Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is a big believer in cognitive training.
Matt Ryan ’s most important muscle is his brain.
The Atlanta Falcons quarterback uses a TV-size device called NeuroTracker that he says has helped him sharpen his cognitive skills, providing an edge when he targets receivers or chooses plays. The focus has helped fuel an MVP-caliber season that culminates Sunday in the Super Bowl , where Ryan faces the New England Patriots juggernaut.
Ryan reportedly puts on a pair of 3D glasses at least three times a week and attempts to follow eight yellow spheres that move frantically across a screen. As he tries to keep tabs on them, NeuroTracker requires him to simultaneously concentrate on a tiny green dot in the middle of the screen. The goal: improved peripheral vision.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan using NeuroTracker during his visit to the company’s headquarters in 2015.
„We’re helping Matt strengthen his situational awareness,“ NeuroTracker co-creator Jocelyn Faubert said. „This creates a unique decision-making process while he’s under pressure. “
NeuroTracker isn’t the only device athletes like Ryan are using to keep their heads in the game.
There’s Dynavision , a whack-a-mole-like device that tests athletes‘ motor skills by seeing how many flashing lights they can touch on a screen. More than 50 pro and college teams use Halo Sport headphones , which send electrical impulses to the brain to improve performance. There’s also the Versus headset , a portable brain monitor that Cleveland Cavaliers sharpshooter Kyle Korver claims improves his focus during training.
English Premier League soccer powerhouse Manchester United , the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks and the IMG Academy , where pro football draft prospects train, also use NeuroTracker and Dynavision to condition their athletes.
