Center of mass and resource efficiency in sports
My two pillars of sports are: feeling your center of mass and understanding where you're wasting your body's resources.
I have long recognized the crucial role of understanding the center of mass in any sport. Regardless of the discipline, if your body is involved, the position of your center of mass matters. In dynamic sports like alpine skiing or ice skating, this principle is quite obvious. However, even in activities like rock climbing, it remains essential - you must keep your center of mass as close to the wall as possible for better stability and efficiency.
When your center of mass is properly positioned, you feel it. It manifests as confidence in movement, firm contact with the slope in skiing, or reduced strain on your hands in rock climbing. Achieving this balance enhances control and minimizes unnecessary exertion, making your movements smoother and more effective.
Beyond the center of mass, I have identified another fundamental concept that plays an equally vital role: resource efficiency. In most cases, this refers to energy efficiency, but I prefer the term "resource" because limitations in sports are not always about energy alone. Sometimes, other factors become the bottleneck. In rock climbing, for instance, the primary limitation may not be overall energy but hand endurance. If you've ever climbed, you likely know the sensation - your body still feels strong, but your hands become so fatigued that they can no longer grip, turning into lifeless tools, like a broom that can only stroke the wall but not cling to it.
Resource efficiency is closely linked to the concept of laziness. You can recognize efficiency simply by the fact that you achieve the same result with less effort. It serves as a natural compass, guiding you toward optimal performance. When your movements feel effortless and fluid, you know you are on the right path.
So far, these two principles—understanding the center of mass and optimizing resource efficiency—seem to me to be the key factors for success in sports.