If you have been a fan of the
NBA this year you have seen Stephan Curry of the Golden State Warriors have one
of the most amazing seasons in recent NBA history. His outstanding play not
only lifted the Warriors to the best record in the NBA, it earned him the NBA
MVP award as well.
Curry is an outstanding player
but on certain nights his play seems effortless. His ball handling skills and
ability to make shots makes it seem like the game is in slow motion and the rim
is 20 feet in diameter. In one game, Curry was so hot, he took a deep range
game winning three point shot and while the ball was in the air he turned
towards his bench with his arm in the air indicating victory. Two seconds later the ball went through the
net and the Warrior’s won!
What I just described for you
is something that is not exclusive to the top professional athletes or even
high ranking officials or business executives.
Steff Curry had found “The Zone.”
While most of us will never hit a game winning shot in the NBA, the good
news is we can all experience “The Zone” in the things we choose to do
including sports, work or other activities we participate in.
While we talked in recent weeks
about The Zone diet being a healthy balance of protein, good fats and good
carbohydrates that provides nutrition for optimal performance, the Zone I am
referencing here is the ability to perform at your highest level in any
activity you participate in. The Zone is a higher consciousness and intense
level of engagement that allows for this optimal performance but unfortunately,
most people that experience the Zone get there by accident.
Michael Lardon, M.D. has spent
much of his professional life working with athletes and studying scientific
research to better understand the Zone and what leads athletes and others the ability
to experience the Zone in regular intervals.
Dr. Lardon has identified ten essential characteristics that the world’s
greatest athletes possess that enable them to perform at optimal levels while
allowing them to transcend distractions and everyday challenges that could
potentially hinder their performance.
The research Dr. Lardon
conducted UCSD and Scripps Research Institute suggested four characteristics
that people experienced when they were in the Zone. (1) Super concentration or complete mental
absorption in a task; (2) the experience of time slowing down; (3) a sense of
detachment from outside influences; and (4) a resulting super-normal performance.
Dr. Lardon continues to state
that the Zone is less about human physiology, and more about human
determination and will. Think about a time when you ran your best race or the
project you were working on at your job seemed effortless and time flew
by. This is the Zone.
Next week I will discuss the
ten elements Dr. Lardon identifies as necessary to help you experience the Zone
more frequently to help you achieve optimal performance in your selected sport,
work or other activity. Until then, if
you want to see the Zone in action, I recommend you catch a Warrior’s playoff
game on television and watch how Stephan Curry masters the Zone!
HERE’S TO BEING FIT FOR LIFE! Chris is a Certified Personal Trainer, USA
Triathlon Level 1 Coach, Group Exercise Instructor, exercise and endurance
enthusiast. He competes yearly in numerous
running races, marathons, ultra-marathons, triathlons and other endurance
events. He is a member of the 2015 QT2
Systems Advanced Team.