KoopCast Brain Endurance Training with Scott Frey, PhD | KoopCast #244
May 23, 2025
Dr. Scott Frey, a leading neuroscientist and psychologist, specializes in brain endurance training for elite athletes. He discusses the critical role of mental fatigue in endurance sports and presents strategies for cognitive recovery. Scott shares his transformation from skeptic to advocate of brain endurance training, highlighting its impact on performance. He also delves into combining cognitive tasks with physical training to enhance athletic engagement and neuroplasticity, emphasizing the importance of balancing mental and physical conditioning.
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Mental Fatigue Impacts Performance
- Mental fatigue accumulates in the brain similarly to muscle fatigue during physical work.
- This brain fatigue decreases cognitive performance and physical output in athletes.
Historical Roots of Mental Fatigue
- Angelo Mosso in the late 1800s first showed mental fatigue decreased muscular endurance.
- He observed professors in exam season had reduced time to exhaustion on a finger weight task.
Manage Pre-Race Mental Fatigue
- Plan travel to races with plenty of time to acclimate and rest.
- Minimize life stress and logistical chaos close to race day to reduce mental fatigue.