Every year people come to my camps and clinics with the same goal, they want to “breakthrough” to the next level in their skiing. That may include moguls, trees, control, speed, and hard pack snow. Over the years what I have discovered that the best way to inject your skiing with new energy and skills is to take a step back from your current skiing comfort zone and enter into the “Breakthrough Zone”.
The “Breakthrough Zone” (BZ) is the equivalent of reprogramming your computer’s hard drive. We have to update and reboot our physical and mental approach to skiing. This starts with how and when you arrive at the mountain and to whom you ski with and beyond. Many of the ruts we fall into have to do with who, where and when we ski. Remember BZ skiing is all about busting wide open in to a new realm of experiences.
Matching motivation – It’s important to find some ski friends that match you motivation for improving. You don’t have to ski all day with these people but at least two hours of your day will be very helpful.
Skills and drill time – You have to be willing to practice. If you want to be better at steeps you have to focus on the basics of steeps, such as upper body, pole planting and quick edge to edge transitions. Or maybe bumps is your thing you have to willing to start on medium grade bumps and build up to the steep rad lines. This is going to require practice time and patience for again two plus hours a day.
Turn the “Oh No” into the “Oh Ya” – We are all driven by some form of inner voice. Its best to flip the switch of this conversation into the positive reinforcing language such as, “I can”, I will, I am progressing, Its going to happen, there is progress happening here.
Visualization – Skiing is a visual sport. Find images, videos or other skiers that model your goal. Watch them and embed those images into your mind and duplicate the images as you ski.
Burn to learn – Remember we all fall. Falling is not negative if your are going to push past your limits there are bound to be a few yard sales along the way. Be safe and smart but be bold in your exploration of the Breakthrough Zone and go for it!
Never stop learning! Explore the possibilities of all terrain skiing and expand your horizons as your confidence grows so will your adventures.