What if you suddenly had the power to get out of slumps, hit more shots, and train with a better quality, day in and day out?
One of my favorite audiobooks I’ve listened to is “The Genie Within: Your Subconscious Mind and How to Use It” by Harry Carpenter. This book goes in depth on that “thing in your head” that is controlling the outcome of every shot, serve, swing, and pass that happens through the course of playing your sport of choice. That thing, of course, is the subconscious mind, and mastering it will bring you or your athletes one step closer to success.
I enjoy learning about the subconscious mind, largely because I as an athlete was so streaky. One minute every shot would be falling, and the next, I completely fell apart. My coaches were frustrated because they saw flashes of how could I good be, and this is likely a big reason I ended up doing track over basketball, where things were more closed chain and consistent. Despite logging thousands more hours honing my skills on basketball movements than jumping over a high jump bar, track was the sport where I could focus my talents, although I wonder what would have been in basketball (or another ball sport) had I been able to properly hone my subconscious mind.
For our Q&A session today, I asked Harry some big questions in the world of sport play and the subconscious. Whatever your sport of choice, this is a fantastic article to get the most out of your game, and for many, to grab that “lowest hanging fruit” that is most critical to improve: the skill of mastering the subconscious.
Just Fly Sports: What is “The zone” and how can athletes get and stay there?
Harry Carpenter: I believe playing in the zone is playing in the alpha state. In alpha, an athlete is acutely focused, and her subconscious mind is doing the doing, i.e., executing the action. She is relaxed but ready to react using the necessary muscles and no more. Nervousness and over-reacting causes tension and use of unnecessary muscle, which impede fluid motion. Her conscious mind is just an observer.
Here is how I imagine it works; first let’s look at the states of mind vertically. At the top is the awake state, beta, where the brain wave frequency is 14 cps (cycles per second) and higher. Below that is the alpha state with frequencies 8 to 13 cps. Next is the theta state, 4 to 7 cps, and on the bottom is delta, or sleep, 3 cps and less.
Now think horizontally. Let’s say you are in alpha. While in alpha, you can go to the left, so to speak, and become coma-like, totally unaware of the environment. If you have watched a stage hypnotist, you know what I mean. When he gives a command, the subject becomes utterly relaxed with her head resting on her shoulder.
On the other hand, moving in the other direction, to the right, you remain alert and can function—but you are still in alpha where your subconscious mind dominates. This is analogous to when the stage hypnotist gives the subject a command to do something, usually something embarrassing, and the subject gets up from her trance and performs as if in the awake state.
Athletes wanting to play in the zone need to practice going into alpha. While in alpha, they have to condition themselves to open their eyes and remain in alpha. This takes a practice, and it’s difficult when doing it to yourself.
Athletes wanting to play in the zone need to practice going into alpha (state)
Recordings with the routines needed to go into the Zone and play tennis or pickleball are available at www.thegeniewithin.com. The principles are the same for any sport. Either dub substitute words for “racket” or “paddle” in the recording, or write the words down and make your own recording.
Just Fly Sports: Why do you have to play subconsciously rather than consciously?
Harry Carpenter: You cannot play your best when using your conscious mind to execute complex physical motions. The first time you execute a complex motion, you consciously talk yourself through it. And, you do it one step at a time because your conscious mind can only do one thing at a time.
Recall tying your first bow. The process was unnatural and took several attempts. After you tied a bow properly a few times, the process was delegated to your subconscious mind where it became a habit. Once it became a habit, you tied a bow without thinking.
Take something more complex, like a golf swing. I was taught there are 31 elements to a good golf swing. The first few times I swung a club, I thought about each step. This step-by-step motion produced a swing like a flickering old-time movie. It wasn’t until each step was turned over to my subconscious, which can do a zillion things at a time, that my swing became fluid.
When a complex task is performed by the subconscious, it is:
Easy because your subconscious can handle an unlimited number of tasks at one time without any (conscious) thought,
Effortless because it’s unconscious,
Graceful because it is a unified, coordinated motion, and
Natural because you don’t think about it.
It’s same in all sports, each action has a myriad of things to think about. In tennis, for example, a partial list of actions for a forehand swing might include: move my feet, get in good position, short back swing, stay loose, stiff wrist on impact, racket face angle, bend knees, weight on toes, hit ball out front, swing low to high, open hips, follow through toward target, get ready for next shot.
That’s too much to think about. Each repetitive action in sports must be made a habit and performed at a subconscious level without thinking.
A high jumper that had just set a record was asked what he was thinking of when he was making his jump. He said, “When I started my run I just knew I was going to do it but after that I don’t remember a thing until I cleared the bar”.
Thinking only messes with your subconscious mind and hinders play.
Just Fly Sports: Why is it that thinking of winning, or trying too hard to win sabotages us from reaching our highest potential?
Harry Carpenter: You are playing at the top of your game and you’re winning. Three more points and you win the match. It feels great. You start thinking, “Wow! I’m getting the gold. This is great. It’s about time. My game is hot. Just don’t make any mistakes now. Take it easy now. No mistakes.” Your game begins to slip and you lose. You thought you had it in the bag. What happened? You choked.
You started thinking—thinking with your conscious mind. Until then you were loose and playing by habit, letting your subconscious play, playing loose, totally focused of the action without thinking. Now you’re playing consciously, thinking about the future, about winning, about showing your gold medal to your friends. Your conscious mind has taken over. You are thinking about not making mistakes, which means you are thinking about “mistakes.” Now, “mistakes” is a goal of your subconscious.
Thinking about imagined mistakes also brings in the fear of losing. Even a little fear causes tightness and tightness inhibits motion.
Suggestions on what to do when you sense any sign of choking:
- Stay in the present. Don’t think of winning (that’s in the future,) or of the last play (that’s in the past.) Stay in the present. Your conscious mind can only think of one thing at a time so occupy it an image of the perfect result or, in the case of a racket sport, watching the ball.
- Execute everything the best you can. Flubbing an easy shot because you played casually is reinforcing bad habits. Urging yourself, or your partner, to play better on the next point because it’s important, brings yours and her conscious mind to the forefront, which is counterproductive.
You tell yourself that the next point is crucial and you have to win it. Your subconscious hears that it would be disastrous to lose the next point, so it causes your muscles to tense and you don’t execute well. In other words, you choke. Avoid these mistakes by playing as well as you can all the time.
- Don’t judge your play. Play without thinking critically. Be an unemotional observer. Critical thinking is a conscious mind activity. Observe what’s is going on and let your subconscious mind make the adjustments.
- Relax. Take slow deep breaths. Picture that magic beam of light moving through your body keeping you relaxed. Visualization is a powerful tool. Use it to relax.
- Be confident. Authentic confidence overpowers fear. Know that you can play well because everything you need is programmed in your subconscious. As last resort, if you feel your confidence ebbing, act as if you are confident.
Just Fly Sports: Why is it that “silly” cues and instructions can often be more effective that plain, but descriptive ones to athletes?
Harry Carpenter: Because your subconscious mind is radically different from your conscious mind. Whereas your conscious mind is mature and logical, your subconscious mind is immature and illogical. Thus, silly commands are more readily accepted by your subconscious mind than logical ones.
Your subconscious mind communicates differently than your conscious mind. Your subconscious mind doesn’t talk to you in words. Ever dreamed in words? No, your subconscious mind talks to you with emotions and images, and the images are mostly immature and illogical. If you want to send a message to your subconscious mind, don’t lecture it with sophisticated facts. Instead, create a simple affirmation of words that evoke emotions and images, the sillier the better.
About Harry Carpenter:
He began looking for the secret. It took decades before he found a suitable model on how his subconscious mind worked. The paradigm was simple and compatible with experts and philosophies he respected. Once he knew how his subconscious worked, it was easy putting it to use.
Due to his success in using his subconscious mind, Harry was encouraged to teach what he had learned. He taught his first classes 50 years ago but stopped teaching to pursue a career in aerospace engineering and raise four children. He resumed teaching when he retired in 1994.
The impetus for writing a book came from students asking for a source with the information he teaches. No book comes close because the information Harry teaches was collected from many books, teachers, and lots of practice. The Genie Within: Your Subconscious Mind is the distillation–the best of the best–of 60 years of reading, studying, practicing, and teaching.
Harry lives in Southern California with his wife, Jane, dog, and five tortoises. He and Jane have 4 children and 9 grandchildren.
The Genie Within: Your Subconscious Mind–How It Works and How to Use It is a how-to manual that you will use for life. It is easy to read and easy to use.
Learn how to use your invaluable resource to achieve goals, be healthy, and have peace of mind. The methods really do work–when you know how your subconscious works.
Please visit www.thegeniewithin.com for more information.
Find all of Mr. Carpenter’s books on amazon.com
The Genie Within: Your Subconscious Mind–How It Works and How to Use It
The Genie Within: The Essays
Tennis is the Zone
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