How To Train Your Ski Brain Or Go Insane!

Last month we looked at the five games of skiing.

The Ski Fit Game
The Ski Equipment Game
The Ski Movement & Understanding Game
The Mind Game
The Ski Movement Mastery Game

And the most questions, comments and feedback I received after last months eZine was about

The Mind Game.

So, as per my promise last month, let's look at what you asked for most, by finding a few tips for the mind game, so we can smooth our way to better skiing.

The trick in training your ski brain is to first understand how it works.

Your ski brain is there to protect you. Would you be surprised to learn that the number one thing that holds skiers back after they are fit, focused and know what they are doing is what happens upstairs between the ears!

I doubt this would surprise you as we see it every day on the ski hill.

You may have experienced this yourself. I know I do from time to time. The reason for this is because...

Your ski brain has two modes.

One mode looks for all the problems, dangers and disasters that lie ahead. The protection mode, which taken to extreme becomes the ‘Scaredy Cat' mode.

The other mode looks for all the ways you can have fun, enjoy and succeed down the hill.
The fun mode is the ‘Cool Cat' mode taken to extreme is the ‘Evil Knievel” (not recommended) mode.

Step one: Is to recognize which mode your brain is in?
Step two: Is to get out of ‘scaredy cat' mode and into ‘cool cat' mode.

Why is it so important to get out of ‘Scaredy Cat' mode?

Because being aware and taking a glance at the risks is common sense, but stay in ‘scaredy cat' mode and the ‘risks and dangers' become bigger than they really are, which is disastrous for your skiing.

The reason why seeing too much danger and risk is so detrimental to your ability to become a better skier is because the negative thoughts move from the brain into the body and all of a sudden a new skier, the ‘scaredy cat', who locks your skiing muscles with fear moves into your body.

And that spells disaster for your skiing performance.

Why?

I hope you know by now that to ski better requires more movement, not less.

So if you allow a ‘scaredy cat' skier to move into your body then with locked muscles then its GAME OVER!

So who will take your skiing to the next level?

You guessed it. ‘Cool cat'. Confident ‘cool cat' (mode two) is the skier you want to move in to your body from your brain. Because the ‘cool cat' skier skis with unlocked muscles that move through a full range of motion.

Skiing ‘cool cat' is the way you'll be in great shape to ski well by absorbing terrain, counter balancing, tipping the free foot over to the little toe side even more than they you done in the past.

Skiing with the ‘cool cat' skier inside you will greatly improve your chances of becoming a better skier.

How to get out of ‘scaredy cat' mode?

Tip 1:

One of our young, very talented ski campers and Harb Graduate from last season at Fernie shared some advice with me.

I ran into Evan with Dad Shawn and brother Hugh, also very talented skiers, for a coffee last month in Sydney.

“How was your week in Whistler after Fernie,” I asked. “Great said Evan, it all came together for me,” he explained. “What made the difference,” I asked and always ask as I learnt this from Harald! “I started skiing really well once I stopped worrying about hurting myself,” Evan explained. “Interesting, can I used that in the next eZine,” I enquired. “Sure”.

So take Evan's advice next time you go skiing.

Focus on the fun stuff and let the ‘cool cat' skier move into your body. Favorable results will be instantaneous.

Tip 2:

Another way to move ‘scaredy cat' out and the ‘cool cat' in is to take on the form of ‘cool cat' before you start skiing down the slope.

Ask yourself how would ‘cool cat' stand?

How would ‘cool cat' breath?

What facial expression would ‘cool cat' have?

As I bet ‘cool cat' would be standing tall and confident, breathing deeply with authority and with a confident expression on their face.

Tip 3:

Find and study a ‘cool cat' role model and imitate.

Let me know how you go, all you ‘cool cats' out there!

Article brought to you by ex-ski coach now peak performance life coach Peter Stone from www.peak-performance-coaching.com.au. Visit us for free resources on how to live a rich and fulfilling life with all the energy, time and money you need to do what you want!