Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor am I a biologist. At best, I'm a shining example of many things one should avoid doing to their body. There is a more specific warning at the end of this article. Enjoy!
If we've had even a small opportunity to work together, you've likely heard me say, "pick a target". I've also very likely gone into some prognostication about why, including words and phrases like "predatory response" and "adrenaline/endorphin release" and "stereoscopic vision".
But, why?
What follows is not something in which I have been educated. At all. My knowledge of biology and anatomy extends only to the basics I've learned in high school and college, a little more from some "combat marksmanship" courses (which revolved around ideal impact zones for lethal/less-lethal wounds), and basic trauma care - most of which I've probably forgotten. So, there are no advanced degrees or formal, professional education that has brought me to this perspective, only experiential and anecdotal evidence that seems to support the theory.
In 1998, I met a man called Jon. Jon was, and is, the consummate Marine. A dedicated marksman, in perpetual pursuit of a classic education, a part-time philosopher... Also a bit of a "warrior monk", similar to Jim Mattis. He had an effeminate manner of speech, and some of his body language raised an eyebrow or two, though no one really cared. He was quirky, and different from most other guys at his level. On top of that, it actually seemed like he cared. If I had been able to pick a mentor, he would have been at the top of my list. And Jon would publish weekly letters to those of us in his charge, many of which I still have and review from time to time. There were a couple of core principles to which he clung, and 'Predatory Drive and Acute Stress Response' is but one.
You may be more familiar with the phrase, "Fight or Flight", an evolutionary conditioned response hard-wired into the brain of most creatures that requires some kind of immediate action to avoid becoming the food of another creature. Many humans, especially in the developed world, will never recognize this state for what it is, simply because it happens so seldomly. But, that split second between you realizing the car crash is going to happen and the actual impact itself, when the corners of your vision go black and you can almost see into the future because you know exactly what is happening... If you've ever hear a story of a mother lifting a car to retrieve a baby, THAT is high-order Acute Stress Response (ASR)
If ASR is one side of that coin, where the adrenaline dump is something that simply happens as a byproduct of a situation outside the subjects control, Predatory Drive would be the other side: wherein the subject causes the adrenaline dump on their own behalf, forcing the body into a heightened state for the sake of advanced performance. This is something that happens fairly frequently with those in the profession of arms, fighters (boxers, wrestlers, MMA and Jits practitioners), and there is even a term used to describe eliciting intended responses for various situations - biohacking
But, how?
The human body is ideal as an endurance predator. Bipedal ambulation, fast- and slow-twitch muscles and groups, stereoscopic vision, stereophonic hearing, thumbs capable of opposition and apposition... The list goes on, and that's before we get into mid-level thought that gives us planning, organization, and strategy, or higher-level, abstract thought. We are machines, designed to perform.
There are a few different ways, apparently, to hack your own system. There are supplement stacks and breathing techniques and mantras, massages, ice baths, isochronic and binaural wave modulations... Each of them can provide various responses, depending on what is being sought. When it comes to an immediate, explosive, physical task, try "picking a target". Pick a mark on the far wall, focus on it. Then...
Breathe. Deeply. Quickly. Full breaths. Then, widen your eyes. Let in as much light as you can stand. Let everything but that point fall out of focus. The corners go black. You feel the hair start to stand on the back of your neck...
GO.
Maintain that focus until the task is complete. As soon as you're finished, have a seat. It's not uncommon for a shock-like feeling to come and last 2-5 minutes, especially following a task requiring maximal effort. The hormonal cascade response can trigger a dump of testosterone, estrogen, and cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine, as well as serotonin and dopamine. Using this hack repetitively or routinely for sub-maximal effort tasks is not recommended due to the potential for latent chemical dependencies, especially with regard to serotonin and dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine.
