Build a “Trust Fund” During the Prep Period
Trust is one of the most important “muscles” you need to develop during this prep period. All of your efforts related to conditioning, on-snow training, nutrition, equipment testing and preparation, and, of course, mental training is devoted to established a deep level of trust that you can ski your fastest and achieve your goals next […]
Read More“Money in the Bank, Baby!”: Start Making Confidence Deposits This Summer
In one of my final posts this past season, I exhorted you to buy into the notion that Next Season Starts…NOW! With the end of June having just arrived, the summer is now officially upon us. The summer is an immensely important time to pursue your ski racing goals. You can get stronger, improve your […]
Read MoreWatching Video is Great Off-season Mental Training
Watching videos of yourself and World Cup racers is a powerful tool for strengthening important mental muscles such as confidence, intensity, and focus. It can also be used, when combined with mental imagery, to improve technique and tactics. Another benefit is that watching yourself ski fast and top World Cuppers ski faster just gets you […]
Read MoreMental Imagery is Your Most Powerful Prep-Period Mental Training Tool
It sure was a bummer missing all those miles of skiing when COVID-19 struck. Let’s be realistic. You’ve lost a bunch of miles by not being on snow the last six weeks of the ski season. And we don’t yet know if there will be any on-snow training anywhere this summer. But there is a […]
Read More5 Keys to Making Mental Training Like Conditioning and On-snow Training
Whenever I speak to racers and coaches, I ask them how important the mind is to ski racing success. With few exceptions, the response is that the mind is as or more important than the physical and technical side of our sport. I am obviously biased given what I do for a living, so I […]
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Make Mental Training a Priority in the Off Season
It happens every winter. In December, January, and February, I get calls from national team athletes and parents of young racers who are struggling mentally in their ski racing and they have big races coming up. They want me to somehow fix them quickly. Though I think I’m pretty good at what I do, I’m […]
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Train Your Mind for Athletic Success Podcast: Episode #22-Goal Setting
Episode #22: Goal Setting of my Train Your Mind for Athletic Success podcast is the third of three episodes that examines the impact of motivation on your training efforts and your competitive success. This episode introduces you to the power of goal setting as a tool for increasing and maintaining your motivation in all aspects of […]
Read MoreTrain Your Mind for Athletic Success Podcast: Episode #21-Tools for Increasing Your Motivation
Episode #21-Tools for Increasing Your Motivation of my Train Your Mind for Athletic Success podcast is the second of three episodes that examines the impact of motivation on your training efforts and your competitive success. Because motivation can ebb and flow on a daily basis depending on the volume and intensity of your training, life […]
Read MoreNext Season Starts…NOW!
Yes, the 2019-20 race season ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Yes, it was massively frustrating. But it’s time to put the past behind us and turn our gaze to the future, meaning next season. Being the best ski racer you can be is not a part-time activity. It requires a year-round commitment and […]
Read MoreTrain Your Mind for Athletic Success Podcast: Episode #20-What is Motivation?
Episode #20: What is Motivation? of my Train Your Mind for Athletic Success podcast is the first of three episodes that examines the impact of motivation on your training efforts and your competitive success. This episode will introduce you to what motivation is, why it is the foundation of all aspects of sports performance, and […]
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