Before you start reading this, I will remind you that this DOES involve badminton, you just have to read that far. At this site here www.braintypes.com , they have catalogued what they believe to be 16 different brain types that every person is one of. Their research mostly has to do with sports and athletics so far, and they have found that the best brain type geared toward being an athlete is what an "ISTP." This stands for Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving. Anyways, in past news analysis, they say that NBA player Michael Jordan is this type, and so is another player Tracy McGrady. They also state that other good players such as Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter are not this, type which is why they will never reach the level of play that such a great as Michael Jordan once had. They say that the ISTP brain types have the ability to utilize fine motor skills under stress and clutch situations, such as Jordan's many game-winning buzzer beaters. These are the types which best represent "When the going gets tough, the tough play their best." I just made that quote up, but anyways.... some of the other brain types such as Kobe and Vince simply do not possess the ability to function as well under stress, which is why they will never be as great. When I read this, I immediately thought of two past games which I had seen. One was a Lakers-Rockets game a couple months ago. Kobe Bryant, despite scoring 46 points or so in the game, failed to score perhaps his easiest layup which could have won the game. It was in the last 8 seconds or so, and his team was down by 1 point. His delicate finger roll came in too hard and bounced off the rim, backboard, and out. Also, I recalled two seasons ago when the Raptors and Vince Carter were in Game 7 against Philly in the Eastern Finals (I think?), and Vince had the potential game winning buzzer beater, a wide open jump shot with his team down by 1 and with only a few seconds left on the clock. That shot did not go in as well. Sure, you could say that it was just luck, but it makes you wonder, no? The website says that Kobe and Vince are both very good players with excellent skills, but they do not have the brain power to function their best in the clutch. Also, another aspect of the brain types is fine and gross motor control. It states that some types are much better at fine motor control, which is control of the arms, fingers, hands, etc, while others are better at gross motor skills, which is control and movement of the larger parts of the body, such as using the torso in a tackle. Many times I have noticed people playing badminton who just look so awkward on the court, it makes me flinch. Their arms move as stiff as boards, and their movements around the court are laboured and ugly looking. Then there are people who have good fine motor skill control that are very graceful in their movements. All this brings me to the point, , have any of you noted international players who can step up to the challenge and shine, and some who, when the pressure gets higher such as an opponent game point, falter and stumble? What about among yourselves and your fellow club members/trainees? Do you notice players who can and cannot play in clutch situations? How about players who are graceful and have good racquet control, and others who move like they have stilts for legs and swing the racquet like a baseball bat? I'd like to hear thoughts on the effect of brain types on athletes, do they play a large role, or is this just a bunch of bull? Go www.braintypes.com , take a look around. Phil
Very interesting. I was hoping there would be some kind of inter-active online test that would at least estimate your brain-type but seems like you have to buy their products. Guess nothing is free these days .
There's no question that people are wired differently. How is it that some people learn to play a musical instrument so easily? Or some who master mathematics naturally? Same in sports, and badminton in particular. Some seem to just naturally have the grace and instincts and learn new techniques with ease that others can never pick up, even with training. That much I'll agree with. When it comes to lumping people together in classifications, sharing personality traits, mental capabilities, and athletic capabilities, that I don't accept yet. This kind of thing was tried all the way back to ancient Greece. Astrology does the same thing. Every person is full of genetic variables that occur in any combination. What may happen is that some traits may come out and develop and others may not. As for the Michael Jordan-Kobe Bryant comparison, I've seen Kobe make some clutch pressure shots, and I've seen Michael miss some. Nobody succees all the time. It has more to do with experience, practice, and ability to relax under pressure, and, of course, pure luck or fate. This doctor claims he will soon be able to tell from DNA what category someone fits in. Maybe. To this point, it's all theory based on observation. These things come and go. Sometimes they form the foundation for further research, sometimes they are forgotten in a few years. It may be nothing more than a way for him to make money.
Most elite athletes say that at their level the game is mostly mental. I think what they are talking about is what this thread is about. At a high level in any sport, everyone has the physical ablility more or less, and it's the mental aspect that divides people (into winners and losers). It's like I've read about Michael Jordan - whom you have mentioned - when you measured his physique and physical ablilities (how much weight he could lift, how high he could jump, etc..), there was nothing you could find to indicate that he was better than everyone else. It was his mental approach to the game, his determination and focus, and basic competitiveness that set him apart. And his ability to relax when others start to choke, and the pressure is on. These characteristics are common to all the "greatest" players in any sport, I think. My question would be this: Can this be learned, or is it simply something you're either born with or not? I think it can be learned to some extant, and usually these things come with experience. M.J. was a great player from when he entered the league, but he learned to be the greatest player in league, from playing, from coaching, and from all the things he experienced. Thus, Kobe isn't as good as MJ, yet, but remember, he's only 23 years old, or something. Imagine him when he fully matures.
As I understand this doctor, he is saying that people in cetain categories are genetically gifted to a greater degree than others. The skills can be learned to some degree by anyone with basic ability, but some will pick it up faster, easier, or to a greater extent than others. Take two athletes from different categories, give them the same training, and one will advance beyond the other in certain skills. I think we've all seen that in badminton if we've been playing for a while. I've known guys when they first picked up a racket in their late teens or early 20s. Without any special coaching--or even no coaching at all--and not working as hard as me, would be able to beat me in a year. In a few years, they're an "A" player. (If you've ever watched "Amadeus," I felt like these people are the Mozarts and I'm the Salieri--somewhat in awe, somewhat jealous.) What I question is the attachment of all kinds of traits together in categories. I'd have to see some hard evidence before I'd believe it works that way. We still have a lot to learn about what makes people the way they are at the most basic genetic level.
There's lots of places you get can tested cheaply. Don't trust the quick internet test ones as they are not precise. The real tests are about 1 hour long to write, plus 5 hours of instruction, review, and explanation. I've been tested 3 times so far, and have gotton two different results. In both cases, I'm only 25% off from ISTP... woot? This isn't realated to badminton, but personally, I've found the MBTI test to be extremely helpful in understanding how you percieve the world. Well worth the money (but I only paid $3 )
