Anecdotal Thoughts
Slackline backflip 360, etc.
Although these aren’t our videos, I thought you guys needed to see this. Since we spend a fair amount of time on the slack line at the H2Oz Training Center, I thought you might want to see how the pros do it. Here are a couple of videos. WOW!!!! The first one is an amazing slack line stunt, as are the 2nd and 3rd, but the last one shows some amazing ways to TRAIN on the slack line. Check it out!
And another…
And one more…
Here’s the training version…
See you at Oz…maybe you can try it too!
Interview with “John Horton”
So, on a recent trip out to Southern California, I was able to put together a brief interview with John Horton…at least this guy told me he was John Horton…seemed a bit young, but sounds a lot like him, so I guess it must be him. I was entertained by his authenticity. If you don’t know John…maybe you shouldn’t watch. Enjoy regardless.
–Seth Stisher
Sometimes you just gotta keep going!
One of the things I have always focused on with slalom skiing is technique. There are two major reason for that in my opinion: 1-Proper technique makes for less work (so more efficient), and 2-Proper technique can prevent injury (so longevity of career whether hobby or job).
Over the years with my won skiing I have had seasons/years where I focused heavily on this, but I have also had seasons where I really just tried to “give it hell”. I have had success with both and failures with both. These trends in my training have invariably followed trends in my overall attitude toward life.
I say all of this in order to step out of my typical coaching character for a moment. Being a coach that spends a lot of time preaching the value of proper mechanics married with great rhythm, I think it is important to admit that sometimes you just gotta go for it. When you have been skiing for years and know your way around a slalom course no matter what level you ski, you need to occasionally recognize that you are good enough to run a PB on any given day while skiing on what you might call and “brutal” form of autopilot. I see my competitors do it quite often and even find myself getting pats on the back for “looking great” and having “beautiful technique” only to go home with something like a 15th place finish. These experiences along with my more honest training partners have insured over the years that from time to time, I just ski the pass and keep skiing no matter what happens. We have watched Andy Mapple (the legend) ski through several mistakes for years and literally crush his competitors. In fact 98% of the pro skiers who run 39 and go deep at 41 aren’t making it pretty when they get to their max pass.
I was sent the video below by my good friend and occasional training partner Srdjan Dragic. He sent it to me to pound home the idea that I was good enough to run 39 even on my worst day (a fact I am not altogether aware, but if he says so…). Anyway, watch the super-sloppy 39 I run below (well, I lost the handle at the exit gates) and tell me you don’t agree that it doesn’t always have to be pretty (pay no attention to the fact that someone tried to do me a favor at six ball with the boat…but perhaps a little late). Enjoy, and when you’re done…just go ski for a set or two!
Making Changes
Jim McLaughlin from Houston, Texas sent me this quick tip/thought and I felt like it epitomized some of what we all feel when it comes to truly training. I know that I have caught myself in this rutas often as not. Thanks for the thought Jim.
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MAKING CHANGES
So, why can’t most people make the desired changes in their games to improve? According to Vic Braden, it’s because the pain of making a specific change is greater than the pain of losing to the same people over and over again that they perceive as better players than they are. And, the deepest psychological reason for not making the change seems to be that students are afraid of being even “lousier” than their current playing level and that they would lose any self esteem they previously possessed.
The obvious realistic solution would be to tell the players who are going through changes to think of their 8 weeks of change as their time to be a member of a “mistake center.” Research indicates that when people have fun making changes in their games, that they’ll be more easily able to develop the right motor program in less time.
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