High Performance – Getting into the Zone
Posted: Sat May 29, 2010 12:48 pm
High Performance – Getting into the Zone
Ask any sportsperson, who has just come up with an incredibly great performance and he/she will attribute it to ‘being in the zone’. This is common to all sports, whether it be, cricket, shooting, formula 1 racing, golfing, tennis etc,. Characteristics of being ‘ in the zone’ are;
1. A feeling of timelessness.
2. Ease at which the performance emerges,
3. An enhanced ‘feel good’ factor
4. Almost complete focus on the task on hand ,‘tunnel vision’.
Regardless of which sport you pursue, the key question is, ‘how do I get into the Zone?’
From my own personal experience, I have distinctly and inadvertently stepped into the zone on three occasions in my life.
The first time, was when I was fifteen years old and taken part in a cross country horse race (paper chase). I assure you, that it was my horse that won the race for me. Sherry was an Australian bay and at that point of time 12 years old.
Magnificent at Polo, however, he preferred a good rider on his back, or he would show his scorn by charging of to the stables, with the rider flopping on his back like a sack of potatoes.
Sherry had a mind of his own and just loved to race and WIN. I usually got along well with him. On that day, we were approaching the final leg of the race. I quite clearly remember, that I badly wanted to win too.
I found my position to be not so good, somewhere in the middle of the ‘pack’, with the best riders (officers) leading the pack. I wanted to win badly.
Suddenly, Sherry’s body language changed, till then, we were just bowling along, then his tail went up, with a snort he shook his head, telling me to give him free reign, locking his eye on the leading pack, I felt his body suddenly coiling under my knees and we were off!
I just rode in smooth tandem with the rhythmic strides of the great horse under me, giving him free reign as he traversed the best possible course through gullies and small ravines, in a short cut which was apparent only to him. We flashed past the leaders and beat the top riders by a horse’s length.
The second time, was during a shooting competition on the Mumbai range. The evening prior to the match, one of the seniors remarked, that in all probability one of my friends would be unbeatable and specifically pointed to me, saying that I had little chance of beating him. It got my goat!.
The next day, I was facing a chronic problem with my trigger action, which left me short of time. Pissed off, I cursed mentally and lo and behold what followed was a string of 10’s . I ended up shooting 565/600, my best ever score, the second best score on that day was a decent 558/600.
The third time was during the Manipur National Games. I was chosen in the team ahead of some senior shooter. The onus was on me to perform, not only well, but very well. This time too, the same thing happened. In my second series, I had shot three 8s in a row. I kicked myself mentally and there I was in the zone! I shot 568/600, my personal best at that point of time.
To get into the ‘zone’
1. it is imperative, that one has reasonable control or mastery over one’s technique. In shooting, I would refer to the technique of shooting a 10.
2. The desire to perform has to be extremely strong.
3. One has to concentrate 100 % on the technique or in my case the ‘shot cycle’. The shot cycle comprises of distinctly clear steps, which when diligently followed correctly, leads you to a 10.
4. All round body awareness has to increase. Normally, most sportsperson, rely entirely on their visual cues to execute a shot or action. In the zone, a heightened sense of awareness, which involves more than just the visual sense takes place. Hence, during the ‘shot cycle’ the emphasis is more on ‘feeling’ your way through the steps, besides relying on the visual cues. For example taking the grip, let your palm and fingers ‘feel’ and tell you, that the grip ‘feels’ just right, rather than merely relying on the visual feedback.
5. Finally, by ‘feeling’ more and keeping the ‘self talk’ at a minimum and that too entirely positive. One steps into the zone.
But the moment you become consciously aware that you are in the zone, the feeling wears off and you find yourself out of the ‘zone’.
Ask any sportsperson, who has just come up with an incredibly great performance and he/she will attribute it to ‘being in the zone’. This is common to all sports, whether it be, cricket, shooting, formula 1 racing, golfing, tennis etc,. Characteristics of being ‘ in the zone’ are;
1. A feeling of timelessness.
2. Ease at which the performance emerges,
3. An enhanced ‘feel good’ factor
4. Almost complete focus on the task on hand ,‘tunnel vision’.
Regardless of which sport you pursue, the key question is, ‘how do I get into the Zone?’
From my own personal experience, I have distinctly and inadvertently stepped into the zone on three occasions in my life.
The first time, was when I was fifteen years old and taken part in a cross country horse race (paper chase). I assure you, that it was my horse that won the race for me. Sherry was an Australian bay and at that point of time 12 years old.
Magnificent at Polo, however, he preferred a good rider on his back, or he would show his scorn by charging of to the stables, with the rider flopping on his back like a sack of potatoes.
Sherry had a mind of his own and just loved to race and WIN. I usually got along well with him. On that day, we were approaching the final leg of the race. I quite clearly remember, that I badly wanted to win too.
I found my position to be not so good, somewhere in the middle of the ‘pack’, with the best riders (officers) leading the pack. I wanted to win badly.
Suddenly, Sherry’s body language changed, till then, we were just bowling along, then his tail went up, with a snort he shook his head, telling me to give him free reign, locking his eye on the leading pack, I felt his body suddenly coiling under my knees and we were off!
I just rode in smooth tandem with the rhythmic strides of the great horse under me, giving him free reign as he traversed the best possible course through gullies and small ravines, in a short cut which was apparent only to him. We flashed past the leaders and beat the top riders by a horse’s length.
The second time, was during a shooting competition on the Mumbai range. The evening prior to the match, one of the seniors remarked, that in all probability one of my friends would be unbeatable and specifically pointed to me, saying that I had little chance of beating him. It got my goat!.
The next day, I was facing a chronic problem with my trigger action, which left me short of time. Pissed off, I cursed mentally and lo and behold what followed was a string of 10’s . I ended up shooting 565/600, my best ever score, the second best score on that day was a decent 558/600.
The third time was during the Manipur National Games. I was chosen in the team ahead of some senior shooter. The onus was on me to perform, not only well, but very well. This time too, the same thing happened. In my second series, I had shot three 8s in a row. I kicked myself mentally and there I was in the zone! I shot 568/600, my personal best at that point of time.
To get into the ‘zone’
1. it is imperative, that one has reasonable control or mastery over one’s technique. In shooting, I would refer to the technique of shooting a 10.
2. The desire to perform has to be extremely strong.
3. One has to concentrate 100 % on the technique or in my case the ‘shot cycle’. The shot cycle comprises of distinctly clear steps, which when diligently followed correctly, leads you to a 10.
4. All round body awareness has to increase. Normally, most sportsperson, rely entirely on their visual cues to execute a shot or action. In the zone, a heightened sense of awareness, which involves more than just the visual sense takes place. Hence, during the ‘shot cycle’ the emphasis is more on ‘feeling’ your way through the steps, besides relying on the visual cues. For example taking the grip, let your palm and fingers ‘feel’ and tell you, that the grip ‘feels’ just right, rather than merely relying on the visual feedback.
5. Finally, by ‘feeling’ more and keeping the ‘self talk’ at a minimum and that too entirely positive. One steps into the zone.
But the moment you become consciously aware that you are in the zone, the feeling wears off and you find yourself out of the ‘zone’.
