Anyone read the article in (I believe) this month's issue of Road and Track on the mental processes involved in professional racing? While I'm not even an amateur-level racer, it was interesting and helpful even for the driving I do. Check it out if you're into that kinda thing.

 

I did and was kinda freaked out about the "mind over matter" focusing methods. I've been working on it and it seems to have helped a little. Your eyes get really big and everything appears to be in 3/4 motion..The gates come up slower and your hands feel really fast...

After that once..I couldn't get into that state of mind again..

I'm still working on it...but a great article and Prosts comments are typical Prost..really out there but when you think about it, make sense..

Was a great read, even the second and third times..

Now when I reach the line, I seem to keep reciting "Death Alley Driver" by Rainbow...and I don't know why that particular song stuck..

Jeff

 

Awesome, dude. I've only tried applying mental shenanigans a little bit in the past to my driving, but after having read that article and practicing with it in martial arts, it's really helpful in getting focused on the task at hand. I've also been messing around with it a bit, and it paid off this morning when I went on one of my favorite backroads, nailed every apex, perfect heel-toeing, everything was fluid and clean. Which driver was it they said fell asleep 5 minutes before a race? I drove almost as soon as I woke up, so that might've been part of it, like being in that dreamy state of mind.

 

After reading this I went out and bought the mag, great read! There are some other cool articles in there too (f1 vs CART, viper stuff and a pic of the v10 motorcycle).
I'm already subscribed to grm, I may sign up for r&t as well

 

i don't think you can make yourself "get into a certain state of mind." i think a certain type of person is just that way naturally. but hey, i haven't even read the article yet, so what do i know.

fyi......i like C&D better than R&T

 

<U>Alpha Wave States are associated with:</U>
Self Appreciation
Calming Rejuvention
Goal Development
Lucid Mental States
Optimism
Pleasant Feelings & Emotions
Positive Emotional State
Reduced Worry
Reduced Tension
Reduced Stress While Working
Refreshed State
Relaxed While Awake
Reduced Restlessness
Reduced Distress
Unfocused Attention
Vivid Visual Images
Waking Calmness

from http://mindsurfing.com

If you can get your brain into this pattern as they talked about in the article, seems like your 'good to go' getting there I think would be a real trick though.
I know there are sound waves that will assist your brain in going into apha (or beta or any others depending on the sound your playing).
Heh, would be interesting to somehow play those waves in your car while racing

If anybody cares to download, heres some differnent waves in this zip file. I did a bit of reading on this stuff a while back but I don't think it ever worked for me, I always just got a headach.
http://www.240motorsports.com/waves.zip
You have to run sbagen.exe in that file before the sounds will play.


[Modified by DSC240sx, 5:58 AM 4/2/2003]

 

Have you guys ever had such a wonderful day where nothing seems to go wrong, and everything is going right? That is what being in the zone is!

You'll probably notice it on ESPN...the pitcher who's having the game of his life and pitches a no-hitter.

All of you have probably experienced something like this...whether it's playing a video game, building something, writing a college paper, etc.

What those drivers were able to do was maximize their environment and let in the good and keep out the bad. They were also probably able to do it without thinking about it, to the point that it was natural.

 

I don't know man, I've been able to get myself into many certain states of mind, just takes a lot of focus. Certain people would be better at doing it, just like certain people are better at sports, or school, or whatever, depending on how their brian works. R&T has been really good for the past year or so, definitely up there in my favorite magazines. I just started getting GRM too, and that's cool, but it doesn't cover some of the somewhat OT stuff R&T does, and of course, they don't have Peter Egan.
Not to criticize or anything Outrun, but if they could do it naturally without thinking about it, I think they would have more consistent results in whatever they're doing. I agree that there are days when everything is just "in the zone," but I think the focus of that article was about how to get yourself in the zone when you're not already in it. I've been able to improve just about any bad day, no matter what crap happened to me, by going off and meditating. That concentration and focus sort of slides you into that ideal state of mind.
Something I'm finding out as I drive more, just driving can be my meditation. If I focus enough on just doing that, just driving as best I can or whatever, it gets me into that mode.