tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14697721.post8883821293519835994..comments2023-09-11T02:19:35.098-07:00Comments on Gravsports: Flow SportsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14697721.post-90946056954834936002007-05-29T12:40:00.000-07:002007-05-29T12:40:00.000-07:00There's probably a gradient to what you call 'flow...There's probably a gradient to what you call 'flow' in sports. To my mind, they all share quite a bit, and the only real category definer is the speed at which decisions need to be made. You gotta be more on your game, improvisation-wise, when you're talus running that when you're chalking up for redpoint attempt n. Likewise, doing a good job in a mogul field (my favourite) requires quicker access to your repertoire of physical tricks than a more proscribed feat like jumping into Corbett's Couloir ("I'm gonna go in over that, then hip check and turn left..."). Compare your claim of kayaking flow to the rigorous preparation for a big drop. I think those flow moments can be found anywhere, with just about any activity. Maybe you want to think about flow sports as those games that REQUIRE you be in a flow state. Don't know what these might be, though - slacklining?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14697721.post-47539829740704734582007-05-24T09:38:00.000-07:002007-05-24T09:38:00.000-07:00you always seem to hit the nail on the head for me...you always seem to hit the nail on the head for me Will.<BR/>Check out a book by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi called, "Flow"<BR/>It tries to explain some of this and does a decent job of it. Follows the Zen mind and relates well to sports (climbing in general).<BR/><BR/>SMStefan Mitrovichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05389829744212795095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14697721.post-62196870125284329832007-05-23T08:12:00.000-07:002007-05-23T08:12:00.000-07:00IMO all these mountain sports are, to a large exte...IMO all these mountain sports are, to a large extent, related by the committment level. Climbing becomes more & more committing when its runout &/or technically difficult; mountain biking is more committing when the trails have complusory drops & log rides etc; & skiing becomes more committing when you're dropping a into that steep chute or dropping a cliff.<BR/><BR/>obviously there are differences between the 'static' nature of climbing vs the 'flow' of riding; but its that mental confidence you need to do climb/ride/ski *that* committing line that links a lot of these sports.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14697721.post-33634520516470859442007-05-22T09:52:00.000-07:002007-05-22T09:52:00.000-07:00Thanks for the thoughts, glad to hear them. Totall...Thanks for the thoughts, glad to hear them. Totally agreed on the vision thing as well, interesting. I can play kayak without contacts in my eyes as it's based much more on physical feel/response than vision. Couldn't climb anything without my contacts. "Autonomic sports" might be another way to look at this tha makes sense, interesting.<BR/><BR/>On-sighting has some flow for sure, especialy when it's going well. But I don't have the same "twitch" reactions, or at least not as much, and it's almost always possible to simply stop and chalk. No chalking in the middle of a big hole or while coring a savage thermal or hucking a cornice on skis, it's game on until the motion stops.<BR/><BR/>I'll correct the CT to MRI, thanks. I got into the flow of writing, grin...<BR/><BR/>Best,<BR/>WGWill Gaddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16296395814043276606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14697721.post-18511854668588768792007-05-19T15:22:00.000-07:002007-05-19T15:22:00.000-07:00It's funny, I have thought about this issue a numb...It's funny, I have thought about this issue a number of times and I think that these things are all related. I have always felt that the link between all of these sports is rapid decision making in the face of real or perceived risk. I agree that bouldering or working a project may not give you that feel of flow, but what about a day of on-sighting right below your limit?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14697721.post-56174894755541002022007-05-19T00:47:00.000-07:002007-05-19T00:47:00.000-07:00Excellent way of thinking about the similarities a...Excellent way of thinking about the similarities and differences in these sports. I've been thinking about this a bit lately in a different tack, but one that seems to tie in nicely with your observations. I've come across a similar pattern but having to do purely with vision. <BR/><BR/>I'm farsighted and can usually optically correct for the error by mentally concentrating on focusing. So I usually don't wear glasses or contacts unless my eyes are tired, near the end of the day. But I've noticed that sometimes I'll have a stronger desire to have the optical correction ... and those times seem to correspond to the "static" sports. When I'm flying or boarding or kiting, what you call "flow" sports, I tune more into the physical feeling and reaction and less on sharp visual acuity. Maybe i'm drawing s tenuous link, but I like the descriptive system you've come up with. It works.lorenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16635751440085710133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14697721.post-14491690867072228222007-05-18T15:07:00.000-07:002007-05-18T15:07:00.000-07:00Absolutely agree with this differentiation Will. T...Absolutely agree with this differentiation Will. There is something about switching over to the autonomic nervous system and your response to the stimuli is almost spontaneous. Climbing is about thinking and planning while your in the experience, in paddling, skiing and skateboarding, there is little time to think everything through. <BR/><BR/>To be a “flow” activity I think some or all of the experience must be about automatic responses and I definitely feel like it uses the other parts of my brain. Best lesson for me was starting to skateboard vert after 20 years...<BR/><BR/>JHAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14697721.post-88285288012489382202007-05-18T11:08:00.000-07:002007-05-18T11:08:00.000-07:00Interesting ideas. Little technical nitpick: A CT ...Interesting ideas. Little technical nitpick: A CT scan doesn't see brain activation. A functional MRI (fMRI) would (using magnets and fancy physic) and a PET scan would (using radiation sensor and a radioactive marker).<BR/><BR/>A CT is basically a whole bunch of thin X-ray images acquired in small rotating steps around the head and joined together through some math. They can't show much more then would be seen through an X-ray, but they do so in (sort of) 3-D.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com