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Monday, December 27, 2010 Performance Skiing - Focus Points By code2ski @ 8:50 AM :: 944 Views :: 0 Comments :: Concepts, Ski2Race, Race2Ski, Skill Range: I4-A8, Optimal Skill Level: Advanced, Optimal Skill Level: Expert, Alpine This article is a synthesis of the "Old School... ...New School; What Two Generations of Champions Can Teach You" article published by Ron Kipp in the Alpine Masters Series; Autumn 2010.  There are some departures from the cause/effect interpretations of the original article author, and the material has been adopted for the Time Will Tell program students as "focus points". Be quiet: Assume and stay in a balanced, workable, and efficient posture.  It's a consequence of putting your game together; owning the skills, the synthesis of movements that leads to an equilibrium between the body internal and the external forces of the turn.  The lack of movement is a result of the expert application of technical and tactical skills and abilities, muscular tension towards minimizing excess movement and undesired relocation of the C of M. Minimize the CM vertical travel: Obviously the shorter horizontal line your CM travels the better, and if you allow excess vertical CM movement, your horizontal line suffers (i.e. cannot be shortened), and you lose your precious energy on the mechanical work along the axis that does not make your skiing more effective, i.e. faster. Use the hip and dial in: The hip is a big, strong joint that moves through a large range of motion.  Angulation of the upper body, inclination of the lower extremities, rotational articulation that steers the skis and creates upper and lower body separation all meets at the hip joint.  Use/position the hip as opposed to flexing the spine.  Articulate its position to allow for, and support proper flexion/extension, and rotation of lower extremities/limbs to absorb terrain undulations and attenuate changing external forces. Use the "dial" and touch on each hour b/w the 10 am and 2 pm transitioning from left to right and from 2 pm and 10 am when going from right to left.  That means that you need to move forward with your hip, and if possible ahead of your bindings in transition (in the vicinity of 12 o'clock on the dial reference). Avoid lateral flexion in the spine: Angulation to improve edging comes from hip- not spine flexion.  Seasoned racers did not get to have successful careers by misalignment of their backs that would lead to overuse and injuries. Hold hands wider than the elbows.  Hold them hip-to-shoulder high and drive forward: Positioning of the hands is essential aspect of the balanced stance and driving them forward will draw the hips forward, too.  Hands are used for balance corrections (hence efficient skiers don't wave them around).  When a skier goes out of balance it means that their CM is not in line with their base of support.  To get back in balance skiers move their hands to readjust their CM (it's like a cat using its tail to always land on four feet).  If the elbows are carried wider than the hands, it limits the available  range of motion that the skier would otherwise have available for balance correction. Stack your bones: In the later part of the turn, when the forces are the greatest the bones are stacked to allow for much stronger stance. Keep your inside ski disciplined and on the snow: The inside ski should be aligned parallel with the outside ski and always headed in the same direction.  The two skis should move together as one unit and the inside ski should always be beneath the outside knee.Outside ski may still be a dominant one, but the inside one is on the snow ready to adjust the pressure, or to take over in the event when outside ski would give way.  The weight transfer should be subtle, similar to independent suspension on a car, almost unnoticeable when the other ski fills in, and carry more load. Inside ski tip, boot, hip and shoulder lead (RZ interpretation differs from that of RK): The lead in respective joints is a result of slope angle and proper hip placement and articulation to facilitate the most optimal bone stacking to best attenuate the external forces in a turn. In alpine skiing the stacking and lead is mimicked between all left and right joint combination from ankle to knee, hip and shoulder.  In free-heel, i.e. telemark skiing and racing; the inside ski trails, although the ankle flexion, i.e. forces exerted on the shins are actually similar to those in alpine skiing.   Left and right ankles are at the same degree of flexion: With equal ankle flexion skiers build a foundation that is bio-mechanically efficient and balanced in all planes.  The inside foot never goes so far in front that it has to be pulled back.  Both ankles should have the same amount of flexion in every part of the turn as a result of a muscular tension inside the boot.  That means you need to keep drawing the inside ski back and let the inside knee come up, especially at the apex when lateral. Before and through transition let the skis come up and cross under: Let your skis run deep to the raise line of the next turn and cross under, so that you start falling "upside down" and must look for support in your new outside ski shovel while "pushing down the hill".

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