These are the four main things you can concentrate on

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These are the four main things you can concentrate on

Where can your focus wander to and how do you get it back on the right line?
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Hi there

Happy New Year!

Concentration is a key skill of a top racer. If you’re focussed on what happened on the previous lap when you approach a major corner then you might miss your braking point. If you’re solidly staring at your exit point on a corner you might miss some important information from your rev counter. You can concentrate on all sorts, but are you concentrating on the right things at the right times?

So here are the four main ways you can set your attention. ie These are the four main things you concentrate on:

1st thing

- One or two things from the world around you

eg Watching intently for the fifth red light to go out or the gate to drop.

2nd thing

- Many things from the world around you

eg Noticing someone in your mirrors, smelling oil on the track up ahead, seeing the marshal wave the oil flag and feeling the revs spike as you ride the exit kerb, all at the same time.

3rd thing

- One or two things in your head

eg “I can win this.”

4th thing

- Many things in your head

eg “If I push on this in-lap then we’ll be on plan to get back out in front of our rival, and then I’ll have the benefit of the option tyre all the way to the flag. Push, push, push.”

Your problem is that you must adopt the correct way to concentrate for the situation you are in. It’s easier said than done and without quality mental skills, you won’t know you’re concentrating on the wrong thing until it’s too late.

* The Mindset for Racing Finish Line *

When you start to realise where you attention is, you can make your own judgement as to whether you’re concentrating on and attending to the right things at that time. If you’re not concentrating on the right things then a clear system of ‘concentration cues’ can bring you back on line.

Here are the three main types of ‘concentration cue’ that you can use to switch between the four main ways on concentrating, the specifics of them depend entirely upon you:

1. Verbal cue

eg “Next corner.”

2. Visual cue

eg Look at your pit board or a something in the cockpit / on the bike that you use as a ‘trigger switch’.

3. Action cue

eg Squeeze the bike between your knees / loosen your grip on the steering wheel. Use this action as a ‘trigger switch’.

However, it’s not all that easy. When you’re under pressure you’ll favour your naturally strong style of concentrating, you’ll miss cues from the outside world and you’ll narrow down your focus. You need to practise your mental skills so that you can still attend to the right things even when the pressure is on. After all, the race winner is the person who delivers the best technical skills when under the pressure of competition. The trigger switches / concentration cues need to have their effectiveness built up through proper practice.

You know what the top guys do and what you should be doing, don’t you?


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Next Edition – Nine Ways to be Mentally Tough

What do the top racers consistently do that makes them tougher than the rest?
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Enjoy your racing and never give up.

All the best for the 08 season!

Regards

Mike

Mike Garth BSc (Hons) MSc
07737 655 912
mike.garth@sun1400.com
www.sun1400.com
Sun1400: Sunday 2pm - Ready to race?
Maximising your mental approach in motor sports

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