Skiing is the result of different sensory sources cooperation. Our brain’s integration of information from different sensory channels consents us to build an effective skiing motor schema. At the beginning we learn skiing using mainly vision; then we incorporate proprioception and employ vision for information pickup about motion speed, trajectory choice, objects, and people avoidance, motion anticipation, and planning.
While we use vision and touch to control our skis, we also use hearing to know if they are carving or skidding. Besides, acoustic information can provide movement/action time reference, i.e., a certain rhythm.
Our senses work together as, for example, a sound will be searched by vision and snow texture can be perceived by sight, touch or hearing. In certain situations, our brain must decide what sense must rely on it. We rely in our gaze to guide posture, but in decreased visual conditions we will use proprioception, considering it as a sixth sense.
Vision and touch
It is possible that, when using vision as a primary sensory system, touch is relegated and we will not retain it as an experience. When vision is the dominant sensory system, tactile information is not employed until visual skills are depleted. Vision allows the beginner a fast and global usage of the environment but will need some practice for tactile perception.
In general, there is a disposition to use our visual sense before touch. For example, boots inhibit touch sensitivity of the feet, so the beginner stands mainly on visual information to control his skis. In this case, vision is an alternative to touch.
Vision and touch provide us the best options for skiing, using vision to anticipate touch since it detects terrain shapes while touch reveals its roughness. Vision is for shape information and general image, while touch is most effective in providing information about surface details.
Touch and hearing
Not only is it possible to have a touch reference but also a hearing one that facilitates our assimilation of skiing multisensorial experiences. Something as simple as the noise coming from the skis’ edges interacting with the snow produces important sensory feedback.
Skiing through hearing is perceiving a ‘sounded skiing’ since we detect the noise that skis create by scraping the edges against the snow. If we relate the noise from the skis-snow interaction with what we sense on our feet, we will significantly improve our skiing perception. In this regard, while carving the snow with the edges we perceive a noiseless acceleration but relate an increasing sound with skidding or braking. We may become aware if our technique is correct by associating touch and hearing according to whether the edges are scraping the snow or they are grazing it smoothly.
The sensory combination between hearing and tactile senses is a reference which we can use to control our speed (in addition to the visual perception of the optical flow) by slowing down or braking, since at a faster speed of a skidding motion we perceive not only greater vibration but also more noise from the skis and from the air resistance. On the other hand, if we increase speed by cutting the snow on the edges (carving), we will perceive that as skis glide lengthwise supported over the entire surface of the edges, the noise is reduced, giving us a reference of speed increase. In a skidded skiing, the noise disappears at the precise moment we link our turns, so we can take this information as a reference.
As for snow, different types produce different sounds while going over with skis: powder snow makes little noise (fresh snow or light deep snow) while compact or icy snow generates more noise (ice, crud or frozen spring snow).
It was remarked that the sense of hearing has a great influence while skiing, although not always we are conscious of this. We perceive something is wrong while hearing too much noise coming from our skis while skidding too much, or the noise other people create. These auditory aspects could affect us emotionally, provoking a tensing or a braking reaction. Sounds discrimination warns possible collisions with other people that are not seen but detected by the noise of their skis or boards, and also by the voice of warning.
The sensory combination between touch and hearing takes place also in the beginner, adult or child, providing a reference for sliding adjustments. Thus, through the inclination of the skis in the snowplow position to control speed or stopping, it is combined the noise coming from the edges scraping the snow, and the tactile sensation of both feet producing that action.
Listening to music interfere with our sensory perception of other senses. It is observed when we listen to music while skiing and, being our brain focused on the auditory stimulation of music, although it generates pleasant emotions because the auditory system has a direct relationship with the limbic system (the emotional brain), it decreases risk perception, disturbs speed perception and increases reaction time.
According to these considerations, you can apply the following recommendations in your own skiing:
- Remember that your senses work together. A sound will be searched by vision and snow texture can be perceived by sight, touch or hearing.
- Do not use just vision as your primary sensory system, because touch or hearing will be relegated and you will not retain them as a sensorial experience.
- Use your vision for shape information and general image, and the sense of touch to provide information about surface details.
