The Three Most Important Turns in Skiing

May is #MindfulnessMay-here's some thoughts from Scott. Scott is our Registered Massage Therapist at Elan Family Wellness Centre.

I listen to a lot of podcasts. A LOT. My tastes run from photography to new age-y to personal performance to the occult. Lots of ground covered... lots of topics and all of it at my control. Don't like it... what else is on here. Find something interesting... explore it. On one such explorations, I came across a story starring a famous Olympic skier from the 1970's.

The Three Most Important Turns in Skiing

The interviewer and the skier were on a lift and the skier turns to the interviewer and asks, “Hey man, do you know what the three most important turns in skiing are?” The interviewer reflects for a second or two at the odd question. Intrigued he responds, “I have no idea!”

Myself, having not skied in years, thought: could it be the ones they teach you as you're learning? Like the snowplow, then the progress of learning to bring the legs together in a classic down hill skiing form?

The Olympic skier replied, “The last three at the end of a run, just before returning to the lift line.”

The skier went on to explain that typically, at the end of a run, tired and ready for a break... we lift our intent and become lazy with our form over the last few turns. He went on to say that lots of injuries occur at this time. Complacency leads to a dropping of awareness and we can find ourselves in over our head or worse, falling because of our poor form. Should a person survive to actually make it onto the lift, we now spend our rest period imprinting this poor form and lack of intent into our nervous system and body. We now return to the hill with a lower benchmark of performance installed and have to fight to catch up to the rigorous environment we now find at the top of the ski hill.

So... what are the most important turns of your day? The tasks at the end of the work day? The moments just before bed? The words you say to a loved one just before you part?

In May, make it a proud priority to end your days with intent and holding a feeling of “finished with excellence.” All “next day” preparations are masterfully done, everything is in its place, and anything that you can honestly influence and control is ready for the next day. Now that is a simple great way to culture yourself, so you can hit the day at high level. Like yesterday-you giving tomorrow-you a massive gift and potential advantage. Also, you are forming unstoppable, positive behaviours and habits.

Have a great Mindful May.
~ Scott