there are other threads about martial arts too, where Aspies talk about the benefits they have gained through it.
I'm ADD'er, but to get where I am in snowboarding, I had to really understand this whole concept of 'the edge'.
I have to visualize what the edge is doing before I can really feel it and control it.
After several years, I think of myself as more than a beginner but not quite a good intermediate.
Although I can go much faster now and actually CARVE my turns, I am still concentrating on the mechanics of what my edge is doing with the snow at the time.
I enjoy the ride, and the cold for me is exciting and stimulating.
When living in Faribanks, Alaska, I used to snowshoe and cross-country ski alot. That town has a couple of really good groomed X-country ski places.. Birch Hill and UAF.
We lived outside of town so we had a few acres I 'groomed' at home as well as the surrounding countryside.
My daughter, who says she hates sports, does quite well on BLADES.
These were introduced years ago and are still found in the rental department of some ski hills.
They are very short and you do not use poles with them.
She tried the long skis and lessons but didn't enjoy them as much. She also fell down a lot and couldn't get herself back up very easily.
Blades are so much different. I wish they still sold them to the public... we got her some that were used rentals.
With Blades, both she and I can go through the terrain parks and feel like expert skiers!
They are that maneuverable.
I can't handle long skis except to ski backwards.
I actually 'taught' beginning downhill skiing on Birch Hill at Ft. Wainwright, for a few years.
Basically I just took the kids up on the hill and taught them to snowplow down, working in the basic turns as well.
Then I passed them off to the next instructor.
I spent almost all my time skiing backwards downhill so I could watch my students and correct their tips when needed.
Anyway, with the blades, I can ski like I never have with long skis.
I'm total snowboard now, and since I've quit packing the snow on the hill with my head so much
, I'm enjoying it a lot more.
_________________
fides solus
===============
LIBRARIES... Hardware stores for the mind