Professionals Have Cooler Brains as viewed through Positron Emission Tomography or PET scanning
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Dr Ray
Oct 18, 2009, 5:20:59 PM10/18/09
to Mental Golf and Sport Psychology
He who works hardest, pays most.
Once again, I will take a section from Teeing Off With the Masters to
make an important point about our human brain:
TEEING OFF
When you're totally concentrated on the target, Charlie, you're taking
dead aim. Harvey Penick says, "Always concentrate on where you want
the ball to go and this should be the case all the way around the
course, not just the first tee." He also says, "You have to be
mindful of each stroke as it's played because golf is always played in
the present."
What time is it, Doc?
You've got it, Charlie. It's always right now!
Did you know you can actually see the focusing mental process in a
brain scan?
You mean you can actually read someone's mind?
Something like that Charlie. The measurement technology is called
Positron Emission Tomography or PET Scanning. A PET Scan is a graphic
picture of a brain's energy consumption. On the PET Scan, red
coloration shows the highest degree of energy consumption, followed by
orange, yellow, green and down the rainbow spectrum; the more complex
the task, the more energy consumed by the brain.
Would highly focused golfers like Nicklaus and Woods have hotter PET
Scans?
That's the interesting part. PET Scans comparing skilled performers
with novice performers on the same task, show marked differences in
energy consumption. Novice performers have redder, hotter scans.
Novices consume more energy and involve many more brain areas in
carrying out the task. Skilled performers show cooler, less active
scans, because of their lowered energy consumption. The greater the
level of skill, the less energy you use.
So the Masters are cool, is that the picture?
That's right, Charlie. Great concentration, or the ability to keep
your mind riveted on the bulls-eye, is a function of how well you've
learned to block out distractions.
Back to the purpose of this Post:
As always, as we evolve our understanding of own mind/body nature, we
replace mystery with objective fact.
When you take the time to "thoughtfully reflect" on the other
Discussions Posted on the Forum, you will gradually come to a more
complete understanding of Mental Golf and Sport Psychology.
If you have golfer friends who might be interested in these
Discussions, let them know where we are, so they can benefit and
contribute.
Dr. Ray
Once again, I will take a section from Teeing Off With the Masters to
make an important point about our human brain:
TEEING OFF
When you're totally concentrated on the target, Charlie, you're taking
dead aim. Harvey Penick says, "Always concentrate on where you want
the ball to go and this should be the case all the way around the
course, not just the first tee." He also says, "You have to be
mindful of each stroke as it's played because golf is always played in
the present."
What time is it, Doc?
You've got it, Charlie. It's always right now!
Did you know you can actually see the focusing mental process in a
brain scan?
You mean you can actually read someone's mind?
Something like that Charlie. The measurement technology is called
Positron Emission Tomography or PET Scanning. A PET Scan is a graphic
picture of a brain's energy consumption. On the PET Scan, red
coloration shows the highest degree of energy consumption, followed by
orange, yellow, green and down the rainbow spectrum; the more complex
the task, the more energy consumed by the brain.
Would highly focused golfers like Nicklaus and Woods have hotter PET
Scans?
That's the interesting part. PET Scans comparing skilled performers
with novice performers on the same task, show marked differences in
energy consumption. Novice performers have redder, hotter scans.
Novices consume more energy and involve many more brain areas in
carrying out the task. Skilled performers show cooler, less active
scans, because of their lowered energy consumption. The greater the
level of skill, the less energy you use.
So the Masters are cool, is that the picture?
That's right, Charlie. Great concentration, or the ability to keep
your mind riveted on the bulls-eye, is a function of how well you've
learned to block out distractions.
Back to the purpose of this Post:
As always, as we evolve our understanding of own mind/body nature, we
replace mystery with objective fact.
When you take the time to "thoughtfully reflect" on the other
Discussions Posted on the Forum, you will gradually come to a more
complete understanding of Mental Golf and Sport Psychology.
If you have golfer friends who might be interested in these
Discussions, let them know where we are, so they can benefit and
contribute.
Dr. Ray
Ed Rankin
Oct 18, 2009, 7:29:06 PM10/18/09
to TEEINGOFFWI...@googlegroups.com
ray,
do you think this is where the expression, "keep a cool head" comes from?
ed
Ed Rankin
214.803.6526 Wireless
--- On Sun, 10/18/09, Dr Ray <dr...@teeingoffwiththemasters.com> wrote: |
Dr Ray
Oct 18, 2009, 7:41:31 PM10/18/09
to Mental Golf and Sport Psychology
Hi Ed,
Embedded in our ordinary language is much wisdom, and it would not
surprise me if this is the case with a cool brain. Coincidence or not,
the commonality is suggestive.
Good to hear from you.
Ray
On Oct 18, 4:29 pm, Ed Rankin <ed_ran...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> ray,
>
> do you think this is where the expression, "keep a cool head" comes from?
>
> ed
>
> Ed Rankin
>
> ed_ran...@yahoo.com
Embedded in our ordinary language is much wisdom, and it would not
surprise me if this is the case with a cool brain. Coincidence or not,
the commonality is suggestive.
Good to hear from you.
Ray
On Oct 18, 4:29 pm, Ed Rankin <ed_ran...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> ray,
>
> do you think this is where the expression, "keep a cool head" comes from?
>
> ed
>
> Ed Rankin
>
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