By Fiona Macrae
Handicap: A study of golfers found that the better players used less brainpower
If you're struggling to improve your golf swing or strengthen your backhand, it may be that you are giving it too much thought.
A study shows that the masters of sport use less grey matter when in action than novices.
A group of good golfers were shown pictures of potential shots and asked how they would play them, undergoing brain scans as they responded. The process was repeated with poorer players.
With the better players, very little of the brain was lit up except for the areas that deal with choices and consequences.
The novices, however, had difficulty filtering out irrelevant information, with lights on all over the brain. They were even using areas that process emotion, according to the Chicago University study.
In a similar study, which is still in progress, British researchers are scanning the brains of hockey players.
They are being shown video clips of a match and asked to predict where they think the ball will go.
Although the study has not officially ended, it already appears that the expert players are better at forecasting.
And, like the good golfers, they are using less, not more, brainpower, in the process.
Zoe Wimshurst, of Surrey University and a former junior hockey international, is carrying out the study with Brunel University sports scientist Michael Wright.
She said: 'Novices are distracted by everything going on around them. The experts are much more able to focus specifically with their eyes, and, in turn, with their brains.'
She said that when getting ready to take a shot, the mind of a novice is often overloaded with problems, nerves, fear of failure and even the issue of what to eat that night.
The expert players, by contrast, are single-minded and concentrate on the matter in hand.
Research from St Andrews University also suggests it is best not to think too much at sport.
Golfers who fret about their technique were found to fare far worse on the course than others.
source: dailymail
Friday, February 5, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Blog Archive
-
▼
2010
(4606)
-
▼
February
(222)
- Thousands left homeless after Chile quake as death...
- It's the return of skeletal Spice as Victoria Beck...
- Chinese Body Painting
- Forever 21 Haul, OOTD & Ann Taylor
- Affordable Amsterdam: Cheap flights and hotel deal...
- First waves hit Japan and New Zealand after massiv...
- Scientists say polar bears have survived climate c...
- Not so celibate now Peter! Andre admits three-mont...
- Ai Tominaga Magazine Cover for Harper's Bazaar Mal...
- Han Jin Editorial for Nordstrom Catalog, February ...
- GMTV's Kate Garraway's 'home cooking' diet was rea...
- Chelsea 2- Manchester City 4
- Swatch and Review of Mac VIVA GLAM Cyndi Lauper Li...
- Mac Riveting Swatches and Review
- Contest Winner! Congratulations & Thank You to Eve...
- Cartoons of the Week, February 27, 2010 - March 5,...
- Gwen Lu Editorial for Harper's Bazaar Japan, Febru...
- James Corden works out Man United
- How pop became porn
- That's a devilish look to pull off, Lady GaGa
- Guzzling champagne, swigging beer and puffing ciga...
- Ai Tominaga Editorial for Nordstrom Catalog, Janua...
- Wheelchair-user becomes first disabled model to st...
- Wimp...or a man of principle? Cuckold Wayne Bridge...
- Queens of Wonderland: Anne Hathaway and Helena Bon...
- Manchester united 3-0 West Ham.
- The Shoes with the Bow & OOTD's
- Mac Spring Color Forecast Swatches and Review
- Quiz: What's Your Winter Beauty Style?
- Going up in the world? Beat the rush hour with fir...
- Buzzing Bangkok: A busy, dizzy city where charm an...
- Du Juan & Shu Pei Editorial for Vogue China, March...
- Lady Gaga thrills in yet another revealing outfit ...
- Alex Curran shows off her curves in sequinned biki...
- One minute she's doing a Diana, the next she's a L...
- My Hair Through the Years: A Look Back...But Happy...
- Body Painting Female
- Teenager banned from keeping pets for 10 years aft...
- Lakshmi Menon Editorial for Vogue India, October 2010
- Myleene Klass has some last-minute fun in the Barb...
- Will I ever make love again? Four women reveal why...
- Elizabeth Hurley boobs as she has a revealing mome...
- 'I consider myself quite the lady,' declares Lady ...
- POP Beauty Swatches & GIVEAWAY!
- Review: Anastasia Beverly Hills Highlighting Brow ...
- I Won & P90X Day 1
- Oldie but Goodie - MAC Marquise D' Lipstick! + Pho...
- Guerlain Cherry Blossom Collection
- Ming Xi Making A Spash at London Fashion Week, Fal...
- Does this spooky image show ghost boy watching bui...
- Du Juan & Liu Wen Magazine Cover for Vogue China, ...
- Back to work for Myleene Klass (lucky for her it's...
- Nars Chihuahua Lip Gloss & Crazed Blush!
- Update!
- Elle Style Awards: Dannii Minogue smuggles her bum...
- Review: Sigma Professional Brushes Eye Kit & Eye S...
- Motivation Mondays: P90X Has Arrived & Clarisonic ...
- Portugal Body Painting
- Sun FeiFei Making A Splash at London Fashion Week
- What IS going on with Angelina Jolie's face? Actre...
- Sonia Dara Editorial for Sports Illustrated 2010
- Budget skiing in Aspen: How to enjoy Colorado's sl...
- Take that power nap - you could end up smarter
- Baftas 2010: British stars Carey Mulligan and Coli...
- Beauty Inspiration: Simply Stunning Cheryl Cole
- Ever wondered what models would look like if they ...
- Contest: Big Hair, Big Lashes- 350 Plus Subscriber...
- Cartoons of the Week February 20-26, 2010
- New York Fashion Week, Fall 2010/Winter 2011: Frid...
- Britain wins first Olympic gold in 30 years as Amy...
- Dolphins could hold the key to curing diabetes (be...
- A very corporate apology. Tearful Tiger Woods says...
- Pretty Glow-y Makeup Inspiration: Natalie Portman ...
- Ireland Body Painting
- Weekly Style News Network Reads
- An armoured Rolls Royce, a flaming piano and a 40f...
- Denise Van Outen proves she's 'not ill, just havin...
- New York Fashion Week, Fall 2010/Winter 2011: Thur...
- Tiger Woods's wife Elin Nordegren shows support fo...
- 'I don't look classy in underwear,' admits new Arm...
- Jonny Evans latest victim to Fergie's "Hairdryer T...
- 'I eat half an apple before bedtime': Kelly Osbour...
- OOTD: Ruffle Sleeves & Leopard Textured Skirt
- Michelle Williams is the cream of the crop as she ...
- New York Fashion Week, Fall 2010/Winter 2011: Tues...
- Shhhhh, we sleeping beauties are trying to get som...
- Now Toyota set to recall best-selling Corollas ove...
- Fashion designers should be free to use size zero ...
- Arsenal Press Conference before Porto match
- Tiger Woods to end his silence over sex scandal as...
- FC Porto 2-1 Arsenal
- How Many Products do You Use Daily? The Number Mig...
- Milan Body Painting
- Not tonight darling - we men have lost our libidos...
- Aspirin could halve risk of women dying from breas...
- New York Fashion Week, Fall 2010/Winter 2011: Tues...
- Brit Awards 2010: Party time for The Saturdays... ...
- 'Irresistibility' gene that makes the fittest's sw...
- Milan 2- 3 Manchester United
- Brit Awards 2010: The show goes on (but the weddin...
-
▼
February
(222)
0 comments:
Post a Comment