Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Today we are talking with Alex Cohen. Not only is he a sports psychologist for the US Olympic and Paralympic Teams, he also has a lot to share with everyday skiers. In this episode, Alex talks about the importance of having a game plan, getting out of your own way, and the myths about flowstate. He talks about how Olympians get to where they are and how he got to where he is in life. 

Alex has learned a lot over the years and shares some of that knowledge with you today. This is sure to be an episode with so many takeaways, you’ll have to listen to it more than once.

Alex Cohen, the senior sports psychologist for the US Olympic and Paralympic Teams. Alex dives in deep with the team when it comes to mental strategies, mindfulness, and other skills that can transfer over to their daily lives. 

Topics:

[02:25] How Alex got into skiing and started working with Olympians

[03:45] Sports psychology on the ski-lifts 

[12:44] External focus cues in order to execute good technique

[13:50] Getting out of your own way 

[17:13] Training mindsets and flipping that switch 

[19:15] Flowstate   

[23:17] Recovery after injury

[29:18] Alex’s personal skiing habits

[29:49] A piece of advice that resonates through Alex’s life

[33:20] Summary and conclusion

Resources:

Alex Cohen Twitter: @alexcohenphd

“Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation” by Gabriele Oettingen

Wagner Custom Skis