The famous Wimbledon Tennis Championships are played near London in early summer each year. Tennis fans, beginners and experienced alike, watch this two week event with great fascination as the profession dazzle us with a great display of how tennis can be played.

In his book, More Balls Than Hands, Michael Gelb notes an observation from tennis coaches following Wimbledon, the play of their students has improved remarkably.  By watching the professionals students observe and learn things they can add to their own performance. Michael notes that you too can take a conscious advantage of this Wimbledon effect in any area of endeavor by immersing yourself in images of excellence.

This too can apply to hiking and trekking as well, for example:

Hiking equipment – people who are hiking or trekking do not use their gear such walking poles or sticks correctly to obtain the benefits for which they were designed. By viewing a DVD on Hiking Poles – Techniques and Tips  your result could improve.

Packing – many hikers do not pack the right contents or balance the load in their pack correctly, so watch a DVD or learn about this aspect.

Hiking techniques – by observing hikers along a trail can you pick up some their wisdom. Watch as their experiences as this group hikes for over 250 miles in 27 Days Hiking DVD and find out.

Your Routes – an inspiring DVD can guide you on to expect regarding the terrain and what to pack such as with Appalachian Impressions. Will it rub off and you have a better hike? Maybe you will change the section of the trail you hike due to what you saw.

I have no doubt that studying any professionals of any sport, including hiking or trekking can only help your performance because of the Wimbledon effect.

  
How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci
Price: $8.77
Michael Gelb’s How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci is an inspiring and inventive guide that teaches readers how to develop their full potential, using the principles of Da Vincian thought identified by the author. Beginning with a brief historical biography of Da Vinci and an overview of the astounding advances made in the arts and sciences during the Renaissance, Gelb illustrates the seven fundamental elements of Da Vinci’s thought process: Questionare: A questing, insatiably curious approach to life Dimostrazione: A commitment to test knowledge through experience Sensazione: The continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to clarify experience Sfumato: A willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox and uncertainty Arte/Scienza: The development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination. Whole-brain thinking Corporalita: The cultivation of ambidexterity, fitness and poise Connessione: A recognition and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things and phenomena. Systems thinking. Loaded with practical exercises, quotes, sidebars, illustrations and material drawn directly from Da Vinci’s personal notebooks, How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci is both a tribute to his great achievements and a call to carry on his legacy in our everyday lives by utilizing our potential to the best of our ability. From the Hardcover edition.

Brand: Random House Audio Publishing Group

Originally posted 2009-10-23 09:37:59.