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Not pushing yourself enough

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PurpleDino
Posts: 1513 - Karma: 483

lately i've been feeling like im not pushing myself enough. im hoping people on here can relate. but im learning a couple new tricks here and there but nothing too hard. one thing that makes me think im not trying hard enough is that i haven't gotten hurt at all. thats kinda a good thing but seems to me like im not pushing myself hard enough to progress to where i want to be.  can anyone relate? and does anyone have suggestions as to how hard to push yourself?

Jan 18 2010 8:48PM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15949 - Karma: 9,432
i know exactly what you mean. just do all the shit you know you can do but usually dont. youll see at the end of the day youll feel like youve improved so much
Jan 18 2010 8:50PM
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A.Eberhard
Posts: 4426 - Karma: 415
Here is a good way to think.
When everyone is lining up for the jumps or a rail just say to yourself " all these people are judging me by the next trick I do so I better throw down or I will look gay"
Now you will want to do a big trick.

Jan 18 2010 8:50PM
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1337
Posts: 31039 - Karma: 29,013
i know how you feel for sure, i haven't gotten hurt at all and DEFINITELY don't feel like i'm pushing myself to my limits. I can do a lot better but i guess i just don't want to hurt myself so i stay mellow.
Jan 18 2010 8:51PM
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Sir.Steezealot
Posts: 1156 - Karma: 677
I think anyone who has really skied long enough has had this happen to them wether it being just a day or a month. Personally last season this happened to me alot but I just started saying to myself huck and fuck it and ever since then things have been good.
Jan 18 2010 8:53PM
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Wirta
Posts: 363 - Karma: 122
usually if you hurt yourself your pushing to hard. i found out i wasn't pushing myself when i saw friends i use to ski with daily start doing shit i never even thought about. so i slowly started working my way up. don't jump right in a try to do whatever it is right away because thats when you'll get hurt. just push enough to where at the end of the day you feel confident and stoked about what you just did. been there before.
Jan 18 2010 8:55PM
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pornwallis
Posts: 132 - Karma: 13
I've run into this problem before, for me it always helps to ride with people who are at your level or better because then they will push you to progress rather than just stayin where your at
Jan 18 2010 8:55PM
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BootySpunk.
Posts: 8148 - Karma: 84
I ski to have fun...if I am having fun I am happy...I could care less what the other people in the park think about me.
Jan 18 2010 8:56PM
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Funnel
Posts: 7808 - Karma: 1,414
Don't worry man. I was killing rails the hardest I had ever killed them a few weeks ago, and then I was trying flips and got a shin split, didn't ski for ten days, was real nervous and tired the next time I went up and kept jumping off rails early and just doing shitty in general, then I got a damn good rest for this weekend and went back to killing it. In fact, killing it harder than I was- which is great. I can't ski on anything less than seven hours of sleep, and usually seven is tough for me, so I go for eight or more and it helps me dramatically. Otherwise, I just won't hit anything because falling sounds so painful to me and I'm just drowsy.
Jan 18 2010 8:59PM
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KennyC
Posts: 1922 - Karma: 46
usually learning/landing a trick is just 80% commitment and 20% execution. i found out all the stuff i thought i couldnt do i could do, i just had to balls up and huck it. i occasionaly crash once or twice but i always land it by the end of the day.
Jan 18 2010 9:00PM
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PurpleDino
Posts: 1513 - Karma: 483
i ski to have fun too but idk, when im not killing it im not always having fun. i use to think skiing all the time was so fun but after a couple years now im just like mellow about it and only have tons of fun when im landing my tricks or just with funny friends. i just get down when im not progressing and it isn't a fun time
Jan 18 2010 9:02PM
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Drail
Posts: 14011 - Karma: 10,001
there's been years where i've straight up regressed, and yea... it sucks. i'm talking going from switch 9's and corked spins to switch 3's and 540's over a one year period.

generally, what i find helps to get your shit back is having confidence in yourself and commit to your goals. it's a weird thing though, you know? most of the time there's no one there to tell you what you should and shouldn't try, so it is easy to get into a slump of just doing what is most comfortable and never get out of that zone... I think if you put enough energy into it, and truly love what you are doing, stuff will happen.

About two or three years ago I told myself I wouldn't allow myself to regress anymore. My mentality is, I love skiing more than anything else I do in life, and one of my biggest fears is getting bored and loosing the love. To make sure this never happens, I try to accomplish something significant every time I put skis on my feet. If I'm constantly improving my skiing, it should always have that fun and excitement that I love about it, and therefor, I will never grow tired of it and quit. That is my motivation to keep pushing it. You just gotta find yours.
Jan 18 2010 9:03PM
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Jordan_P
Posts: 621 - Karma: 33
know how you feel...i got hurt last year so im trying to come back strong and push my limits, but I'm still afraid of re-injuring myself. The best thing you can do is make sure your stretched out and limber before you try anything new. Also make sure the your comfortable with the feature your hitting and then you'll be able to try new shit.
Jan 18 2010 9:03PM
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Ben.
Posts: 21463 - Karma: 683
jesus. is this really what skiing has become? you now TRY to hurt yourself by pushing yourself beyond your ability?


what the fuck happened to "hey im gonna go out and shred and have fun"
Jan 18 2010 9:04PM
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TGdude
Posts: 290 - Karma: 10
i know exactly what you mean.  i felt the same way last year so this year i told myself i was gonna go way bigger and learn a ton more stuff.  now im out for 5 more weeks with a broken sternum.  I have no regrets but its just something to keep in mind that there's always a limit.
Jan 18 2010 9:05PM
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Blurst
Posts: 13577 - Karma: 10,168
Most of the guys that i ride with are just as good or better than me so that pushes me a lot. I recommend riding with better people, that will bring your level up. Another thing is that you just need to get in your "zone" as you may call it. If music inspires you than jam out to your favourite song right before you drop in.
Jan 18 2010 9:05PM
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jibbinc.
Posts: 3355 - Karma: 2,497
Its all mind games, think you will do it and you will. Have no negative thougts only possitive.


I was standing in front of the rail line, and to my buddy i said i was going to DO 3 new tricks on each of the rails. He called me crazy for saying im goign to DO them when ive never tried them, and for trying 3 NEW tricks. I explained how if i could stomp the first one i would be so stoked and possitive the next one would happen, and then same for the last.

I put my tunes on and dropped in, and stomped all 3 tricks. He however said he would TRY one, and of coarse didnt do it.

Therfor i figured, by saying you will try it, there is doubt. However saying you will DO it there is no doubt and only possitivity.
Jan 18 2010 9:07PM
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PurpleDino
Posts: 1513 - Karma: 483
thats the problem though, theres like 1 or 2 guys i ride with that are as good as me. the rest are not far behind but i can't learn anything from them.  i would go to another mountain but seeing as i can't always get rides that doesn't work. suggestions for this? and thanks for all the help guys! its good to know im not the only one that feels this way
Jan 18 2010 9:09PM
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jfletcher
Posts: 1208 - Karma: 188
Its easy to get into this kind of slump, but just as easy to get out of it. It only takes one good day to turn your thoughts on your skiing completely around. I was feeling the same way you are right now until i had a sick day today, learned some new tricks, and some new old tricks. Now i feel good about my progression.

Good luck. When the time comes to throw that certain trick, you'll know
Jan 18 2010 9:09PM
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SKIU4EA
Posts: 2387 - Karma: 2,072

I've noticed that my first 3 or 4 runs in the park are usually the 1's that are dialed in the most out of the whole day.  When the end of the day roles around everything just goes to shit for me.  Legs are sore, can't spin to save my life,  kids cutting me off all over the place, and just plain in a shitty mood.

I would try steppin up your game like 2nd run through the park and see how it goes.  And music that puts you into Attack mode helps too.

Jan 18 2010 9:11PM
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Keeno
Posts: 36 - Karma: 14
I've found that a combination of riding with people a lot better than you and telling people what you want to achieve works out. Obviously, riding with people better's good because you don't want to be holding them up, so you progress in order to stop that. Also, if you mention what you're trying, it kinda forces you to do so to avoid getting called out on it.
Jan 18 2010 9:16PM
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fountain.
Posts: 1399 - Karma: 80
this happens to me alot, but it helps so much to ski with other people, even if they arent better than you. but if they are that helps so much more
Jan 18 2010 9:16PM
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pornwallis
Posts: 132 - Karma: 13
remember that getting better can often times come in spirts, within a week I went from sliding rails and boxes to doing 270s, switch-ups, bind souls etc, sometimes you go through a lull and then pull out of it in a big way
Jan 18 2010 9:20PM
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BShear66
Posts: 79 - Karma: 20
just start stepping up your tricks on to bigger booters. Last year I could just air them and then I started to grab off them and this year learned to spin them, it's just knowing if you can do them every time on a small jump then your only a couple of falls away from getting it on a bigger jump.
Jan 18 2010 9:23PM
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teleTay
Posts: 2320 - Karma: 186
some days especially when in front of the camera i just say im going for it to get the shots and usually i land them when i just go for it but if im timid i always end up wrecking or hurting myself but i have days when i dont do anything but shiftys and 1s and just stay cool

but then there is they day when i land like 5 new tricks

so thats just me but
Jan 18 2010 9:28PM
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Stuck.in.ohio
Posts: 331 - Karma: 33
don't worry about progression it'll come if youre having fun and skiing hard, you could just start messing around doing garrett russell stuff and pretty soon you'll have fun and be learning new things. Also listening to music helps a lot especially your favorite song or whatever else that gets you pumped to ski.
Jan 18 2010 9:31PM
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Holte
Posts: 10730 - Karma: 7,744
I just talk myself up to everybody on the mountain. Tell them I'm a pro and shit. Then when I'm standing at the top of the jump line and planning on doing a bunch of straight airs, the crowd that has gathered to watch forces me to do really dangerous, out of my comfort-level type stuff. It works. Try it.
Jan 18 2010 9:33PM
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JuliusJ
Posts: 3778 - Karma: 2,106
this is the truth, you just think how you stomped everything
Jan 18 2010 9:45PM
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panojibber
Posts: 3382 - Karma: 216
First step is make sure you can throw all your normal tricks that you already know well. Spend time working on these.
When you can do these, start doing them right away in the park - take one or two runs at the beginning of the day to get the speed, then start doing your big tricks. Having those down after a couple runs gives you the rest of the day to shred and progress.
Jan 18 2010 9:49PM
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Mackin_Jack
Posts: 214 - Karma: 31
Hey man something like this kinda happened with myself last year. I've been skiing for my whole life but i really got into park last year. I was totally scared about hurting myself and looking stupid/bad and I didn't progress at all. I was bumming all summer so when winter rolled around I've been pushing myself really hard and I have been throwigng down a ton of new stuff and getting a lot better. So really it's just mind over matter and be will to take a fall, hard.
Jan 18 2010 10:07PM
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Thenowhereman42
Posts: 5682 - Karma: 65
Yeah man I do the same shit but usually I don't really sweat it. I'm 21 now so its not like I'm ever really going to be competing, so I'm just out there having fun anyway.

The other day though, I was cruising around and not doing too much, skipping some of the bigger rail features and not throwing down on jumps at all. So there was this double barrel rail that wasn't even hard, but I just wasn't hitting it because I wasn't really feeling the placement/lip whatever, even though I knew I could do it. So eventually I just hit it anyway, and stomped it. It got me feeling so pumped that I started hitting all the other shit I was skipping and trying some new features I had never hit before.

So I guess my advice is just to like take yourself barely out of your comfort zone, maybe try throwing a shifty or a sketchy grab in a spin you already know you can land or something, and then when you stomp it, you will be pumped to get farther out of your comfort zone.

The "people are watching me" thing doesn't really work for me because when I feel like that I usually just do something I know I can stomp and make look ok instead of something I have like a 50/50 chance of falling on and looking like a fool. lol
Jan 18 2010 10:15PM
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Thenowhereman42
Posts: 5682 - Karma: 65
I don't ride with any other skiers and only two snowboarders who are better than me. I find that if I really want to get something down I prefer just watching a bunch of edits the night before then going by myself. Being by myself helps me concentrate, and if you want you can just hit the same line over and over again until you are ready to try new tricks on it.
Jan 18 2010 10:18PM
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Keeno
Posts: 36 - Karma: 14
Actually, it's also pretty cool to ski with other people who are pushing themselves as well. I find that it makes me less apprehensive about fucking up something new if there's a chance that they're going to do the same thing.
Jan 18 2010 10:21PM
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AzzisaF@G
Posts: 19 - Karma: 10
Azz pushes himself... in WoW
Jan 18 2010 10:33PM
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Scott0_robot0
Posts: 3291 - Karma: 212
i just jam to some tunes and ride with friends and do whatever dont really care about getting hurt haha just strated park this week.
Jan 18 2010 10:39PM
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AzzisaF@G
Posts: 19 - Karma: 10
cool story bro.
Jan 18 2010 10:44PM
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Buddha1
Posts: 336 - Karma: 44
agreed, usually if you know the general way to huck a spin or flip just try it. honestly if you try it on say a 25 foot jump or around there you won't get hurt. just commit and don't worry about. When im trying new things i work my way up and when im trying something new i just tell myself ive done it before and that its not a big deal or i pretend someones filming me today.
Jan 19 2010 12:10AM
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Kayess
Posts: 357 - Karma: 11
i had this problem last year, but since i broke my collarbone instead of being more scared and taking it easier i decided fuck it, and so far ive learned more this year than all of last year,  although i only did park for about the last month or two of the season last year so this is my first whole season.
Jan 19 2010 12:23AM
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dan09uk
Posts: 215 - Karma: 108
i think this helps loads, i ski with my brother mostly and i seem to progress faster with him. my other friends who ski don't really try new stuff so i don't really try new stuff when i ski with them.
Jan 19 2010 8:35AM
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Hogis
Posts: 551 - Karma: 393
Ive been a wuss over the summer. Not pushing myself at all, just steezin around with things im superconfident at. On the other hand, maybe I should do so cuz I fucked up my tailbone but I really wanna push myself. Being hurt sucks! I wanna work on getting hurt not being hurt
Jan 19 2010 9:12AM
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KristianIski
Posts: 5 - Karma: 10
i had the same problem ,but i found a friend that is just a bit better then me , and we are pushing eachother to do better and new tricks without hurting ourselves.
Jan 19 2010 10:51AM
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asian_andy
Posts: 830 - Karma: 61
As crazy as this may sound, this method works well...well...at least for me. I usully put my self down. Calling myself a pussy and shit. And that if i dont try this trick that i suck at skiing and i should just quit. People think im crazy and i sorta am. I yell at myself on the lift. punch my self(in the helmet of course) blast my music and then stomp a new trick. After using this method, in about 1 week i learned bflips, rodeos and flatspins. Call me crazy, but give it a try.
Jan 19 2010 11:13AM
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heFF
Posts: 5786 - Karma: 4,457
as long as your having fun that's the key but if you are...try riding with some guys that are better than you and that will push you for sure
Jan 19 2010 11:14AM
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pbcrazy9898
Posts: 274 - Karma: 21
I actually have surprised myself with everything i've learned this year so far.
Best two words of advice....."Fuck it"
Jan 19 2010 11:38AM
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yojimbo
Posts: 3631 - Karma: 27
i only find myself having a problem pushing myself in the park, when i'm riding alone. Riding with homies helps me progress. But I push myself just as hard riding alone outsdie the park as with other people. shred!
Jan 19 2010 11:40AM
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Keeno
Posts: 36 - Karma: 14
Word to this.
Jan 19 2010 12:20PM
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