Day after day, month after month, your mind and body grow conditioned to this environment. Then you go skiing and you enter a natural world that is slanted, slippery and unpredictable. The environment changes from moment to moment and the everyday habitual patterns of thoughts and movements don't seem to be as reliable. Your mind leaps at the thought of flying down the mountain, but your body wants to back away from the edge. Tai chi is an ancient Chinese system for harmonizing your mind and your body, which is exactly what skiers need.
Relaxed muscles allow sharper cuts.
Tai chi focuses on connective tissue structures instead of muscle strength and flexibility like most conditioning programs. Emphasizing your tissue structure allows your muscles to relax and for your body's flexibility, efficiency, balance and agility to improve. Usually people lock their knees when they stand so their thighs don t have to do any work. This requires bone to balance on bone at achy knee joints. Even though muscles are stronger than joints, they don t support your body all that well.