0:00 Japanese neurologist performed an MRI scan on Neymar's brain while he was playing football and compared it to both amateur players and even other professionals and what they found was shocking most players showed a lot of activity in the prefrontal cortex but Neymar his brain was almost silent at first that might sound like a problem shouldn't a top player be thinking more making complex decisions in real time but this is exactly what separates him from everyone else neyar doesn't have to think his body just moves effortlessly like he's on autopilot he doesn't need to pre-plan his plays like many amateurs do it just happens and that's what makes
0:46 him so unpredictable and the neurologist said if they scanned Messi or Ronaldo they'd probably see the same thing because this is what true Peak Performance looks like but what is this this is the slow State a state of complete immersion where space disappears time slows down and everything feels effortless where you're not thinking about what to do next you just do it and if you can tap into it during a game you'll play at a level you didn't even know was possible and the best part it's something you can actually train so let's break it down how to actually enter flow state every game on command so let's first start with the part that probably everybody has has heard from Blue lock to trigger
1:32 Flow State as mial said one of the most knowledgeable researchers on Flow you need certain conditions the first ones are shown in this graph you see two things skill level and challenge level and to enter flow they need to match up what does that mean if the challenge is too low compared to your skill level you get bored your mind starts to wander and you lose focus that's why when you're playing against Aker opponents your intensity drops you don't feel engaged so you start playing lazily on the other hand if the challenge is too high meaning you're facing players much better than you you get overwhelmed you start hesitating second guessing yourself and that leads to anxiety but
2:21 when your skills and the challenge are balanced just right you lock in you stop thinking and your instincts take over that's what being in the zone feels like and here's what's interesting the other conditions for flow are already built into football itself you need a clear goal and clear rules in football the goal is obvious score assist windels dominate your opponent and the rules they're already set so in theory football should be the perfect environment for flow but I know what you're thinking I don't control the challenge so how do I actually match my skill to the level of competition don't
3:07 worry there's always a way to trigger flow Neuroscience shows that flow State happens when the brain shifts into Alpha and Theta wave frequencies Alpha Waves occur when you're in a relaxed present state they're linked to creativity reaction speed and effortless movement exactly what you need on the pitch theta waves are even deeper they happen when you're in a dreamlike state completely immersed in what you're doing almost like time doesn't exist this is why flow feels so surreal because your brain is literally shifting into a different state of consciousness but here's the problem most people today struggle to enter these brain wave States because their minds are over stimulated constant
3:55 phone scrolling short form content notifications processed foods these things destroy your ability to focus they weaken your dopamine receptors making it harder to feel engaged in the moment and this is a massive problem for footballers if your brain is stuck in a high stimulation low Focus mode you'll never enter flow you'll always feel disconnected overthinking every decision instead of reacting naturally so before we even talk about how to trigger flow then matches we need to to fix this you need to learn how to actually live in presence and reset your dopamine levels so that your brain is capable of entering flow in the first place and
4:42 that's what we're about to break down next now let's talk about dopamine dopamine is the brain's reward chemical it's what makes you feel motivated focused and engaged when you do something rewarding like scoring a goal making a great pass or even eating food your brain releases dopamine to reinforce that behavior but here's the issue not all dopamine is the same Modern Life is filled with cheap dopamine instant effortless rewards that hijack your brain's reward system scrolling short form content playing video games for hours eating processed junk food and the worst of them all corn and let's be honest if you're still consuming that it's killing your focus
5:29 your confidence and your ability to perform Under Pressure so if you're serious about improving quit it if you want the full guide on how to stop let me know in the comments now back to dopamine to counteract over stimulation and reset your dopamine levels footballers need to do three things first reduce over stimulation limit activities that drain your focus especially short form content and don't give give yourself excuses like I only watch it for football content be real short form content is designed to fry your brain with constant novelty it's way too fast to actually teach you anything useful and all it does is
6:14 weaken your ability to focus for long periods second perform long-term fulfillment activities replace cheap dopamine with things that give you real satisfaction play football outside lift weights read work on something that makes you proud when you focus on meaningful tasks instead of mindless distractions your dopamine system starts to reset making it easier to focus and enjoy the game third get out of your comfort zone make real connections push yourself do things that actually require effort go outside and ground your feet on natural grass or sand get sunlight on your skin spend time in nature these things may sound
7:00 simple but they retrain your brain to find joy in reality instead of artificial stimulation and here's the most important thing consistency if you stick to these habits your dopamine system will reset and before we move on if you're enjoying the video so far make sure to like And subscribe it helps a lot now let's get into how to actually trigger Flow State on command during matches as we said before getting into Flow State requires a high but relaxed frequency and we approach it this way first the morning reset every morning the moment you wake up go outside and get sunlight close your eyes and just listen to your brain for 5 to 20 minutes
7:49 now I'm not telling you to go full monk mode and try to shut your mind off completely that's not the goal it's hard and honestly it's not even necessary instead just listen to your thoughts without engaging with them think of your mind like a river most people get Swept Away by their thoughts carried down the stream without even realizing it but if you step out of the river and just watch the water flow you start to notice pattern you start to recognize what distracts you what stresses you and what thoughts repeat over and over again when you do this work the next time during a match instead of overthinking a bad pass or getting stuck in your head after
8:36 missing a shot you can just let it go because you've trained yourself to observe thoughts second the spawning method now this is combined with visualization but to another level 1 hour before your match find a quiet spot close your eyes and shut everything off and in your mind say this to yourself I have just spawned on Earth nothing exists except what is happening right now you're removing time from your perspective completely resetting your brain as if you were just born into the present moment no past mistakes no future worries just right now then shift into visualization but instead of just watching yourself play well feel everything imagine that you
9:23 were born for this exact task the match in front of you feel the ball at your feet feel the weight of your body shifting As you move hear the sound of the ball making contact with your boot hear the crowd the wind the voices of your teammates see yourself executing the perfect touch the perfect dribble the perfect shot the goal here is to trick your brain into thinking this moment is everything that nothing else exists outside of it your brain can't tell the difference between real experience and deep VIs visualization Studies have shown that mental rehearsal activates the same neural Pathways as actually performing the action that's why Elite athletes
10:11 musicians and even military operatives use these methods to prepare themselves now there are some extra bonuses to boost your chances of getting into flow and nutrition plays a huge role the right foods can set your brain and body up for Optimal Performance let's start with blueberries these little powerhouses are packed with antioxidants and vitamins which protect your brain from oxidative stress they also enhance communication between brain cells boosting memory and cognitive function snack on it before a match and it'll give you a natural energy boost next fatty fish like salmon and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids Omega-3s are
10:56 crucial for brain health try salmon salad for lunch don't forget about dark chocolate it's packed with antioxidants that improve blood flow to the brain avocados are another go-to these creamy fruits improve blood flow which means better cognitive functioning and focus try adding avocado to your breakfast and you'll start your day with a solid foundation then there's green tea which deserves a spot in your daily routine green tea is rich in eleanine and caffeine two compounds that work together to boost brain function now let's not forget the basics water staying hydrated is absolutely essential dehydration can lead to a foggy mind and
11:42 sluggish reactions make sure you're drinking enough water before during and after training or a game to maintain Peak Performance now here's something I didn't tell you everybody has a different way to trigger Flow State sure I mentioned some of the best ways to get there but it's not a one-size fits-all approach everyone has their own unique flow for some players flow comes in when the team is stronger when everything's going right and the energy is high for others it's when the pressure from the crowd is on and the adrenaline starts pumping the environment the context it all matters you could spend hours reading about techniques strategies and hacks to trigger flow but the truth is there's no perfect blueprint flow
12:28 doesn't have a set formula it all comes with experimenting finding what clicks for you and learning how to tap into it I could tell you all day about how to boost your chances but in the end it's all about dealing with it in real life you don't truly understand what triggers flow until you've experienced it on the pitch so how do you get those experiences simple play more football get involved in small-sided games pickup games go to the park with friends try foota challenge someone to a one versus one or even get in a match where there's no pressure at all just you the ball and the game the more touches you get the more familiar you become with the rhythm of the game the faster you
13:14 can find that zone what matters is putting yourself in situations where the game feels fun competitive and unstructured don't focus on looking good for others forget about impressing any anyone or worrying about the scoreboard focus on actually having fun and playing the game in its purest form you'll start getting into flow without even realizing it you'll make better decisions react faster and start seeing the game in ways you never did before the more you activate flow the more momentum you get and the easier it becomes to trigger it it's like building muscle the more you practice the more automatic it becomes
13:59 I hope you enjoyed this video let me know in the comments if you have ever played in flow and don't forget join our Discord Community you'll be surrounded by players who are just as dedicated as you hit the protocol and take action
