It's really not what you're thinking, but how you're thinking. What I mean is when you're setting up to do a big trick and you're in the "zone," or that state of mind you referring to, I don't think about anything except the task at hand. I don't think, is this going to be good or are people going to appreciate this etc., because all my conscious energy is completely concentrated on the challenge I've committed to. Sometimes you don't even hear the crowd, and sometimes you hear the crowd enough to help you lock into that mode. Seriously, what is going through your mind?
Nothing except what I'm about to attempt. I don't even evaluate how hard the trick is if I'm truly "in the zone." I'm performing completely by instinct at that point with no consideration to the danger, difficulty, or my state of mind for that matter. What is your definition of The Zone?
My definition is more of like a warrior state of mind. What I mean by that is, the mind set you're in is you against the elements putting it all on the line with 110% concentration, to see how far you can push yourself. It's about finding out where your failure point is when you're at your best. Riding in "The Zone" requires some pre-planning of lines and trick combinations. How do you plan your routines?
I suck at planning routines. My routine consists of me dropping in and having one or two tricks in my head, and from there I let the run shape itself. Your best runs of all time were they planned? Or more spontaneous?
I can't remember my best run of all time. Since I don't plan them out, I forget them almost as I'm doing them. My best run of all time was never in a contest. It's been in a show or practice. In a contest you get two 1-minute runs throughout a whole weekend, and I have to be real lucky for my best riding to fall into that small window. In a show or practice it's a lot easier for me to do a run I'm proud of. Can you give an example of one of your best runs: the tricks pulled and where it was?
I've had a few runs that I could link some of my more difficult tricks together, like a no-hand 540 to a double tailwhip to a 540 to a tailwhip and back into an air variation or a 900 to a 540 to a tailwhip or when you get in a rhythm on a certain type of trick like a barspin to a double barspin to a rocket barspin/barspin back to a rocket switch hand barspin/no footer to 540 barspin. I've never finished that run to a 540 barspin, but thinking about it right now it would be pretty cool. Or just those days when you can do back-to-back variations and you just keep gaining speed -- those are good days. Have you ever watched a videotape of yourself in a contest situation and couldn't believe it was you? Do you get caught up in the moment sometimes and do things you had not planned?
Most of the time I watch myself in a contest I'm bummed on my riding. Not that I think I could have done better, but that I thought I was doing pretty good until I saw myself riding and realized I wasn't. Sometimes, in rare occasions, I'll think I'm riding lame and I'll watch video of the session and I'll be surprised because I look better then what I feel. The only time I really thought I was caught up in the moment was when I tried a double back flip on a little five-foot ramp that had super tight trannies (it almost went to vert). I knocked myself out and broke my hand in three places. It was at my park for one of the old BS comps, so I was able to go back there the next day and re-evaluate the line in a normal state of mind. It really didn't matter how good I was or how hard I tried, I was not going to pull that off. Seeing it in a normal state of mind screamed, "DO NOT TRY THIS." I could not have gotten enough speed, there was no clean line into it, and I was doing to the top of the deck of the box jump. It was all wrong, but for some reason I hadn't considered any of that when I was in that state of mind. All I saw was me pulling a double back flip and riding off smiling. How influenced are you to change your routine after another rider goes and pulls something big?
My rule is to not let other riders runs change my original contest style, which is to drop in and let what happens happen. But with that said, dropping in after Parker does a double tailwhip makes a single tail whip seem lame when it enters my mind, So I think I subconsciously try and at least not bring the vibe down but to try and raise it another notch, so in that aspect if a rider pulls something big before you, you're going to probable try and match that level of riding. What tips do you have for riders entering contests for the first time?
Try to stay away from the "zone" state of mind, it can be dangerous but it' s fun, so who am I to say? Ride as hard as you can and enjoy it!
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