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Welcome to my monthly Science Digest.
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This month we're diving into the psychology of competition versus cooperation. Are they zero-sum, or mutually beneficial? We'll turn to our primate cousins for some insight. We'll also go into the role of testosterone in competition: is it about aggression? And finally, how Tetris might help us deal with stress and trauma...and may be the thing we need to be playing after a tough loss.

As always, these monthly digest pull from the most interesting research I've come across and are designed to keep you informed, and provide some actionable insight.

And... My new book, Win the Inside Game, just got massively discounted! It's 33% off! Save $10! I don't control these discounts, but they tend not to last more than a few hours!
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So...if you haven't read it yet. What are you waiting for. It's under 20 dollars, and it's a book that I've had World Cup winning soccer players, Olympic runners and triathletes, major law firms, and top of the world investors all reference and support. It's been wild. But so rewarding. Grab a copy.​

-Steve​

P.S. ANNOUNCEMENTS:

I finally joined Substack. If you'd like to go deep with some articles, check it out. I just released an article on why we need peak experiences in our life in a world that numbs us out.

​The Deep Neuroscience of Flow​

What they found: The researchers synthesized the two major neurocognitive theories of the psychological state known as flow: the Transient Hypofrontality Hypothesis (THH) and the Synchronization Theory of Flow (STF). It proposes a comprehensive model that integrates these existing theories through the role of cerebellar internal models—brain systems that predict and automate behaviors. The authors emphasize how flow states arise from the brain’s ability to operate efficiently, automatically, and with minimal conscious interference, enabling peak performance and effortless attention.

Actionable Insights:

1. Peak Performance Comes from Automaticity, Not Overthinking: Flow is linked to automatic, implicit processes rather than conscious effort. The brain suppresses self-analytical thinking (hypofrontality) during clutch performances, meaning high performers are less likely to choke because they rely on deeply embedded skills rather than conscious control.
2. Brains in Flow Predict Outcomes Before They Happen: The cerebellum acts as an internal model, predicting outcomes and rapidly adjusting behaviors without conscious thought. High achievers have trained their brain’s "prediction engine," allowing them to act decisively and accurately under pressure.
3. Dopamine and the Brain’s Reward System Drive Clutch Performance: Activation of the basal ganglia and dopamine release are key components of flow. The reward system motivates individuals intrinsically, helping them to sustain attention and suppress distractions. This motivation and reward enhance the likelihood of clutch performances during critical moments.
4. Flow is Both Cognitive and Emotional Mastery: The suppression of brain areas associated with self-consciousness (the Default Mode Network) reduces anxiety and enhances confidence under pressure. The result is performance with a sense of ease and enjoyment, even when stakes are high.

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​Lactate Threshold: What's the limiting factor.​

What they found: The study investigated lactate kinetics (production, disposal, and clearance) at lactate threshold (LT) intensity in six trained cyclists and six untrained men. The researchers aimed to determine whether endurance training alters lactate kinetics at LT and below it. They found significant differences between trained and untrained subjects in lactate production and clearance, demonstrating that endurance training notably enhances lactate handling at and around the lactate threshold.

Actionable Insights:

• Endurance Training Significantly Increases Lactate Clearance: Trained athletes demonstrated approximately 34% higher lactate metabolic clearance rate (MCR) at lactate threshold compared to untrained subjects, reflecting enhanced efficiency in removing lactate from the bloodstream at similar exercise intensities​
• Lactate Clearance Reaches Its Maximum Below the Lactate Threshold. The lactate clearance rate peaks at intensities slightly below the lactate threshold, suggesting the lactate threshold represents a point where lactate disposal can no longer match lactate production, leading to accumulation​
• Endurance Athletes Sustain Higher Lactate Flux at Lactate Threshold. Athletes have significantly higher lactate turnover rates at their lactate threshold compared to untrained individuals (65% higher rates of lactate appearance), reflecting their ability to sustain greater energy turnover without lactate accumulation at higher intensities​
• Lactate Threshold Indicates a Limitation in Lactate Clearance Capacity. The lactate threshold isn't simply a marker of anaerobic onset; rather, it reflects the physiological limitation where lactate removal can no longer keep pace with its production. Thus, improving lactate clearance (e.g., through endurance training) directly impacts the LT and performance​

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​Athletes are Twice as Likely to Get Injured During Exam Periods​

What they found: This study examined how periods of high academic stress—like midterms and finals—impact injury risk in Division I college football players. Analyzing data from 101 athletes over a 20-week season, researchers found that injury rates significantly spiked during exam weeks, even when accounting for the already high physical demands of the sport. In fact, during these high academic stress (HAS) weeks, players were nearly twice as likely to suffer an injury compared to low academic stress (LAS) weeks. Among starters—those under the most pressure to perform—injury risk during HAS was more than three times higher than during LAS, and just as high as in preseason training camp, a period notorious for its intense physical load.

• Academic stress doubles your injury risk. Literally.​
  During exam weeks, athletes were twice as likely to get injured compared to regular academic weeks. Think about that: just sitting in a classroom, worrying about tests, creates a physiological vulnerability that shows up on the field. Stress isn’t just mental—it’s physical. It breaks down the body before a tackle ever does.
• Starters are hit the hardest by academic stress.​
  For athletes who played regularly, exam stress was as risky as the brutal demands of preseason training camp. Their odds of injury during high academic stress were three times higher than during low-stress weeks. Why? These are the players with the most pressure—to perform on the field and in the classroom. They’re stretched thin, and when the system overloads, the body cracks.
• Stress narrows focus—and not in a good way.​
  The stress-injury model suggests stress compromises your attention. Under pressure, your visual field narrows. You get tunnel vision. You miss cues. You react late. Add in muscle tension and fatigue from poor sleep, and suddenly that “freak accident” wasn’t random—it was predictable. We talk about “mental toughness,” but ignore how stress sabotages the very focus athletes need to stay healthy.
• Coaches can’t control exams—but they can control training.​
  Here’s the takeaway for performance teams: adjust training loads during exam weeks. Just like you'd taper before a big competition, you need to taper during high academic stress. Periodize around real life, not just the game schedule. Because when the mind is overwhelmed, the body breaks. Smart coaches don’t just train harder—they train wiser.

​Balance Challenge and Skill: The Key to Intrinsic Motivation​

What they found: This study investigated how intrinsic rewards (the enjoyment or satisfaction from doing a task itself) motivate cognitive control, which is needed to complete tasks successfully. Using video games in behavioral and fMRI experiments, the researchers explored "flow theory". This theory suggests that people experience the highest level of intrinsic reward and engagement when a task's difficulty perfectly matches their skill level. When the task is too easy, people get bored; when it's too hard, they get anxious. The study found that being in this balanced "flow" state is linked to increased connectivity between brain regions associated with cognitive control and reward. Conversely, a mismatch (too easy or too hard) led to lower intrinsic reward and activity in the brain's default mode network, which is often associated with mind-wandering or lack of focus.

Actionable Insights:

• Find the 'Sweet Spot' of Challenge: Optimal performance and engagement occur when the challenge level matches your ability. For a book competition, this means finding preparation tasks or competition strategies that are difficult enough to keep you engaged but not so overwhelming that they cause anxiety or burnout.
• Intrinsic Reward Fuels Focus: Experiencing enjoyment and satisfaction from the task itself (intrinsic reward) helps sustain focus and cognitive control. Try to find aspects of the competition or preparation that you genuinely enjoy, rather than solely focusing on the external prize. This internal drive can help you "come through in the clutch."
• Balance Leads to Deeper Engagement: When difficulty and ability are balanced (the "flow state"), individuals show higher attentional engagement. This heightened focus is crucial for high-pressure situations like a competition. Aim to create conditions during practice and the competition that foster this balance.
• Mismatch (Too Easy/Too Hard) Can Lead to Disengagement: Tasks that are significantly easier or harder than your current skill level are associated with lower intrinsic reward and potentially less focused brain activity (more default mode network activity). Avoid challenges that are clearly beyond your reach or tasks so simple they become boring, as both can undermine clutch performance.

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​Rest Better: The Science of Deep Recovery​

What They Found: In this 2024 study, researchers explore how contemplative practices, including meditation, yoga, and prayer, benefit psychological and physical well-being. The authors integrate findings from contemplative practice interventions, stress science, and mitochondrial biology to present a model of how these practices reduce stress and promote health. The model posits that engaging in contemplative practice facilitates a restorative state called “deep rest,” characterized by a shift away from energy-demanding stress states toward cellular optimization. This state is achieved through safety signaling, autonomic changes, and cellular restoration.

Actionable Insights:

• Safety Signaling in Competitive Environments: The concept of safety signaling suggests that creating an environment where athletes feel safe and secure can enhance their performance and recovery. This could involve fostering supportive team cultures, providing consistent coaching, and ensuring adequate resources for training and recovery.
• Balancing Arousal and Restoration: The model emphasizes the importance of shifting between states of arousal and deep rest. In a competitive context, this highlights the need for athletes to not only focus on high arousal for performance but also prioritize recovery strategies that promote deep rest, allowing for cellular restoration and long-term health.
• Contemplative Practices for Recovery: Contemplative practices can be used as a tool to promote recovery from the physiological and psychological demands of competition. Incorporating mindfulness, breathwork, or meditation into training regimens may help athletes achieve deep rest, facilitating efficient recovery and enhancing overall well-being.
• The Role of the Autonomic Nervous System: The article discusses the role of the autonomic nervous system in shifting between stress and rest. Understanding how to intentionally manipulate the autonomic nervous system through practices like controlled breathing could be valuable for athletes in managing performance anxiety, enhancing focus, and promoting recovery.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to read my random musings on the latest science and research. Expect more of the same every month.

And as a reminder, don't forget to order WIN THE INSIDE GAME! It's 33% off! This is the LOWEST Price it's ever been. (I don't control that!! or the deals!)

1. Order the book today: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org​

All the best,

​Steve​

P.S. I am giving away a Free 14-day course on developing mental resilience. It's got 5+ hours of video content. It's free forever, no gimmicks. Just sign up here. It starts today!
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