The Real Bev wrote:

What DID do the absolute best for my skiing was fog. When I couldn't
see what I thought I had to avoid (lumps, etc., not rocks or trees or
REAL stuff) I could ski way better. Same with dirt motorcycling in
the dark. I think that's the same concept.

Sometimes we're our own worst enemy.

So true. I got given a copy of Weems Westfeldt's book about the sports
diamond for skiing, and thought (as you do) "new age crap" but read it
anyway, and mulled over it (as you do) while teaching and skiing. And bugger
me, it had something. I found myself using some of the concepts... if
something wasn't working ie I was skiing like crap, I focussed on another
part of the diamond, got out of where I'd been, and things were good again
and sometimes better. It's bizarre stuff, sports psychology, but there's
quite a bit in it.

I particularly liked the stuff about "the plateau". We've all been there,
been frustrated in it, thought we'd be there for ever, and then the next
bound upward happened. Weems' explanation made sense: the plateau is a time
of consolidation and preparation for the next advance. You can't take
someone from beginner to advanced in a week, no matter how good they are.
they'll learn, and be good, but if you get them again a year later, they've
backslid a lot as they never consolidated their skills and knowledge. The
Plateau is where we do just that, and build a really sound platform for our
next lot of improvement.

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