Although it is common confusing both terms, there is a difference between them. Efficacy refers to goal achievement regardless of the mode or process used to succeed, and efficiency refers to the manner of achieving it through the best use of the possessed resources.
Taking these concepts to skiing, we can be effective in achieving speed control by using muscular effort executing sudden skids, or be efficient using the skis’ side cut to generate a smooth curve. In the first case it is energy spent wherein the second, energy is well used. In the racer’s case, he seeks to be effective (skiing down in less time possible) but not necessarily efficient (using less effort). Any skier may be effective by attaining the goal of ‘getting down’ the hill, but others are efficient because they ski the slope with less muscular effort or with the same effort they attain a better performance.
It is often understood that efficacy is executing movements quickly. While it is necessary to be hasty in selected situations, this often leads to imprecision. Being effective it also consists of reducing reaction time towards an unexpected situation.
Efficiency is taking advantage of the forces generated by our motion, it is applying intelligence to the good use of these forces in preparing direction changes during the old turn’s ending, it is to let ourselves go towards the incoming curve.
In relation to movements, being efficient it is also related to simplifying by selecting and inhibiting movements, and comprehending how to orient them to satisfy our pleasure for movement. The ability to perform efficient sequenced actions with continuous turn transitions without interference is observed in the advanced skier. Actions uninterrupted implementation minimizes energy costs. In efficient skiing, not only actions’ flow is a goal but also it is time and effort optimization. To perform an efficient action, we must first experience a cognitive reaction to our own motor actions.
Skiing is an art in which we seek the most efficient way to descend the mountain. The basis of this efficiency is harmony, smoothness and muscle de-contraction. It is generating the simplest solution to the problem and this comes from practice and experience. This efficient practice is based on performance precision and its relationship with the proposed objective, in addition to knowing how to reduce irrelevant information.
Efficient skiing must exceed technical forms (the mere execution of movements and actions) to reach technical expressions (the technical concept). Inefficiency is observed in the beginner tending to over control movements and actions through greater effort. On the contrary, due to know-how, the advanced skier performs the same maneuvers with a minimum of effort.
Self-efficacy
Self-efficacy is the conviction of personal effectiveness that every skier possesses to execute skiing required actions. It is a dominating and adapting skill to a given situation by reflecting on it; a self-effective skier is a reflective performer.
There should be a certain balance between the challenge of the skiing to be performed and our skill. This ability is related to believing what we are able to do and what we are capable of doing. Believing what we can do influences more than our real capacity.
Self-efficacy is the exercise of control, it is the ability to anticipate and modify events favoring adaptation. It is our belief in our own skiing capacity and so much greater these beliefs, the more self-efficacy increases. Our conviction is fundamental because increases confidence in planning and performing the necessary actions to produce the desired results.
Framework Matrix of Efficacy vs. Efficiency
| Neurological-Cognitive Reaction | Bio-mechanical Resource Management | Force Adaptation & Kinetic Advantage | Attentional Selection & Info Reduction | Psychological Self-Efficacy Beliefs | Learning Progression Stage |
| Reaction Time Compression Compressing physical reaction times toward unexpected situations to achieve situational efficacy. | Muscular De-contraction Drive Driving movement from a baseline of physical harmony, smoothness, and deep muscle de-contraction. | Side-Cut Arc Exploitation Engaging the ski’s engineered side-cut shape to generate clean, highly efficient carving curves. | Irrelevant Data Elimination Actively filtering out irrelevant sensory information to maintain absolute performance focus. | Reflective Performer Conviction Cultivating deep convictions of personal effectiveness to act as a highly reflective performer. | Novice Over-Control Phase Over-controlling movements and actions through massive, uncoordinated muscular effort expenditures. |
| Cognitive Feedback Processing Experiencing an immediate cognitive reaction to personal motor actions before executing next sequences. | Sudden Skid Energy Waste Executing violent, sudden skids via brute muscular force to enforce rapid velocity checks. | Turn-End Force Harnessing Harnessing generated motion forces during the old turn’s ending to prepare subsequent direction changes. | Movement Simplification Filter Simplifying movement chains by intentionally selecting and inhibiting unnecessary motor patterns. | Challenge-to-Skill Balance Balancing the technical difficulty of the chosen mountain challenge precisely with current physical skills. | Novice Survival Efficacy Attaining the basic goal of getting down the hill safely regardless of the clumsy process used. |
| Imprecision Speed Balancing Inhibiting the urge to execute movements too hastily to prevent technical imprecision. | Uninterrupted Transition Linking Linking sequenced actions and continuous turn transitions without a single broken movement interference. | Incoming Curve Release Letting the body mass go willingly toward the incoming curve by riding existing kinetic momentum. | Effort Optimization Focus Focusing cognitive intent on simultaneous time and effort optimization throughout the descent. | Capacity Belief Amplification Amplifying personal beliefs of capability, which influences execution success more than real physical capacity. | Advanced Force Intelligence Applying deep kinetic intelligence to utilize natural motion forces instead of fighting them. |
| Action Plan Intention Tuning Orienting simplified movement paths directly to satisfy the inner human pleasure for fluid motion. | Simplest Solution Generation Generating the simplest mechanical solution to complex terrain problems via deep experiential practice. | Time-Trial Speed Maximizaton Maximizing velocity down the racecourse using absolute efficacy parameters regardless of high effort costs. | Technical Expression Transcending Transcending mere technical execution forms to reach deep, expressive technical concepts. | Event Modification Control Exercising active control to anticipate and modify upcoming slope events to favor rapid adaptation. | Advanced Resource Efficiency Performing complex maneuvers with a clean minimum of effort by leveraging structural equipment properties. |
| Confidence Planning Alignment Using heightened personal convictions to elevate execution confidence during rapid tactical line planning. | Action Continuity Preservation Preserving a continuous flow of uninterrupted physical inputs to drastically lower overall biological energy costs. | Precision-Objective Mapping Mapping performance precision directly against proposed terrain objectives to ensure perfect line tracking. | Resource Expenditure Tracking Tracking internal energy output to ensure the best possible use of possessed physiological resources. | Desired Result Production Anchoring personal capacity beliefs to reliably produce desired technical results in dangerous zones. | Elite Tactical Command Mastering complete cognitive and physical efficiency to command steep terrain with graceful, effortless motion. |
