Description: Host Brad Kearns talks to cutting edge peak performance and athletic training expert Christopher Smith. Christopher is a decorated PGA who teaches professionally out of Portland, Oregon and is a consultant to Nike Golf and the radical new Golf Board concept (with Laird Hamilton). Christopher is the world record holder and past world champion in the sport of Speedgolf. Check out this astonishing YouTube video of him playing the championship course of Bandon Dunes, Oregon in only 53 minutes while shooting 4 under par! The high-speed video production shows his entire round in only four minutes—one of the most remarkable golf rounds ever played.

Inspired by the insights gained from the intuitive, reactive nature of Speedgolf, Christopher created his popular teaching system Train2Trust.com, and wrote the book, I’ve got 99 Swing Thoughts, But ‘Hit The Ball’ Ain’t One. Christopher talks about why most practice for golf and other sports could be a waste of time, how failure can help you get better, and plants an important term in your head that you won’t forget: Context Specificity—maximizing practice time and learning to focus intently on peak performance. He talks about how to make the future of golf faster, more fun, and less frustrating. Even if you aren’t a golfer, Christopher’s insights can help you be more productive and less stressed during an office workday, or during training for music, art, other sports, or any other peak performance goal.

Enjoy a special promotion from this episode’s sponsor: DNAFit.com

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Show notes:

• Our guest is the world record holder in speed golf. So what is speed golf? [00:58]
• How Christopher developed the “Train 2 Trust” program by working with neuroscientists, motor learning specialists and experts in human performance. [04:34]
• How much does your practice look like your performance when it matters? [06:48]
• What parts of the brain are activated while practicing versus when you’re actually in peak performance? [10:37]
• What is the best way to practice? Is it muscle memory or is it the central nervous system in the brain that learns? [12:20]
• If you really need to get something done, you need to shut off everything else and focus on the task at hand. [15:34]
• When you lose focus, you should take a break—otherwise, you might just be wasting time. [16:38]
• “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” (Steve Prefontaine) [19:56]
• What are desired difficulties and why is failure important? [20:32]
• Do you need the mental stimulation of a new challenge to stay focused and engaged when you are successful? [25:10]
• How do you balance the rote humdrum stuff with the mental stimulation and challenge?[28:40]
• Are the peak performers going to get even better? [31:28]
• What is golf going to look like ten or twenty years from now? [35:30]

Selected Links from this Episode:
Christopher Smith Speed Golf
Dr. Mark Guadagnoli
I’ve got 99 Swing Thoughts, But ‘Hit The Ball’ Ain’t One
Ashley Merryman
Practice to Learn, Play to Win
Steve Prefontaine
Train 2 Trust

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Enjoy a special promotion from this episode’s sponsor: DNAFit.com. Click here and enter the code PRIMALBLUEPRINT at checkout for a whopping 30% off your own personal genetic test!