There's lots of talk about how sportsmen must be 'in the zone' to perform their best. Yet, Usain Bolt spends the minutes before his races horsing around. Looking at how cricketers prepare their minds for batting, I wonder if Bolt shares with ex-England skipper, Mike Atherton, the ability to instantly switch on and off his concentration.
For more thoughts on this, have a look at the Declaration Game blog:
http://wp.me/p1OY5E-9O
Bolt not 'in the zone'.
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mikesiva
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Interesting thoughts, Chrisps....
However, when you look closely at Bolt, this is what you will see....
He 'horses' around when the camera is on him, because he knows the value of being a showman. As he's said in his interview, he's there to entertain, and that's what most fans come to see. But when he settles down in his marks, he's all business. He then goes through his routine, which involves crossing himself, points to God, and puts a finger to his lips to remind his fans that it's time for quiet. That's when he gets into the zone....
However, when you look closely at Bolt, this is what you will see....
He 'horses' around when the camera is on him, because he knows the value of being a showman. As he's said in his interview, he's there to entertain, and that's what most fans come to see. But when he settles down in his marks, he's all business. He then goes through his routine, which involves crossing himself, points to God, and puts a finger to his lips to remind his fans that it's time for quiet. That's when he gets into the zone....
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mapoui
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I appraoch people like Bolt like CLR James approached and described Headley in Beyond A Boundary.
what james discovered was that Headly was a unique individual who had workded out ways and means of doing his job that were peculiar to him but neverthless resulted in all the focus essential produce the amazing results he achieved.
these geniuses do not ignore all that regular players must do, just do them in ways that are poeculair to themselves..due to physiological differences maybe, unique talent shaped by peculiar experience on the way up etc
the discovery of these unique people and their ways cane be achieved by an eye open to differences, traiend no doubt but on the that basis, open to the possiblities of life, keely observant of the nuanced as well as the routine.
by now observers including jurnalist should be aware of this and would be looking for it especially in clear genuises like Bolt, Phelps, Serena..in great and unique people in all areas of endeavour.
what james discovered was that Headly was a unique individual who had workded out ways and means of doing his job that were peculiar to him but neverthless resulted in all the focus essential produce the amazing results he achieved.
these geniuses do not ignore all that regular players must do, just do them in ways that are poeculair to themselves..due to physiological differences maybe, unique talent shaped by peculiar experience on the way up etc
the discovery of these unique people and their ways cane be achieved by an eye open to differences, traiend no doubt but on the that basis, open to the possiblities of life, keely observant of the nuanced as well as the routine.
by now observers including jurnalist should be aware of this and would be looking for it especially in clear genuises like Bolt, Phelps, Serena..in great and unique people in all areas of endeavour.
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mapoui
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switching on and off is acording to the article is what atherton reportedly said he did to focus. in follow- up, opinion and suggestion from chrisps as to what he would like to see from most athletes, what gives him pleasure, why he likes Bolt.
what anyone does to win is their own way of having themselves ready to do whatever they do in life.
Chrisps is unfair to athletes who do only what they have been taught to do..a function of who they are, where they are from, the discipline they have been subjected to all the way up.
Yohan Blake is also jamaican, is not really your un-smiling automaton getting ready to race.
Maybe Bolts 'fun' in preparation is a consequence of he being jamaican/caribbean where it is not unknow to laff in the face of the most serious of issues. yuh know..part of his preparation and disciline up to now that he has been through
we can be sure that all athletes do something to achieve their level of performance..and in preparaton to race.
in some cases we can observe a concurrence of preparation moves by many athletes..as Chrisps observed. and then there comes one who is different from the observed concurrence, who is way better, genious and unique in every way
we can be sure that he too is focused, ready to do excellently, fully prepared..but not in the way others appear to be ready, superfically observed.
what CLR James did was to speak to one such genius Headley.. at great length, to examine him as such, to discover what it was about him that allowed him to produce as he did. James found a unique individual and human being.
Chrips may do us all a favour by speaking at length with Bolt if he could... and to bring to bear on such a conversation as much analytic preparation as he can... to see more than even Bolt may see of himself, and be able to put into words.
chrisps wrote a nice article but it is purely subjective.
now if he speaks to bolt at length and gives us the results..that would be objective and much better than nice. it would be as accurate as one can get in such issues
what anyone does to win is their own way of having themselves ready to do whatever they do in life.
Chrisps is unfair to athletes who do only what they have been taught to do..a function of who they are, where they are from, the discipline they have been subjected to all the way up.
Yohan Blake is also jamaican, is not really your un-smiling automaton getting ready to race.
Maybe Bolts 'fun' in preparation is a consequence of he being jamaican/caribbean where it is not unknow to laff in the face of the most serious of issues. yuh know..part of his preparation and disciline up to now that he has been through
we can be sure that all athletes do something to achieve their level of performance..and in preparaton to race.
in some cases we can observe a concurrence of preparation moves by many athletes..as Chrisps observed. and then there comes one who is different from the observed concurrence, who is way better, genious and unique in every way
we can be sure that he too is focused, ready to do excellently, fully prepared..but not in the way others appear to be ready, superfically observed.
what CLR James did was to speak to one such genius Headley.. at great length, to examine him as such, to discover what it was about him that allowed him to produce as he did. James found a unique individual and human being.
Chrips may do us all a favour by speaking at length with Bolt if he could... and to bring to bear on such a conversation as much analytic preparation as he can... to see more than even Bolt may see of himself, and be able to put into words.
chrisps wrote a nice article but it is purely subjective.
now if he speaks to bolt at length and gives us the results..that would be objective and much better than nice. it would be as accurate as one can get in such issues
Last edited by mapoui on Thu Aug 09, 2012 11:04 am, edited 2 times in total.
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mapoui
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I wonder what Chrisps would say if Bolt was an ordinary runner 
I suppose then the best Bolt cud have hoped for was mention that his unique, fun-filled style of getting ready to race, was the mark of your traditional blac buffoon, who was more concerned about having a party than making the best of a serious event like thr olympics
I suppose then the best Bolt cud have hoped for was mention that his unique, fun-filled style of getting ready to race, was the mark of your traditional blac buffoon, who was more concerned about having a party than making the best of a serious event like thr olympics
Last edited by mapoui on Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Chrisps
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Thanks all for your comments. It was a subjective piece: I like people who achieve things in unconventional ways. I think there is a lot of psychobabble about mental preparation - sure it helps some sportspeople - but I question whether all benefit from it.
What if Bolt wasn't great? It would be even braver.
Anyway, the race is 5 mins away and I'm looking forward to watching the great man. Go Bolt!
What if Bolt wasn't great? It would be even braver.
Anyway, the race is 5 mins away and I'm looking forward to watching the great man. Go Bolt!