Red Bull training camp makes athletes face a charging bear and sit in icy water

The best competitors in the world face a particular challenge when they’re trying to improve their performance: An athlete in peak physical condition may make a little progress with a new workout, but their biggest area for improvement is probably mental.

The mental side of athletic performance is the focus of Red Bull’s “Performing Under Pressure” camp, where Andy Walshe, the Director of High Performance for Red Bull, puts athletes through unorthodox challenges to help them achieve new goals.

Walshe’s theory is that those who want to perform well under pressure have to transform the way their bodies and brains respond to stress. He therefore believes that undergoing intense challenges — like a face-off with a bear or immersion in ice water — can better prepare people for stressful situations.

The clinic is designed specifically for Red Bull-sponsored athletes, who compete in disciplines from big wave surfing to Olympic fencing, though the company has also invited a few business leaders to participate. The techniques used are derived from sports, military work, psychology, and neuroscience.

“People often respond to these sorts of training sessions by saying, ‘it changed my life,’ and they go do their goal,” Walshe tells Business Insider.

‘We want to let you be unprepared’