GERMANY | Workshop Increasing Movement Competence

By Emma Christiansen 

Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, without any judgement. Intentional mindfulness is being actively present in your experience. Germany presented an experience-based approach on-snow workshop, which showed how they encourage the guest to connect with themselves and with each other. With the goal of improving and expanding movement skills without technical specifications and correction.

 

This was shown throughout the clinic using 6 key steps:

Warm up.  The warm was to tap ourselves, all over our body. Wake ourselves up, whilst paying attention to our body in the present moment.

 1.      Rhythm control

As a group we established a rhythm of 85bpm. We were tasked to do short turns at this rhythm throughout the clinic. This was established early so we didn’t have to think about our rhythm turn shape or size, and we could be actively present whilst taking part in the clinic.  

2.      Shifting perception from the outside to the inside and establishing a bifocal or multifocal attention

Shifting perception is seeing a particular situation through a different lens. A breathing exercise was used to focus our concentration inside the body, rather than on an external intentional movement, whilst also creating multifocal attention.

3.      Interruption of own movement patterns

As pairs we made short turns. It was the task of the person following to mimic the person leading. Mimic specifically their movement patterns. Try to ski as they ski!

4.      Perception and description of differences

Whilst mimicking our partners movements, we were tasked to think how you and your partner skied differently with strictly no technical specification, feedback, or correction. We tried to establish a sense of movement and describe this in our own words. Examples of descriptive words given included ease, power, sparkle, continuity, rock and roll, ballad song, elegance, and security.

5.      Reflection

Within the reflection we were challenged to reflect on the movement pattern but also include the movement feeling. If this is done correctly, double loop learning will occur, which allows for a higher level of learning.

 

Embodiment was a key word throughout the presentation. Embodiment is the idea that the mind (intellect, thinking, cognitive, system, psyche), together with its organ, the brain, is always connected to the whole body. Mind and body are in turn, embedded whilst skiing in the mountain environment.

This clinic challenged everyone to think about achieving ski improvement in a very different way. To use mindfulness and embodiment to improve and expand movement skills within our own skiing and of our guests. I found this on snow presentation very interesting and look forward exploring some of these concepts as well as trying these tactics in future sessions.