offroad_home

Yeah, my driving style ist basically the reason for this thread.

People tell me I don't drive that bad, but that I'm way too nervous on the drivers stand and my driving style gets way too aggressive and I make bobbles or I'm hitting the trigger too early.

So a buddy told me it doesn't only depend on not enough practise on the track, but on mental training, to be more relaxed on the drivers stand. He told me "read a book, close the world out, just concentrate".

What is everyone thinking about mental training and what are your methods?

atl darrick

iTrader: (36)

the more races you do, the less nervous you should get. my first few races i was super nervous but it went away with time....now i just get more excited than anything.....i love walking up the driver stand cause i know i'm bout to have soooo much fun

jpalessi

iTrader: (55)

I blink my eyes for moisture and take a deep breath on the straight. i think it helps me keep focus.

madac

iTrader: (1)

I take a deep breath and try to focus on what I'm doing and not worry about everyone else but I also remind myself that I'm here to have fun and if I don't win that's fine because getting mad not only makes the experience worse for you but everyone around you as well. Getting aggrevated will also tranlate to taking the wrong line or spending more time on your lid than your wheels. Just have fun and the rest will come along with practice.

tc5 man

i used to be nervous when i raced, onroad during my teenage age but when i got older im not nervous at all on the drivers stand offroad racing is more relexing .

what i do is just pay attention to my truck and try not to look whos in back of me .

although that has bitten me, in the tail because of somebody on the straightaway will flame out, or do a bonehead move on to the straightaway and well you know what happens next in a blink of a eye.

Arushmen

I used to had the same problem, the nervous kill me driving style and all my possibilities.
One think I just began to do is No More coffe on a rce day, only chamomile (yes sound ridiculous) but really work fine for me.

After that I get a very good result (two podium)

Work for me

atl darrick

iTrader: (36)

I found this out real quick, that getting mad only makes it worse. now i just laugh about it. last weekend i was running 2nd in all my quals....got to the mains and was running 2nd the whole race and 8 mins. in had a critical steering bolt come out....i walked down the driver stand laughing

offroad_home

Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate that!

Usually I don't get mad when the car breaks, that's just racing I say to myself, but sometimes even my knees are shaking during the race because of the nervousness.

vw addict

iTrader: (38)

I learned in carpet races to race your own race. A lot of times if someone is on your butt it is better to let them pass then to have them pressure you into a mistake. It is much easier to follow than be chased. And if they are that much faster than you, you can only hold them up for so long. Just remember the race is long, things happen, and you can still find yourself at the front at the end of the race.

hustler777

iTrader: (1)

x10!!!

i'm a BIG fan of mt. dew and/or monster and i've noticed that staying away from high amounts of caffiene help me out BIG TIME!!!!

also make sure you get a good nights sleep before hand, and eat thru-out the day...

...other than that, i'll start joking around with the people around me up on the stand, if you can get a chuckle out of the competition, the nerves will settle!!

joey91473

iTrader: (18)

I was running a b-main this past weekend and was actually leading when my nerves got the best of me. Three or Four mistakes in the next couple of laps cost me a bump to the A. Finished 3rd. I hate when my hands get twitchy. I am getting better though.

jamiekerr14

Since my 2yrs of racing.. I have tried various ways.. what works for me:

1: Getting used to racing with the best in your area at Nationals.
Since just missing on the A Main at my 1st ever national, racing against some of the top 15 guys in the UK. I was a shaking wreck! but has helped me loads.

2: Listen to music before your final is up, and go take some time away from all the noise and relax and listen to your music.

3: Make sure your car is ready-dont leave it last minute..

4: Dont think about winning, drive your own race.. and never have thought.. (Im in the lead) as that always ends badly..

5: Relax your racing a toy car!!!

ChrisL

This a great thread and certainly not voodoo. The study into sport science and particularly the aspects of it relating to concentration are entirely relevant to our sport. I wrote for the Australian magazine 'Racing Lines' a year or so ago and now have one disciple to these principles who is a Worlds finalist! Article detailed below:

Are you interested in going faster and performing better without spending a single dollar on hop ups or go fast gear? If so, read on as we explain some techniques derived from the field of sports psychology which are directly applicable to R/C car racing.

Magazines, the internet and trackside chatter are full of ideas and opinions to help you tune your chassis better to optimise performance however what is significantly overlooked in R/C car racing circles is the part that the driver plays in the equation. Sports psychology, the newest of the sports science disciplines, is used extensively in other competitive fields to give the participants an edge. Its use ranges from skill acquisition, motivation, increasing confidence / control and increasing concentration levels. All of which, I’m sure you would agree, are crucial in racing. So what are some of these techniques and how can they be used in our field?

Have you ever been at home and gone over a race or a lap of your track in your head? If you have, you have essentially been using imagery which is a form of simulation. The ideal way to do this would be transmitter in hand to recreate the actual movements you would make at the track and imagine yourself driving the perfect laps. You would see the car cutting perfect lines, hitting every apex and rotating perfectly through the middle and exit of the turns whilst working the transmitter in your hand. In off road, you could also imagine the trajectory and throttle control required over the various obstacles. What you are effectively doing is creating muscle memory which over time should increase what ever level of natural talent you possess. Research studies have demonstrated that this form of mental practice can be almost as effective as actually doing the activity itself and is a perfect way to practice when you can’t actually get to the track!

Being “in the zone” is a term used when a driver cannot make a mistake and everything happens very easily. So why can’t we perform like this all the time? Mental routines are used to prepare a racers mind for the upcoming competition and include specific thoughts, words, images and feelings which are used every time a driver walks up on to the drivers stand. This is important to ensure that the driver is not too flat or too energised prior to the start of competition. The research material in this subject area clearly demonstrates a link between lower levels of arousal and the fine motor control which is required to race an R/C car. Mental routines for racing may include thoughts like “stay smooth, keep tight” which can help focus your thoughts more effectively. Mental routines may also provide a security blanket for those stressful times like at important races or when you are out in front.

Once you have your mental routines sorted, you can move on to the race itself where you need to have steadfast concentration. Working against this concentration is a diverse range of distractions which can be internal – thoughts, feelings, emotions or external – yelling on the drivers stand or from pit lane, commentary or visual like the movement of marshals. Internal distractions are often thoughts which can lead to anxiety and ultimately loss of concentration. Have you ever been leading a race and started to worry about getting across the line first rather than staying focused and just driving the car? This is a perfect example of how a distraction can ruin your day. Strategies to overcome these distractions and maintain concentration include using cue words to remind you of what you need to concentrate on, positive self talk to reduce anxiety and simulation training to accustomise yourself to the types of external distractions which can occur during a race.

Motivation - everyone knows about this and ultimately is the difference between performing at your peak or being an also ran. The desire and actions which enable a competitor to perform at their maximum are what make them a winner or a loser. What you must understand is that winning is not necessarily coming first in your race. Being a winner is where a competitor reaches a level which approaches their ultimate performance taking into account their natural talent and available resources. This may range from making the A final at a EP stock tourer club race to winning a buggy world championship for the elite; ie it is very individual specific.
By sustaining ones motivation, a racer is likely to experience a higher level of success than they would if they turned it on and off ad hoc. This assists with the competitor being better equipped to deal with the stress of competition, enjoy the activity more remain positive and prepared for all events.

So how much do you want to win? If you are serious about getting the maximum result possible no matter what your level of natural talent, you will use some of the techniques detailed here to help you get there. The science of sports psychology is still in its relative infancy however many great achievements which you have seen at the race track, or read about in a magazine are a direct result of having the right mental preparation.

inpuressa

iTrader: (10)

think that this is practice. imagine that you are just running laps with your friend. This will give you "space" in your mind so you won't be pressured out as much. during real practice, it's good to both follow people and also be followed. Take a deep breath when you are on a clear straight away. Some people are unknowingly breathing off tune with themselves (hyperventilating or holding your breath) and that makes situations worse.

inpuressa

iTrader: (10)

lol, don't take a 5-hour energy drink before the mains messed me up bad last time. Need to take the stuff snipers use to calm them down.