Friday Flex: The Backwards Ski Hill Theory of Progress
Imagine you’re backcountry skiing. You’ve scoped out this epic mountain—pristine snow, untouched by anything but your imagination of the ride down. But there’s a catch: if you want that thrilling descent, you have to climb the mountain first. So, with skis strapped to your back and sweat beading under layers, you begin the slow, grueling ascent. It’s not glamorous, and it definitely isn’t the part you’ll brag about later. But here’s the thing: no one questions whether the run will be worth it once they reach the top. That excitement fuels the climb. The challenge is part of the experience, something you embrace because the payoff is guaranteed—an unforgettable ride down.
Fitness is the ski hill in reverse.
When we think about progress in fitness, we tend to forget that setbacks, plateaus, and even regressions are inevitable. They’re the uphill climb. Every time you hit a rough patch or feel like you’re stuck in the mud, that’s not wasted time—it’s a required part of the process. Progress in fitness doesn’t come without periods where you aren’t gaining ground. You’ll even lose a little here and there. But just like the skier doesn’t worry that their climb to the summit means the downhill won’t exist when they get there, you shouldn’t stress that a setback means your goals are slipping away.
In fact, the hard parts are absolutely essential for long-term success. We all want the smooth ride, the PRs, and the killer workouts where everything feels perfect, but those moments are impossible to just stack one after another, a tower of success reaching to the heavens. It doesn’t work that way, in fitness or in life. You can’t just skip straight to the good stuff—no magic button gets you to the peak without the climb. The struggle might suck a little (or a lot), but it makes the reward so much sweeter.
You could almost go so far as to build the probability of setbacks into your training- planning things out assuming that you might miss a week or have to back off things for a bit. By treating a setback as a non-scary part of your continued drive forward you rob it of it’s ability to mess with your mental state and your focus. You can weather them with open eyes, good grace, and hopefully a bit of humor- the same way you would a climb up a the big ski hill. It’s not terrifying, it’s the point.
So, next time you’re stuck on your own metaphorical uphill, remember: the downhill’s coming. Don’t treat the setbacks like they’re stealing your progress; treat them like the climb up the mountain. It’s part of the ride, not a detour to be avoided. Try and enjoy the scenery!
And of course, if you’re one of those heli-skiers, you’ve just gone and ruined my entire analogy. But honestly, jumping out of helicopters is kind of nuts anyway.