I obviously believe in the ability of the mind to power your ski racing efforts. At the same time, I can’t say that the mind is the most important contributor to ski racing success. The reality is that all of the mental skills in the world won’t help you if you’re not physically capable of [...]
Winter has officially arrived, with the Solden World Cups just completed and the lifts running and racers getting on snow in Colorado. So, now is the time that racers will be making their final push toward the start of race season. And now is also the time for you to begin to prepare for your [...]
Intensity may be the most important contributor to ski racing performance once the race begins. It’s so important because all of the motivation, confidence, focus, and emotions in the world won’t help you if your body is not physiologically capable of doing what it needs to do for you to ski your best. Simply put, [...]
The most important thing that you can do to ensure that your young racer gets the right messages is for you to know what those right messages. This understanding is not a given for all parents. To the contrary, many parents don't give much thought to this level of their children's development simply because they [...]
Negative thinking that hurts confidence can become a bad habit. Bad confidence habits are just like bad technical habits; the more you practice them, the more ingrained they become and the better you get at being negative. And that negativity is what will come out in a race. Fortunately, like a bad technical habit, negative [...]
It's hard to believe, but we'll be back on snow in Colorado in just over a month and that rollercoaster ride called another winter of ski racing is about to begin again. I'm especially excited about this winter because I've recently accepted a faculty position at the University of Denver, so I'll be around the [...]
It's hard to believe, but we'll be back on snow in Colorado in just over a month and that rollercoaster ride called another winter of ski racing is about to begin again. I'm especially excited about this winter because I've recently accepted a faculty position at the University of Denver, so I'll be around the [...]
If you do anything to work on the mental side of your ski racing during this off season, it better be mental imagery. Why, you ask. Because there is no more powerful mental tool than mental imagery and it can have a huge impact on your ski racing. I say this with such conviction because [...]
The race season is finally over. After a long and demanding winter, you're probably tired of skiing (regardless of whether the season was a triumph or a disappointment). It's time to hang up your skis, pack away your gear, kick back, relax, and forget about ski racing for a few months, right? WRONG!!! Being the [...]
Note: Apologies for not posting an article last week; busy with travel. Also, I will be posting two more articles before I take a break during the off-season. If you have questions, the next few weeks will be a good time to reach out to me (jim@drjimtaylor.com; 415-322-8425). I haven't spoken to Julia Mancuso or [...]