We all know that skiing is an incredibly fast and adrenaline-fuelled sport. Reaction time is such an important part of this. But how can we improve our reflexes and reaction time?
Choose a sport and practise a lot
It might be a cliche, but practise does make perfect. You should choose a sport and do it often, focusing on improving. Over time your brain and body will improve your reaction times to help you out along the way. Ideally, this would be skiing – but we are aware that skiing isn’t accessible to everyone at all times – we aren’t all lucky enough to live in the alps after all. So just choose any sport and you will reap the rewards when it comes to skiing also.
Relax, man
Relaxing is so important for your reflexes. It’s simple physics. If your muscles are all stiff and tense then it’s harder to move – you’re going to have worse reaction times. If you have just started a short, a big tip you will get off people is to relax – this is difficult when you are just starting as your body is on high alert, but over time you will get better and better at relaxing. The aim of the game here is to be relaxed, but mindful and alert. It might be a good idea to get into yoga and meditation to aid this.
Spinich + Eggs = Zooooooom
According to researchers at prestigious institutions like Leiden University, or the University of Amsterdam, it was found that subjects who had recently consumed tyrosine – found in both spinach and eggs – performed better at reaction-based tasks than those who didn’t.
Gaming!
Video games are all about split-second decision making and fast reflexes. This helps you to improve your reaction speed. A study by scientists from the University of Rochester found that action video games even helped people to make the best decision much faster, they also had developed a heightened sensitivity to their surroundings – very helpful when it comes to skiing.
Practice reaction time with some coins
You can use pocket change and shrapnel to help hone those reflexes. Try this: put your hand out with your palm stretched out. Throw the coin upwards and then try to catch it with the same hand. If you can do this easily – try it with multiple coins!
Play Ball
Another great tool is to use a tennis ball to improve your reflexes. You can also use a six-sided ball called a reaction ball – not to worry if you don’t have one, any tennis ball will do. All you need do is toss it against a wall and catch it before it ricochets into someone else’s back garden. You can also ask a friend to throw it at you while you are practising dodging it!
Sleep is Key
A great lack of sleep can affect your reflexes and negatively impact split-second decision making. Researchers found that sleep deprivation can make your reactions as bad as if you had drunk too much – to have the best reaction times, you’re best off getting your 8 hours of sleep.
Remember that practice is the most important thing, so if you want to get some time on the slopes but don’t want to break the bank then just give us a call.
