Ellistine's SKI FEEL

Ellistine,
Do not look up these terms in the dictionary since you will not find correct definition!

Ski feel is that skill that truly allows you to become an "expert"

It is rarely taught, but rather passed along, like a family secret to "deserving" future generations.


Before I continue, I must warn all skiers that are less than 18 that if you continue reading this your parents will wonder why you have that "smile" on your face while you ski since SKI FEEL promotes a "natural high"

This "secret" will generate a natural "high" unlike any you have had while skiing. You are warned!

It can be addictive!

Some background information, if you do not mind.

Most skiers ski with their eyes, all expert skiers ski with their feet. Let me explain.
Beginner skiers "think" that if they look at their skis and where they want to go, the skis will follow. These skiers believed the salesperson who told them that the skis they bought are telepathic. Just look, think and skis will get message from brain on where to go! Sorry this model ski will only be available in 2020!

Let us look what occurs in the brain while you ski and compare "beginner and expert"!

The brain can only process 4 billion bits of information per second, so it decides what is important and what is secondary. This cognitive process in fancy psychological language is called "gestalt". That is focusing on essential information, ie the central part of a picture and the secondary parts , ie the background of the picture. Often this is done unconsciously.

It is the same process while skiing.

Here is what is going through a beginner's mind while skiing;
-too fast too fast ohh ohhh slowl downnnnnnnnn!
-will get hurt will get hurt,
-did I get that insurance?????
-ice ice ICE NO NO too fast.....
- keep arms there, knees tight, ears up, eyes down, turn body NOW!!!
-lean back lean too fast too fast.. wowwwwwww!
-that tree that tree too close tuuurrrrrnnnnnn!

You get point. The skier is focusing on more emotional or technical parts of skiing. The mind is flooded with many extraneous messages and becomes "confused"!

That is not SKI FEEL!

Here is what goes through an experts mind!
(from now on you are in his mind and monitoring his cognitive messages)

AT TOP OF RUN

What a great day. Let's go to left where that snow is soft.
So nice to feel wind and sun.

Did you feel that left edge set. Skis sunk more. Watch out that side is really soft.
Try long GS turn to right edge.

Look a mogul. Take it take! No one around??? OK here we go!!!!

Wow,,,What a feeling.

Watch out three skiers on left and 2 boarders lying down!

Make tight SL turns near trees. Ops Pav, you are leaning back. Forward forward more....

Too many skiers at bottom, slow down and go to right.

Wow,,what a run! Again!!!

END


Notice difference in thoughts!

The first skiers is overcome with many many messages, some confusing and contradictory!!!


Back to Ellistine's SKI FEEL skill.

You must consciously focus on what is important in skiing. That is your pleasure. Your happiness in feeling free and soaring like a bird. You must make the mechanics of skiing automatic.

Think what you do while driving. Do you consciously THINK to;
-press clutch, change gears, press gas pedal etc....

Your brain places these skills in the automatic neural channel while you attend to more important driving activities like;
-avoiding other cars
-stopping at red lights
-putting on make up
-answering phone
-checking your PDA
-drinking your coffee.

Again you get the point ( I hope)

That is your goal also while skiing ( not the above activities). To focus on what is important ie to FEEL THE SKI EDGES!

That is why all beginner skiers must take lessons as soon as possible. So that they will learn "effective" skiing skills. repeat them over and over again until they are done unconsciously . Your brain takes over that part of skiing, thus allowing you the pleasure of;
-looking at other skiers
-feeling that wind and sun caressing you
-feeling the ski edges biting into the snow throughout the skiing arc
-appreciating the beautiful valley

That is the pleasure of skiing. That is the SKI FEEL!!!

In ski feel you have created a direct neural link to your brain from your boots. Your brain is trained to focus in what is important while skiing! The other several millions messages are processed without your conscious permission!

That is the valuable lesson you learn while skiing.To render the;
-arm, position
-pelvic angle
-head position
etc..... All controlled by the brain at an other level!

This does not happen over night, but then you did not learn to walk over night. Nor could you drive and answer your cell, put on make up, drink coffee and look at PDA overnight.

You practiced and you practiced.

One day you will ski all day and at the end of the day, you will note that you NEVER once looked at your skis. Yet you never crossed them!

That is the sign that your are on your way to SKI FEEL!

Another day you will discover that you can "feel" your edges from the very beginning of the turn to the very end when the tails just as the ski edge releases it hold!

You are at heaven's door!

Finally one day you will "discover" that as you hold that edge to the very very end of a turn, just like when you hold your breath till your lungs burn, then release tail edge,,,,, you will soar like Icarus.

Now you are in heaven Ellistine. Now you know what ski feel is!

Welcome to heaven!!!!

I did warn you that it is addictive!


Hope this helps you find the road to heaven Ellistine.

Pavel