Talking while doing something non-verbal can throw you off. In fact, many athletes believe that being in their head too much can disrupt performance - so they focus on the action of the moment. Researchers from the University of Michigan Psychology Department and the University of St. Andrews in Scotland agree. They found that, for some, trying to verbalize a performance distracted the brain by putting the focus on language. This is called verbal overshadowing and has been shown to interfere with the non-verbal aspects of a memory, resulting in a decreased performance on tasks. For more, read here
I can relate to this phenomenon. I can cook a great meal, sink a golf putt or drive the quickest way to a destination, but ask me to explain what I'm doing as I'm doing it and my performance will suffer. So, verbal overshadowing when performing can be a good thing or it can throw a monkey wrench into your world. See how this works for you and adjust accordingly.
Me? I'll be the quiet one on the Just-Do-It bench.
