Lastly, but most importantly, driver instruction from professional instructors is fundamental in coding the foundational skills into our brains so we can free up processing power for more immediate tasks. These sports also improve general fitness, which is critical to feeding the brain with blood and oxygen to work most effectively.
These sports are effective at challenging the brain to quicken reactions in response to constantly changing situations. It is equally important to engage in active sports such as tennis, racquetball, or downhill skiing to name just a few. However, sitting behind a video screen is not enough to prepare for the challenges of racing. If you’re looking for top-of-the-line, full-immersion simulators, check out CXC Simulations. Today, professional teams rely heavily on simulators for driver training and vehicle setup.
Although they lack the full visibility and full sensory input of a real racecar, our brains adapt and fill in the gaps after some practice. The more realistic simulators, such as Gran Turismo and online community iRacing, are more beneficial than the arcade style of Forza and Need For Speed. Racing simulators in particular are a valuable tool for racers to practice and hone their skills in a no-risk, low-cost environment. Video games in general also can improve reaction times and critical thinking under stress. The neural pathways that are strengthened from practicing this process are just as effective at identifying birds flying the wrong direction as they are when trying to determine whether to make a pass, avoid a spinning car, or any of the multitude of scenarios that confront a racer at the wheel. This is essentially the physiological process we follow when we talk about reaction time. Its simple exercises may not seem applicable to racing but they are actually helpful in training one’s brain to identify a problem, make a judgment, a decision, then execute.
is generally considered the leader in this field. Neural plasticity is becoming a very popular topic as seen in ads for websites that promote brain training. That can be as important as reaction time in racing, if not more so. Lastly, the older driver should recognize that with age comes wisdom and maturity, which often leads to better strategy and decision making. It programs our brains to operate subconsciously and frees our minds to respond to changing conditions. Additionally, physical exercise is effective in strengthening the brain-body connection while practicing our craft. However, studies in brain plasticity suggest that we can exercise our brains just like our muscles and by doing so we can improve cognitive skills and effectively reduce the age of our brains.
If we believe this, then there is little hope for older drivers competing against the young guns. Here’s a question that might apply to a few NASA members: What’s a good way for older drivers to develop faster reflexes?Ĭonventional wisdom holds that human brain development peaks in our mid 20s then trends downhill from there. CXC Simulations makes full-immersion simulators like the one shown here, which offer a more realistic racing experience than iRacing or Gran Turismo, but are quite costly. Brain training, physical exercise and race simulators are good ways to sharpen reflexes.