Note: I can't remember where I found this. I apologize to whoever I've taken this from.
Although we practice these skills one at a time, keep in mind that the functional blending of these skills is the ultimate goal in all levels of skiing. Keep practicing!
Balance and Stance
A balanced state allows you to have a positive, selective effect with either leg during any part a turn. To become more consistent with your balance:Use all of your joints – ankles, knees, hips and lower back evenly and appropriately together, not one more than the other.
Although we practice these skills one at a time, keep in mind that the functional blending of these skills is the ultimate goal in all levels of skiing. Keep practicing!
Balance and Stance
A balanced state allows you to have a positive, selective effect with either leg during any part a turn. To become more consistent with your balance:Use all of your joints – ankles, knees, hips and lower back evenly and appropriately together, not one more than the other.
- Feet should remain under hips vs. ahead of hips
- Outside ski should bend more than inside ski
- Outside leg carries more weight than inside leg
- Shoulders, hips, and hands remain level (angluation) vs. tipping in (inclination)
- Inside hand, shoulder and hip lead into turn, not outside
- Hands are in front of the body, not at sides
- 2 footed shuffles
- 1000 shuffle turns
- Ski without poles
- 1000 steps
- Leapers
- Hop turns (180 degree hops, land parallel on edges)
Edging movements allow you to change direction, control speed, change the shape and size of your turn, and slip, skid and carve. To become more consistent with your edging movements:
- Tip skis on edge during turn entry, not turn completion
- Move body diagonally and laterally instead of vertically to engage and release edges
- Release and engage edges smoothly, not abruptly
- Maintain forward and lateral contact with boot cuffs
- Use lower body (ankles, knees and hips) to develop appropriate angles to stay on edge, not upper body
- Skating
- 1000 steps
- Sideslipping and hockey stops
- Hop turns
- Edge set releases in a traverse
- Railroad track turns
- 180 and 360 degree spins
- Falling leaf
Rotary movements allow you to initiate a turn and guide skis through the turn. They are subtle, originate from the lower body and are distributed evenly throughout the turn. To become more consistent with your rotary movements:
- Turn your legs underneath your upper body, instead of using the upper body to turn the legs
- Turn your femur within your hip socket instead of the entire hip coming around
- Your upper body should remain quiet and stable
- Turn shape should resemble Cs, not Zs
- Both skis and legs turn together, not one at a time
- Movements are progressive, not abrupt
- Sideslipping/Falling leaf
- Hockey stops
- Cowboy turns (super wide stance)
- Pivot slips (sideslip then turn 180 degrees)
- Hop turns
- Stem and step turns
Pressure control movements allow you to manage, control and manipulate the amount of pressure the skis exert against the snow throughout each turn. This is accomplished with movements that are from foot to foot, along the length of the ski, or thru flexion and extension movements. To become more consistent with your pressure control movements:
- Bend skis progressively throughout the turn, not abruptly
- Bend the entire length of your skis, not just tip or tail
- Use all of your joints evenly, not just one
- As the terrain varies, vary your range of movements
- Allow your pole use to help these movements rather than disrupting them
- Maintain a quiet and disciplined upper body
- Small leapers into hop turns
- Traverse across small bumps – stay on snow
- Sideslipping and hockey stops
- Ski only on the outside ski
- Ski bumps without poles
- Extension turns (tall at turn entry)
- Retraction turns (short at turn entry
Hey Jess,
ReplyDeleteJust took the level II teaching practice at Hidden Valley. One of the questions that came up that we couldn't answer was what the problem was with someone with shin pain, but had speed control issues. Those two don't seem to go together...Dennis Q
Dennis - if you are still struggling with that question... shin pain is often because the boots are too loose and the skier is not staying centered - i.e., is bouncing off the front of the boots then to the back, then to the front again... - think about how painful it would eventually be to tap your arm with your hand in the same spot over and over again all day. The speed control issue could be related or not - but definitely needs to be considered and addressed when developing a series of exercises and choosing terrain for that student.
ReplyDeleteFor example, while a stepping drill might help sort out some of the fore/aft balance issues, it would be important to consider coaching points to make that successful for someone who isn't finishing their turns. Other exercise series that enhance both at the same time could also work. You could make some assumptions (and state them) based on what you've seen in similar skiers you've taught in terms of when and where in the turn the balancing movements need the most development.
Hope this helps! Email me - muddyskier at gmail dot com if you have additional questions.
-Becky