Search
Related Links




 

 

Informative Articles

7 Tips for the Advanced Bowlers
Once you have mastered bowling's fundamentals, you will find that there are many subtleties of the approach and delivery that still may be something of a mystery to you. Be heartened by the fact that even the most advanced bowling stars have scoring...

A Guide to International Car Shipping
International car shipping is the service you will undoubtedly require if you want to transport your car over a long distance. As the name suggests, it entails a company putting your car onto a ship at one destination and then ensuring it’s safe...

Debunking Myths: Overcoming Scuba Diving Fears
There’s a completely different world underwater! What we see on the water’s surface is a far cry from what scuba divers get to explore in traverse depths. But unfounded fears of scuba diving brought about by myths, hearsay and lack of knowledge...

The Boston Red Sox win the World Series championship, its sixth championship win, but first since 1918.
It’s what they have been waiting for. The Boston Red Sox wrapped up their four-game sweep of the Cardinals with a 3-0 victory in Game 4. The 86 year stretch between World Series championships is finally over and the World Series Trophy has found...

Tips For Golf Swing - Make Your Game Better
There are some fundamental rules to the game of golf. Serious golfers often disagree on what the basics consist of, but if you are among the millions who desperately want to improve their golf swing, these basic tips will help you tremendously and...

 
Downhill Skiing -- The Mind-Body Connection


Today, you'll be introduced to the three essentials of a proper mind set, namely, motivation, visualization, and focus. Get mentally tough in these areas and your confidence level will soar. In addition, you'll be able to jettison any anxieties you may have about downhill skiing.
The expert skier understands the virtues of building a strong body, but he or she also needs the right mind set for skiing. You need to be well-prepared for the mind games that are associated with skiing in the expert zones where the control of one's mind is often as important as the strength of one's body.
Yes, there is definitely a mind-body connection in downhill skiing! You won't need a treatise on the latest break through in the psychological aspects of fear to conquer steeps, trees, and moguls. The old adage, you have nothing to fear but fear itself, applies to expert skiing as well. The right mind set will serve to get you psyched up, keep your anxieties in check, and let you focus completely on the task at hand.
The Three Essentials of a Proper Mind Set
Motivation, visualization, and focus are three of the essential skills the expert skier needs to master the subconscious mind and become tougher mentally. Let's consider each one of these requirements in turn.
Motivation
Being motivated will put you in control of your thoughts. You need to tell yourself over and over that you're in charge, not the ski hill. This will help you to develop a positive attitude so you can reach your goals for the season.
Visualization
Visualization is another technique that you can use to prepare yourself for that tough mogul run or steep slope. You need to


learn how to visualize or form a mental picture of the complete run before you start. In addition, learning to relax will serve to keep a lid on your anxieties. Ski racers and aerialists often use these methods just before the beginning of a race or competition.
Focus
Focusing allows you to break up the run into smaller tasks so you can zoom in on the next two or three turns. This eliminates the fear of the complete run, and also
serves to keep your head up and eyes looking ahead at the next obstacle in your path.
Summing Up
The lesson entitled The Right Mind Set in the Skills of the Expert Skier expands on the three essentials so you know how, when, and where to apply the techniques. Ski coaches, instructors and sports psychologists all agree that mental conditioning can go a long way toward making you the skier you always dreamed you could be.
If you've read the articles about stretching and exercising you're already aware that you have to train your body to be stronger to handle the rigors of downhill skiing. Now it’s time to train your mind how to keep your anxieties in check.

About The Author

Jim Safianuk is a certified ski instructor and writer of the downhill skiing lessons in the course Skills of the Expert Skier. If you are interested in becoming an expert skier and/or you want to find out when the next article about ski boots will be published, visit this URL: http://www.becomeanexpertskier.com/
Copyright 2005, by JKS Publishing. All Rights Reserved
jims@becomeanexpertskier.com

Sign up for PayPal and start accepting credit card payments instantly.