What limits your performance? Your muscles or your brain?
- Details
- Created on Monday, 19 September 2011 21:34
- Written by Dena Rosenberry
He had the cyclists pedal as hard as they could on a stationary bicycle for about 2.5 miles (on several occasions, so they thought they knew their limits).
Then he had them race against an avatar. The avatar, they were told, was riding at their fastest training pace.
Actually, the avatar was programmed to use 2 percent more power, which translates into a 1 percent increase in speed.
The cyclists ended up matching their avatars, going significantly faster than they ever had gone before.
So, the researchers asked: What limits our performance, our muscles or our brain?
What do you think?
Read Gina Kolata's story and learn more about the research.
PHOTO: Slovenia's Jan Polanc rides in the men's under 23 time trial in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Monday Sept. 19, 2011. Jens Dresling, AP Photo/Polfoto
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