S4E17 // The Performance Cortex: How Neuroscience Is Redefining Athletic Genius w/ Zach Schonbrun

Summary: Summary of Episode: 2:30 – Zach’s background in sports and business journalism 5:25 – Zach’s book The Performance Cortex: how the brain impacts performance in baseball 10:55 – The biggest surprises in touring neuroscience labs around the country 15:55 – When to swing; when not to swing. 20:05 – Pattern recognition versus reaction time 25:02 – Even elite experts struggle in a new context 28:15 – Information is information, does it always inform performance? 30:50 – Why do ‘batting practice’ at 60% game speed? 32:00 – Zach’s take home message from researching the brain in high performance. 36:05 – What makes a great writer? 39:00 – The power of story-telling Zach is the author of The Performance Cortex, which explores the neuroscience of motor skills, published by Dutton/Penguin Books in April 2018. Zach has covered five Final Fours, the Super Bowl, the World Series, the NBA postseason, US Open tennis and championship golf - among numerous other events - for the Times, as well as regularly contributing coverage of New York's professional and college teams. He lives in New York City with his wife, Missy, their son, Jordan, and their dog, Luke.