Anyone else find that their navigation skills go completely out the window when things get stressful on the trail? I’ve been trying to find ways to improve that, and I came across this idea of cognitive exercises to help with decision-making under pressure, specifically related to trail navigation.
The idea is to regularly practice things like: 1) mentally mapping routes before you go, visualizing key landmarks; 2) practicing making fast “left/right” decisions on familiar trails with a timer; 3) using memory games to improve spatial recall; 4) doing some kind of dual-tasking activity while navigating (e.g., reciting the alphabet backwards while following a map); and 5) deliberately introducing “errors” on your route to practice quick problem-solving and adapting to unexpected changes.
I’m curious if anyone else has tried something similar? I’m especially interested to hear if anyone’s found specific cognitive games or apps notably helpful for improving these types of skills. It truly seems like improving mental clarity and strategic thinking beforehand could really make a difference when you’re facing bad weather, getting lost, or dealing with injuries.