Josh Waitzkin on deliberate practice, HRV training, and compressing learning timelines.
Key Insights
Foiling as deliberate practice: Josh uses an e-foil with a folding propeller to practice specific surfing maneuvers (like handling boils) over 200 times in two sessions — equivalent to 1-2 months of regular surfing progress.
Afterwards, I feel like I have to lie in a dark room with my eyes closed for 10, 15 minutes just to process. The brain feels like it’s plugged into the matrix.
The most important turns: Billy Kidd asked Josh: “What are the three most important turns of a ski run?”
The answer: The last three before getting on the lift. Most skiers get sloppy at the end, but your last actions are what your brain internalizes overnight. Always finish strong.
HRV and fear response: Josh uses resonant frequency breathing to override his body’s impulse to bail on steep waves. Over time, the baseline rises and you can handle increasingly intense conditions.
Trigger work: Getting into a peak performance state and attaching a trigger (song, scent, breath) so you can enter that state instantly instead of needing a 30-minute routine.