On The Pegs May 2020 - Volume 5 - Issue 5 | Page 79

On The Pegs
VOL. 5 ISSUE 5 - MAY 2020
79
tion. There are two methods of visualization. The first is to watch yourself riding
perfectly through the section, as if you were watching a movie (third person).
I believe the more effective visualization method is to actually feel yourself
riding the section (in the first person), rather than taking the spectator’s view.
While you’re visualizing, you should be as detailed as possible – watch your
front wheel lift off the ground, feel your body moving, the more complete the
better. You can practice this now by remembering a section from the last trial
in which you competed. Ride this section in your mind until you have it right.
Studies show that the body does not know the difference between the elec-
trical impulses generated by the brain over actually doing the activity. Think of
the advantages you’ll have once you’ve mastered this technique -- essentially,
you get to ride the section perfectly before it counts. Of course this doesn’t
take the place of actual practice but it’s amazing how much better you can be-
come when you combine the two on a consistent basis.
When you are riding the sections it is important to let your body do what you
just accomplished in your visualization. If you are thinking and talking yourself
through the section, you are slowing your body’s performance. When you are
riding on auto pilot you are in what athletes call the “Zone”. When you are in
the “Zone” you are completely in your PSM.
Another powerful technique that helps to control your negative thinking
and put you in your PSM is affirmations. The theory behind affirmations is that
if you’ve told yourself you hate riding logs and have never been able to ride
them, it becomes the truth. This commonly begins if you have a problem with
certain techniques or terrain. Instead of deciding in advance that you can’t ride
a certain obstacle just tell yourself that you do not know how yet and go about
learning how. You can usually watch someone who is good at the technique,
even a video, and use their ride as a guide for your visualization. Now you know
how to ride it.
Affirmations are similar to visualization in that your subconscious is unable to
determine the difference between a lie and the truth. If you choose your weak-
est technique and create a positive statement such as ”I love slippery roots” and
repeat it to yourself somewhere around fifty times a day, you’ll begin to notice
that you actually start to enjoy riding slippery roots within a couple of weeks.
What you’re doing is reprogramming your mind with thoughts that will help
you, instead of what may be hindering you. Again, affirmations aren’t going to
replace practice but they will help eliminate weaknesses.