this post was submitted on 12 Jul 2023
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Explain Like I'm Five

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Do extreme sports athletes have different brains? (self.explainlikeimfive)
submitted 2 years ago by avidseeker to c/explainlikeimfive
22 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

How are they able to perform well under intense pressure? Literally life or death situations. I'm talking about hardcore parkour or crazy people climbing skyscrappers.

Have their brains been altered that they can't feel fear from their stunts?

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[–] SrElsewhere 3 points 2 years ago

I was admonished to be careful on a dirtbike as a child, had a fear reinforced in me. Meanwhile, this other kid was quite aggressive, and would piss me off when he'd fly by me on the track. In contrast with my parents cautions, his parents encouraged his style and he was a very highly ranked competitor in the state. He was WOT no matter where he was, turns, jumps, passing me. Absolutely fearless.

He had a bad day at the races when he was about 10 years old, suffered a significant brain injury. And he hasn't been independent since.