thinking, ‘We have 450 yards of offense.’ ”

-Tom Brady, New England Patriots' quarterback, defending head coach Bill Belichick's decision to go for it in fourth down deep in Patriot territory late in the game. The decision backfired, and the Patriots' opponent, the Indianapolis Colts, got the ball and scored to win 35-34.

"It was a really bad coaching decision by coach Belichick. I have all the respect in the world for him, but he has to punt the ball. The message that you are sending in the locker room is: I have no confidence in my young guys on my defense.

"This is the worst coaching decision I've ever seen Bill Belichick make."

--Rodney Harrison, sportscaster and former New England Patriot said on NBC's postgame show.

Still, in the Patriots locker room, there was no questioning the call.

”He’s the head coach,” Faulk said. “No matter what, to us that’s the right call. We are the employees.”

If the Patriots would have made the first down, they probably would have been able to run out the clock and win the game. If the play had worked, Belicheck would have been labeled a rogue genius.

Belicheck should have been applauded for his moxie and innovative, despite the play not working. This type of decision-making and play calling has led to four Super Bowl appearances and three Super Bowl wins.

"We thought we could win the game on that play," Belichick said. "That was a yard I was confident we could get."

It is particularly impressive that the Patriots stuck together after the game and did not question the decision, despite the outcome. This is rarely seen in the NFL today. It is not typical in corporate America either.

How many organizations can say they do not second-guess their boss and their organization after a failure or defeat?

This type of team solidarity is difficult to find.

Should you reconsider your reactions to mistakes?


Note: The Colts are now 9-0 and have the inside track toward home-field advantage through the A.F.C. playoffs. The Cincinnati Bengals, at 7-2 and with an easy schedule remaining, seem headed for a first-round bye. The Patriots are now 6-3, and though they still have a firm grip on the A.F.C. East, their chances of a first-round bye are sinking.

Bottom line: There are seven games left in the regular season. There is alot of football left to play and many more decisions to make and plays to call.

Let's see which teams stick together and which implode.

Excerpts from the New York Times and ESPN.com (November 16, 2009).

For more on Peak Performance Teams, click on Team Pulse. For more on the New England Patriots, click on http://www.squidoo.com/patriotscasestudy.

More Tom Brady Magic: Patriots Make Last-Minute Comeback

"The interception was a really bad play. You can't do that. You learn from them, get focused and concentrate on what you have to do."

--Tom Brady, New England Patriots quarterback, discussing his resiliency and ability to bounce back after throwing a interception to defensive end Aaron Schobel was rambling 26 yards with an interception for a first-half TD by the Buffalo Bills.

How do the Patriots do it? How do they keep winning in the NFL?

Composure and Resilience

Brady threw two touchdown passes in the final 2:06 as New England beat the Buffalo Bills 25-24. The Patriots have not lost a regular-season game with Brady at quarterback since Dec. 10, 2006. Brady had a great game statistically. He completed 39 of 53 passes for 378 yards. He still has great receivers: Randy Moss (12 catches, 141 yards), Wes Welker (12, 93) and tight end Benjamin Watson (6, 77, two TDs).

Confidence

“Get your hats on. We’re gonna score before the two-minute warning, get the ball back, then we’re gonna score again and win this thing!”

--Tom Brady, in the huddle at the end of the gam.

"You see Tom coming off the sideline and he comes into the huddle, talking about 'We're going to win this game,' " Moss said. "And when you have guys like that saying positive things and then going out there and making it happen, you have to have your hopes high and really think positive."

Competitiveness and Hard Work

"We have a real competitive locker room, a real competitive team," Brady said. "When you're in a situation like we were, it's when you really have to step it up. It takes every guy on the field to step it up. Hopefully, we will continue to do that."

"It's a great feeling to have that rhythm and that aspect of the game back," offensive tackle Matt Light said. "Not that we didn't have it last year, but (Brady) was out there making all the right plays and delivering the ball downfield, and those guys were making huge catches."

"A lot of composure. A lot of great throws," Watson said. "A lot of confidence, and he would say we as an offense have a lot to work on. ... In six years, I've seen him do it plenty of times."

"I know he had to be nervous, but you can never tell with this guy. Nothing he does is ever a shocker," new Buffalo Bills cornerback Shawn Springs said. "When they say 'hard work pays off,' he symbolizes that. There are no coincidences with Tom Brady."

Sharing the Credit

"He ran two great routes," Brady said of tight end Watson. "The first was an incredible route, great protection. And the second one was an incredible catch. It was the same play. Same coverage, and the safety really squeezed him on that one, but he recognized it. I told him it was the best catch I'd ever seen him make."

On the final two drives, Brady finished 12-for-14 for 112 yards and two touchdowns. This was Brady's 29th winning fourth quarter drive of his career.

Having Fun

"Two-minute drives always are fun for a quarterback," Brady said. "Spread it out, the pass rush gets a little tired, you get a feel for the coverage, you just have to be patient.

Continuous Improvement Mentality

Still, there is much room for improvement.

"I'm glad it's over, glad we are moving on, got a win, and we'll learn from it. We've all got to improve, we've all got to make better plays," Brady said. "You can't just leave it to chance."

"We made a lot of mistakes, but we'll just look at the film, make the corrections, and move on," Adalius Thomas, New England linebacker said.

Excerpts from ESPN.com, Associated Press, The New York Times and MetroWest Daily News, September 15, 2009.

For more on Peak Performance, click on The Handbook of Peak Performance.

For more on the New England Patriots, click on the New England Patriots Peak Performance Case Study.

Tom Brady & the New England Patriots: Ready for a New Season?

"Playing these guys a few times in the playoffs, you look over and say 'Hey, we can go over and beat that team. What do they do that we don't do? We can win this game.' But then when you get here, you see his passion, you see the way he studies, you see how demanding he is of his players, the leadership. Right in front of you, it just jumps right out. You see why he's a proven winner."

--Fred Taylor, who signed with the New England Patriots after being released by the Jacksonville Jaguars, talking about how he is impressed with Tom Brady, the Patriots' veteran quarterback.

Brady is recovering from an injury to his left knee that he received in the opening game of the 2008 NFL season. Should Brady be back to his old self, the Patriots are one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl, despite being the oldest team in the league (an average age of 27-plus).

Excerpt from the New York Times (July 31, 2009).

For more on the New England Patriots, click on New England Patriots: Peak Performance Case Study.

For more on Peak Performance, click on The Handbook of Peak Performance.