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 Learning How To Ski and Race General Discussion technique obser... | |
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technique observations, weight distribution and forward position
Posted: 08 Jan 10 8:00 AM |
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After having learned my technique over 15 years ago on straight, narrow skis, I took a long break from the sport, and have recently started returning to the slopes again. I've made a few observations about differences between my own skiing and those of more experienced skiers, and I'm looking for some drills or tips on how to improve. Observations are as follows:
- Shaped skis seem to be all about carving, whereas the parallel
technique I learned with straight, narrow skis relied more on rotation,
which still seems to be the technique for bumps, but not speed. I find
that by leaning the skis over more, I can carve them, but I think I'm
vastly favoring my downhill ski as I turn, and not applying enough
pressure to the uphill ski, yet changing this doesn't seem as easy as
identifying the problem. Any tips on drills or exercises here?
-I notice that better skiers seem to have a more forward position
as they carve back and forth across the piste, whereas beginner /
intermediate types aim down the face, find themselves overwhelmed by
the speed, shift their weight back as their rotate the skis sideways,
and grind off a bunch of speed by throwing a lot of snow with the back
of the ski, kind of like turning a car by pulling the e-brake --
dramatic, but not the fasted or smoothest way to go. I find myself
waffling between these two extremes. Which is to say if I point myself
down a black diamond, I can focus and pull off a few decent turns, but
eventually I'll find myself sideways grinding off some speed. Any
drills or tips to improve this? |
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Re: technique observations, weight distribution and forward position
Posted: 19 Oct 10 11:50 PM |
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I am glad that you went skiing Wisp. It is one of the better places around here. I went there last year for the NASTAR Pacesetters’ qualifications, although it was so rainy and no fun that later runs were blessedly canceled. Hope you enjoyed this past season, it was one of the best on record. Coming back to your questions:
I went out skiing for the first time this season (and the third time in the past 15 years!) yesterday at Wisp. I watched a few ski patrol skiers (possibly the easiest way to identify good skiers), and compared this to what I was doing, and I noticed some immediate problems with my technique. I suspect some of these problems may be due to me originally learning to ski before the era of shaped / parabolic skis, but that doesn't really matter,
The difference b/w the old school and the new shaped and short ski is huge; so dramatic that even FIS now restricts the minimum length and shape to actually force the racers (and by extension the public) to swipe the ski more instead of just riding the edges for safety (loads on joints and speeds were causing too many near death and deadly injuries.)
I'm just looking for any tips on drills / exercises to improve and thought maybe you'd have some advice. I did scour your skiExpert.net articles again with new enthusiasm, but I didn't see anything directly about these issues:
- Shaped skis seem to be all about carving, whereas the parallel technique I learned with straight, narrow skis relied more on rotation, which still seems to be the technique for bumps, but not speed.
Nothing to add; what you said is right on the money.
I find that by leaning the skis over more, I can carve them, but I think I'm vastly favoring my downhill ski as I turn, and not applying enough pressure to the uphill ski, yet changing this doesn't seem as easy as identifying the problem. Any tips on drills or exercises here?
New, shaped, skis will help you finesse the movements and exerting more pressure on the outside ski earlier in the turn in the “upside-down” position, loading both in the apex, and decreasing the outside ski pressure in the lower part of the C shaped turn is the goal. In an extreme/drill scenario, I would actually ask you to finish the turn on the uphill ski. Going further, I would ask you to go through transition and initiate the new turn on the same uphill ski while keeping the downhill ski off the snow. In other words, we can even remove the outside ski from the equation in places where we think we rely on it too much, but I agree: good skiing is not that easy, and maybe this is why it appeals to us so much.
-I notice that better skiers seem to have a more forward position as they carve back and forth across the piste, whereas beginner / intermediate types aim down the face, find themselves overwhelmed by the speed, shift their weight back as their rotate the skis sideways, and grind off a bunch of speed by throwing a lot of snow with the back of the ski, kind of like turning a car by pulling the e-brake -- dramatic, but not the fasted or smoothest way to go.
Again, perfectly described and pretty common difference b/w novice/intermediate and advanced skiers. Better skiers can ski the slower line, faster and they shape their turns by more aggressively moving forward, building pressures on the tips of their skis and hence bending and engaging the skis in shaping the turn rather than swiping the tails out. It's a little bit like in windsurfing: to carve your turn you need to let the sail pull you in, while you roll in and move forward to keep the board moving fast and flat through the chop, and not let it stall by staying and pulling back.
I find myself waffling between these two extremes. Which is to say if I point myself down a black diamond, I can focus and pull off a few decent turns, but eventually I'll find myself sideways grinding off some speed. Any drills or tips to improve this?
I have experimented with the above “one-legged, uphill, finish-transition-entry” enough and had great success with my students and based on your posting I am going to turn it into a drill/article, but you can actually take the existing Drop In drill (http://www.skiexpert.net/Articles/tabid/279/ctl/ArticleView/mid/849/articleId/1/DropIn.aspx). If you see through the article and are patient and determined enough to get your skis to near-stall position at the end of each turn, then you won’t have the discussed problem.
I appreciate any insight you may have...
Any time, and I will be at 7Springs most of the weekends, so we can catch up free skiing or fun racing. You can also find me on Twitter @code2ride.
I highly recommend that you sign up for the TWT program we offer through PSC club this year: http://www.skiexpert.net/DevelopmentPrograms/TheTimeWillTell/tabid/249/Default.aspx. You will have some fun and fly some safe on-the-snow aerobatic maneuvers, too. Then, if you want to you can take it to the gates and learn the “truth about your skiing.”
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