Why Wait for Snow? Start Skiing Right Now!

How would you like to transport yourself from in front of this computer screen to be on the slopes right now? Picture your favourite ski run laid out before you. See the trees covered with snow, the village down below, and the undulating surface of perfectly groomed snow with a dusting of fresh powder. It's first thing in the morning and you have the whole run to yourself. As you push off and begin to ski you can hear the snow spray beneath your skis as you carve the perfect turn. You feel the sun's warmth and a cool crisp breeze on your cheeks as you make your way down the slope linking one round turn after another. It's the run of your life.

Visualization is not only a great way to enjoy the sensation of skiing out of season or when you can't get to the hill, but is also a proven method of improving our skills by building muscle memory. One famous study on the topic was conducted by Dr. Blaslotto at the University of Chicago where he split people into three groups and tested each group on how many basketball free throws they could make. The first group practiced free throws every day for an hour. The second group just visualized themselves making successful free throws. The third group did nothing. After 30 days he tested them again. The first group improved by 24%. The second group improved by 23% without touching a basketball!!! The third group did not improve which was expected.

Imagine how much you can improve your skiing if you combine practicing with the mental rehearsal technique of visualization! Elite athletes do it all the time. You have probably seen ski racers at the start with their eyes closed, leaning on their poles, skiing with their arms through a course. For every one time they can physically run a course, they have hundreds of opportunities to practice it in their minds.

Tips for successful visualization:

1. Visualization works best if you make it a multi-sensory experience. Involve sight, sound, and feeling like we did in the opening scenario.
2. Visualize events unfolding out of your eyes (the first person). Think about the same things you think about when you are actually skiing. Feel the same positive sensations.
3. Picture yourself being successful. If you are just learning to ski the moguls don't picture yourself skiing through them with trepidation. Visualize yourself absorbing them as you execute rythmical controlled turns.
4. Practice. Just like you didn't learn to ski in a day, visualization is a skill that gets better the more often you do it.

I look forward to seeing you on the slopes soon. Until then enjoy many perfect runs in your mind!