Performance

## Games

#### Mini-Game: Bimanual

Put one thumb up with the other hand's index finger pointing at it. Then try and switch rapidly.

Result: You can't do it.

Why: Bimanual interference happens when both hands are trying to do difficult tasks. But it's no problem for Drew Brees.

The brain of the everyday super-humans rely on more than just muscle and their brain. They're good under pressure, and have trained both mind and body.

Drew's brain is different is likely because he can make decisions more quickly than others. There's a test for that.

### Experiment: Draft Day

How quickly will Drew be able to switch from one concept to another?

When a light turns green, Drew will need to make a quick decision and hit the correct jersey with a football depending on the color that lights up. Keegan takes a couple shots and is able to do it in 7 tries. The fan times averaged 4.4 seconds per correct throw.

Result: It took him 3.283 seconds, which is 25.4% faster than the fan group. For 2 jerseys, it takes him 5.882 seconds. For round 3, if the jerseys are red, he must pick the larger font. If they're blue, he hits the even number. It takes him 9.888 seconds.

So: Reacting quickly to a change in rules is made possible by cognitive flexibility by juggling several mental tasks at once. This takes place in the frontal lobe with neuronal connections.

### Game #1: Spatial Recongintion

Which 50-yard line is more angled?

Result: They're the same.

Why: We treat the two images differently if they were part of the same scene, that and the lower angle, causes you to confuse the angle of the lines.

Drew trains his mind and body.

### Experiment: Vertical Leap

Can we get people to increase their vertical leap? We're going to test the effects of Tanscranial Direct Current Simulation(TDCS). TDCS uses electricity to stimulate the brain. They stimulate your motor cortex, and with enough stimulation, the zaps may improve the connections will improve the connections between neurons. 6 players wore the headphones for 20 minutes a day, then train. Some players are wearing headphones that don't deliver a current. Will TDCS work?

8 weeks later....

Result: Our volunteers improved by 7% to 9%. The expiremental group impoved their leap by an average of 7.94%. Even with other factors, noticeable improvement was shown.

So: And for a vertical leap for an elite athlete, can be huge for them. The reason this works is because you are stimulating the neural networks and your neurons go "plastic", and then during practice, and the connections cause practice to get a boost.

#### The Science With Kelly Clarkson

Hammer fast with your left hand and saw fast with your right. This is a great example of Bimanual interference. Draw a square with your left hand and circle with the other fast. Hard, right?

### Game #2: Free Throw

Will this player make the free throw?

Result: If you're a basketball player, you likely have the answer down. But you probably had your decision down already.

How: Mirror neurons fire in our brain when someone performs an action. Like muscle memory in your brain. Basketball players have this down to a crisp.

### Round One

Can training your brain improve your mind like working-out can improve muscle? Play along. First,track two footballs in a sea of others. Why is Drew good at this task?

Why: It tests multiple brain functions at once, and high level athletes do well at these kinds of tasks.

### Round Two: Sea of Pandas

Now track 3 pandas live on stage.

Result: Drew gets 2 out of 3.

### Game #3: Dots in Pattern

Can you see all 12 dots?

Result: Probably not.

Why: Because the grid is more important, you focus on that. Your brain can't take in everything at once.

#### Stage Mini-Game: 7-Up

7 targets are on stage. Drew will hit 5 of them. He can pick the same number twice.

Result: Lior Suchard guesses correctly which one he hits each time. It's Lior Suchard's birthday.

### Game #4: Mirror Image

Which shape below is a mirror image of the one at the top?

Result: The answer is B.

So: That's some good thinking.

### Experiment: Pushing the Limits

Some of the best athletes owe their good performance to Dr. Andy Walshe in Human Performance. He advises all kinds of athletes, and even regular people. Training for the mind is learning about how the brain responds when it's put under stress. Two volunteers join Cara. Breathing up, filling your lungs with air deepens breathing and slows down your heart rate. The point is to be more in control and with the proper training, anyone can do it.

Result: The times go way up with practice.

Now, with Cara on stage and with even more practice, how much will her time improve?

Safety is important, so she needs someone to support her. As the Co2 builds up, Cara needs to relax as the urge to breath continues. The world record is around 12, minutes, and she has a chance of beating that. But as the Co2 builds up, she will eventually have to breathe.

Learning how to overcome challenges in safe environments can teach you more that you ever thought and you can take these techniques to other places.

Result: Cara's final time... 2:02.

Cara: It feels like you're going to die... but what's she learned is that you can live a bit longer without oxygen but your brain tells you to panic, so much of it is about getting in zen and overriding your brain. You don't have to be an athlete to improve performance, you just have to gain control over your mind.

### Game #5: Cat Laser

Our brains have a limited amount of resources it can allocate to any one thing at a time. This is called in Attentional blink. Spot the letter that comes after W(not the letter X, the letter after W)

Result: The answer is F. You way have saw the W, but not the F.

Why: Because your brain was still busy processing the W when the F came by. Your brain blinked even though we told you it was coming.

### Mcgurk Effect:

Drew gets 1 out of 3.

Why: Their mouths say one thing, but you're hearing something different.

#### Rock Paper Scissors:

Lior wins 1-0, with a tie in the first two rounds.

#### Composure:

Will drew drop the glasses?

Result: Nope

## List of Experts/Guests

* Drew Brees
* Cara Santa Maria(Science Journalist, Neuroscientist)
* Lior Suchard
* Kelly Clarkson