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.
