Video Link:
Citations:
Debarnot, Sperduti, M., Di Rienzo, F., & Guillot, A. (2014). Experts bodies, experts minds: How physical and mental training shape the brain. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8, 280–280. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00280
The goal of this article was to “discuss the differences and similarities between various functions of the brain with the aim to identify the highlights of the neurocognitive processes underpinning expertise” (Debarnot 2014). The question they are looking to answer is how one can reach peak performance by training their brain to be prepared for all the mental challenges that come an athlete’s way as they compete. How can one become an expert in their sport and how can one effectively train for competition? “The primary aim of the present paper is to review studies showing how learning and experience induce structural and functional brain plasticity that supports expertise, following a motor to mental gradient of skill” (Debarnot 2014). According to this article, they look at three expertise domains that control one’s ability to achieve peak performance and an expertise in the sport. The three domains they include in their study included sequential motor skill, mental simulation of the movement or motor imagery and meditation as a paradigmatic example of pure mental training. As they state in the article, many recent insights have shown the importance of brain function in achieving this peak performance, but these three areas are where one can distinguish themselves as an expert rather than a novice. They found that “The neural reorganizations that occur with expertise reflect the optimization of the neurocognitive resources to deal with the complex computational load needed to achieve peak performance” (Debarnot 2014). They also discuss the idea of brain plasticity, which is one’s ability to react to their environment, especially important to athletes in high stress competition where they need to react to what is thrown at them. How one’s brain reacts can act as a barrier to one’s performance and one’s ability to reach peak performance. If they fail to react in the right way, they are able to compete consistently at that level and therefore cannot reach the level of expert, rather they will always be novices. They took a look at the structural changes in the brain that occur when people go through mental and motor training. It has been proven in past studies that substantial changes have been made through training, not only in motor functions but in higher order cognitive skills. Because the brains structure, such as white and gray matter are altered when various skills are learned, this proves the brain is linked to one’s ability in performing certain actions and therefore training the brain could make major improvements in one’s ability to perform.
The results they found between those who reach peak performance and those who do not comes down to the brain and developing the skills needed in a given situation. In their comparison of expert and novice athletes they found a different brain activation during motor imagery therefore proving the importance the brain has on success and what distinguishes these great athletes from others. They integrated available results from several neuroimaging approaches in human populations and animal models. Therefore, the methods they used included experiments and case studies while their methodology mainly focused on quantitative research.
My Research Questions:
- Does mental preparation and mental training such as meditation etc. help professional tennis players on the court?
- Does mental training correlate to more success on the court?
- What type of mental training do professional tennis players incorporate in their everyday life to help them become a better, more successful athlete?
Relating back to my research dealing with the idea of the impacts that the mental side can have on sports performance especially among top 100 professional tennis players, this research directly correlates to what I will need to use in my research process. I also plan on using a very similar approach to this study, dealing with a lot of quantitative research and focusing mostly on case studies done specifically in the professional tennis world to discover what distinguishes these players from the rest. This article will be very helpful since I will be using a lot of their techniques in my research. Because I am looking to distinguish professional athletes from others, seeing this major distinction in brain structures will help me navigate this somewhat cloudy area of study. As I have said before, there are certain skills that some people are just born with but what distinguishes the greatest athletes from others and this article will help me through this process. I still plan on using both qualitative and quantitative research, just as with my last article pointed out to me about the place that quantitative research has in this field when before reading these articles, I had not thought about.