# When nothing goes well...



## yojik (Sep 14, 2011)

How do you get it together mentally when things take a turn for the worst?

Conditions at Stevens were really awesome today but I just couldn't get it together. On my first run, started with a bad jump off a small cliff on the Hogsback lift line, and then I got stuck in a tree well on the same run near the bottom. Neck deep pow in a well that had me fighting for 15 minutes and sucking out my energy. I was demoralized.

Went to Skyline to take a quick lap and they opened 7th Heaven right after I started down...Was bummed I missed the first chair since those runs are my absolute favorite on the mountain. Tried an ollie with a grab off a big sidehit and slammed hard when I misjudged my speed.

Hearing the buzz at the bottom, I hustle back up to the chair and then biff it again off the damn unload due to getting clipped by an inexperienced rider making an aggressive toeside turn out of this binding and washing into my deck. I wasn't expecting it and ended up falling pretty hard and cursed my lack of attention. I think it could have been prevented but I wasn't focused and hoping my luck would change. The run I did get was pretty good but I was all over the place and didn't feel solid.

Think my board needed a tune as edges were struggling to hold on the really bare tracks and fell enough to want to sleep in the barn for being such a donkey.

Nothing went well today and it really impacted my form / confidence. I felt sluggish, lazy, and undisciplined.

I settled for taking a few laps on the green to work on butters and switch with my girlfriend who is a beginner in every sense of the word. That was ok but all I could think about was the beginning of the day and my inability to react in several situations. It's like my mind was stuck on all the bad instead of letting it go.

I know that bad days are inevitable the more you ride, but what do you guys do when things start getting bad? Grab a beer? Go to your favorite run and work it? Practice tricks you are trying to dial in and stay off the steeps?


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## Tech420 (Jul 1, 2011)

Grab a beer and relax, then crank the music.


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## The Donohoe (Oct 30, 2011)

haha when I get that way, I get a mentality that just makes me push harder and harder, probably not the best thing but I start to go big. Go big or go home on those days...


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## hunterxaz (Jun 28, 2009)

I had a day like that a couple weeks ago. Went off groomed runs and hit a bunch of powder on an uphill incline, had to unbuckle and wade through powder and I was exhausted. Almost packed it up and called it a day, but I just took a break and realized how lucky I was to be where I was, and kept going.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

I just sit down and force myself to relax and breathe for about 5 minutes. The forced inactivity 'breaks' the tension that can be winding you tighter and tighter with each mishap.


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## ThunderChunky (Oct 1, 2011)

I love days where I just keep slamming the same as days where I land new tricks. I don't know why, but I enjoy falling. It's kinda refreshing, like when you jump in really cold water. Not gonna lie though, I'm pretty weird though. After I fall like htat I usually just sit for a minute or too and think "It could be WAAAAAAAAAAAY worse"


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## 2813308004 (Aug 21, 2011)

ThunderChunky said:


> I love days where I just keep slamming the same as days where I land new tricks. I don't know why, but I enjoy falling. It's kinda refreshing, like when you jump in really cold water. Not gonna lie though, I'm pretty weird though. After I fall like htat I usually just sit for a minute or too and think "It could be WAAAAAAAAAAAY worse"


If you fall at bottlenecks and stay there I hate you! But yeah, I know what you mean about how refreshing it is—it's like one of those "I'm alive" moments.


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## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

Every sport in the world has days like that, even when I am jogging or biking sometimes I feel weak as shit and wonder if I am going back in time, then have days where I power through and make personal bests. Who knows maybe your body was just overworked or dehydrated, something as simple as that can throw a person. Don't be so hard on yourself over it, just enjoy the moment and the fact that we are some of the luckiest people on the planet to be able to do this sport!


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

Tech420 said:


> Grab a beer and relax, then crank the music.


Best advice ever given on this forum.

I've got a buddy I ride with who gets all pissed when he's not riding well. It's like, dude... we do this shit because it's FUN! If you're not riding well that day (hell, it happens to all of us), just have a good laugh at yourself, pull the flask (and or one hitter) out of your pocket, and drink/toke your way through the rough patch. :laugh:


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## Kwanzaa (Sep 4, 2011)

Just tell yourself you know your better than this and youll get it next time. honestly i get 1 run a day where im in the fucking zone and absolutly destroying, the rest of the time i ride like poo, today i fell a half dozen times doing lame shit like ollieing on a traverse or just doing a shoulder check. 

I never get down about it because i know that im capable of doing far better than the crappy run i might be doing, or eating shit on a 1 foot ollie because ive already proven to myself im better than that.


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## yojik (Sep 14, 2011)

Thanks everyone.

I'm perfectly relaxed! Not trying to gather sympathy or anything. Was just trying to vent and explain the sequence of events and how frustrated it made me.

I don't ride with any music...Perhaps I should dial in some tunes for use on the hill.


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## ThunderChunky (Oct 1, 2011)

Ya, music adds so much to riding.


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## Tech420 (Jul 1, 2011)

yojik said:


> Thanks everyone.
> 
> I'm perfectly relaxed! Not trying to gather sympathy or anything. Was just trying to vent and explain the sequence of events and how frustrated it made me.
> 
> I don't ride with any music...Perhaps I should dial in some tunes for use on the hill.


I can't ride without music. It helps you relax and get your mind free.


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## lukefMI (Feb 25, 2011)

linvillegorge said:


> Best advice ever given on this forum.
> 
> I've got a buddy I ride with who gets all pissed when he's not riding well. It's like, dude... we do this shit because it's FUN! If you're not riding well that day (hell, it happens to all of us), just have a good laugh at yourself, pull the flask (and or one hitter) out of your pocket, and drink/toke your way through the rough patch. :laugh:


I have multiple friends like this and I hate riding with them on days like this. Cause I personally always just think..."hey, it could be so much worse, and I am so lucky to be able to snowboard". In other words everyone has those days, just relax for a few minutes, realize you could be at work or doing something way worse. Even the bad days boarding should be enjoyed.


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## jdang307 (Feb 6, 2011)

Just take a break. Go chill at the lodge and wait it out. I don't bring anyone down. I tell them, I'm not feeling it right now and I go to the bar area and people watch. When I get bored guess what, the slope feels good to ride again

I've never rode with music though. Might try that this year


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## Tech420 (Jul 1, 2011)

I rode all morning with my GF so I rode without music for the first time in god knows how long. I had music for my later runs and felt like I rode much better....much more relaxed.


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## boardneub (Nov 26, 2011)

Wow bummer day man. But everyone has those days and its just the start of season so plenty of time to redeem yourself!


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## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

Snowolf said:


> Riding drunk helps too. You may not actually ride any better, but you sure think you do....:laugh:


QFT. Plus, it helps keep you limber.


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