Chasing Dopamine & Other Game Changing Chemicals: The Neuroscience of Effective Athletic Coaching - Paperback

by Marcus Dibernardo (Author)

Humans are like ingenious machines that have been biologically designed to live together in tribes to ensure the safety of the group. Since Paleolithic times humans have been pre-programed for survival, with much of the programing coming from just five chemicals found inside the human body. These five chemicals, probably undenounced to us, incentivize our actions, so we can have a higher chance at survival. However, the role of these chemicals has changed slightly over time, as society and living conditions have progressed. It is my belief that in order to become a highly effective coach, you must understand how your actions and coaching methods influence these five chemicals, it is also critical to grasp an understanding of how the brain works in the process of learning. Coaching isn't guesswork, there is a proven neuroscience for effective teaching, coaching and educating. Take the chemical dopamine as an example, dopamine determines a person's ability to retain information, it facilitates deep learning, regulates motivation levels, raises focus, increases concentration levels, improves problem solving abilities and expands attention capacities. Coaches who understand how to tap into this powerful brain neurotransmitter, are able to turn regular practices into supercharged learning experiences. The reality is, there is only so much faster, stronger and bigger we can make the body, but the potential for training the brain is virtually unlimited. There is a saying in athletics that "performance follows the mind", if we can train the "sports brain" using the latest scientific knowledge, then the future of athletic performance will be unlike anything we have ever seen before. It is my hope that this book will inspire coaches to look deeper into the logic behind their own coaching methods and philosophies, while they investigate the possibilities of using the findings from neuroscience to re-shape and improve their coaching effectiveness.