Finding Athletic Flow
A presentation by: R. Scott Packham
What is 'Flow'?

To feel completely at
one with what you're
doing.

To be in total control

Being 'in the zone'

Total focus
Flow (continued)
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
described flow as "being
completely involved in an
activity for its own sake.
The ego falls away. Time
flies. Every action,
movement, and thought
follows inevitably from the
previous one, like playing
jazz. Your whole being is
involved, and you're using
your skills to the utmost"
Where does flow occur
Music
 Sports
 Education
 Religion
 Etc

Flow Anecdotes

Lyoto Machida, a UFC fighter, uses
meditation techniques before his fights to
achieve a state known as mushin
Mushin

"Meditation plays a big role in my life. Meditation fortifies my
spirit, improves my focus my desire. When I fight I try to empty
my mind. Its called Mushin. When I don't see anything around
me, I only see that moment. Nothing else matters. that was how
I was taught to live." - Lyoto Machida

Here's a little info about that Mushin he was talking about.

MUSHIN: Composed of two Kanji

MU = nothingness; none; ain't; nothing; nil; not

SHIN = heart; mind; spirit

Mushin literally means innocence. It refers to the state of mind
where one does not assume anything but is open and prepared
for anything - which is vital for combat.
Flow Anecdotes

Ayrton Senna, after qualifying for
the 1988 Monaco Gran Prix. “I was
already on pole, [...] and I just kept
going. Suddenly I was nearly two
seconds faster than anybody else,
including my team mate with the
same car. And suddenly I realized
that I was no longer driving the car
consciously. I was driving it by a
kind of instinct, only I was in a
different dimension. It was like I
was in a tunnel.”
Kobe Bryant Scores 81 points in a
single game
Kobe
The Right Challenge
-For flow to occur, the
challenge has to be
at the right level.
-It is subjective
perception that
predicts flow, not
objective.
-“Optimal flow occurs
when a person's
abilities match his or
her opportunities for
A Challenge for you
-Another key aspect of
getting into a flow
state is that your
goals or intrinsically
motivating.
-You must have clear
goals, feel in control,
and receive
feedback.
-Flow is also a state
without self-