help! I'm abusing my quads!

Here is a drill for Monique to keep her hands up - right out of race
camp: On a blue cruiser, hold both poles in both hands, across the
front of your body. Make turns thinking "forward", tipping bothskis on
edge, linking the turns. Holding the poles like this will prevent your
hands from dropping back and make you pressure your edges properly. Do
this like all day long one day!

On 2005-01-10, thinnmann penned:
Here is a drill for Monique to keep her hands up - right out of race camp:
On a blue cruiser, hold both poles in both hands, across the front of your
body. Make turns thinking "forward", tipping bothskis on edge, linking the
turns. Holding the poles like this will prevent your hands from dropping
back and make you pressure your edges properly. Do this like all day long
one day!

Um, my next ski trip was gonna be to Mary Jane *gulp*

However, I have seen that drill and I agree it would be great for me. I'd
forgotten about it. I'll have to remember to do that.

--
monique
Longmont, CO

Try the slideshows at the bottom of this page
http://www.skimag.com/skimag/instruc...695065,00.html

And there is probably more stuff here
http://www.skimag.com/skimag/search/...ve=instruction

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
On 2005-01-10, VtSkier penned:

I have actually thought about dragging my poles a bit. It's always the
inside pole (see another thread in another location to see what I mean
by "inside", it's relative to the turn).


I can't imagine how it would be the outside pole, unless you were doing
something really weird.

There has been a discussion about inside/outside relative to what
in another place.

I've said a lot about hands. Putting them and keeping them where they belong
and actually using them very little will cure many of the "problems" you are
describing.


So, which is better, reaching forward to pole plant or just flicking the pole
with your wrist?

Shouldn't "reach" because your hands should already be in position
so just "flicking" with your wrists is the nearest words come to
describing what is correct. You don't flick to plant your pole but
you do flick to release the plant so that your arm doesn't come back

VtSkier

Monique wrote:
VtSkier penned:
I have actually thought about dragging my poles a bit. It's always
the
inside pole (see another thread in another location to see what I
mean
by "inside", it's relative to the turn).

I can't imagine how it would be the outside pole, unless you were
doing
something really weird.

I used that particular technique in near-whiteout conditions a few
years ago at Mt. Bachelor. I was on an open slope and found that by
reaching downhill and tapping with my pole, I could get a feel for the
upcoming terrain while making GS turns at a decent speed. Or at least
it seemed to work that day on that particular run. After that I headed
for the trees.

FWIW, I used to drag my inside or uphill pole until I learned to keep
my hands forward. Once I did, I stopped over-rotating my upper body.
Not concidentally, I cut down considerably on skidded turns at the same
time. Also made bumps much easier.

So, which is better, reaching forward to pole plant or just flicking
the
pole with your wrist?

If you keep your hands forward, you won't have to reach. The need to
reach is a sign your hands are getting too far back. One tip I found
useful in the bumps was to drive my hand forward after the pole plant
and accompanying turn so that I wouldn't "leave it behind". Of course,
on really steep runs, you may still need to reach even while keeping
your hands forward.

"bdubya" wrote in message

It's a recurring bugaboo for me, too. One approach I use (in addition
to all the above good advice about hand position) is to start each
turn by trying to dive forward over the tips and slightly downhill.
That's an exaggerated description, but basically that's how it feels
if you're use to being in the back seat. Like trying to dive into a
pool, except your feet are locked to the ground. Then start the next
dive (to the other side) before it feels like you've finished the
prior one. Not exactly orthodox terminology, but if you've gotten
comfy with sitting back, getting forward really does feel that
different.

Another way to think of it is to slide the skis back under you to start the
turn. Similar result, but perhaps faster to execute.

Bob

"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
...
After (half) a day of skiing, my quads are always burning and they're weak
enough that I worry about being able to make turns well. Friends tell me
that
my thighs really shouldn't be working *that* hard. I'm told to learn to
do
things like "let the boot support your weight," but even standing still on
skis, I can't seem to get into a position where my thighs aren't working
to
keep myself upright.

I suspect that I'm fighting my skis, using too much force and not enough
finesse. Any specific suggestions/drills to learn how to make it easier
on my
legs?

I haven't had very many lessons recently so this is a bit old. As mentioned
hand position is important 'cause if they are back you are back, but you may
also want to try to reach farther down the hill -will help bring your mass
over the skis and release your edges. VtSkier's comments on poles are good,
but if you are dragging the uphill pole there is a good chance your upper
body is too far uphill. Even if you aren't using the pole as a rudder it
puts a lot of body mass back of the turn making it tough to release edges
and stay out of the backseat.

Since you have a tendency to delay your turn you also lose the skis energy,
so a bit of the old school up and down unweighting, as mentioned, may not
hurt as it will help make your turns more dynamic. If you do traverse a
quick bounce at the start of the turn may also help kick-start your turn. It
also helps center you on your skis and put you on top of the crud. Try to
also keep looking farther down the hill so you are planning at least 2 or 3
turns ahead. This will help eliminate the traverses -you may end up in the
same spot but you will be making a combination of varying turns to get
there.

To add to bdubya's comment of diving ahead, I've had it suggested to think
of it as a doorway between your pole and your tips that you want to move
through to your next turn. Another thing to add to this is making sure your
butt is also going through. If you just poke your shoulder ahead and your
butt back, your center of mass has not changed -you've just compacted
yourself and limited your mobility. Think of moving your belly button
across your skis -or as first explained to me, boink your turn.

As I said this is all old so i don't know how at odds it will be with what
you are learning. Its not roll the ankles and let the ski do the work, but
then again it you need to do a tighter radius carve than the ski is designed
for you still have to work the ski.

F. Plant

"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
...
On 2005-01-10, ant penned:

A good cheat for the first week of the season, when DOMS always hits, is
compression tights. I have not found them in the US yet, although they
are
in every ski shop in Oz, and the footballers wear them too for training.
I'd love to know where they are available in the US, as they'd be perfect
for people whose ski holiday is often ruined by sore legs.
www.skins.com.au
is the mob who supplies them in Australia. They are truly magic. I wear
them
for my first week of skiing twice a year; I used to spend about a week in
agony, unable to sit or stand without sighing gustily, and they'd flicker
at
night. That's the whole legs, not just bits of them. Now, nothing.

What's DOMS?

I do wear cycling over-tights while skiing. I've been thinking about
wearing
hockey compression shorts, but was concerned about what the constriction
would
do to my circulation. Full-length would be cool, but I try not to stick
anything but my sock into my boot, to avoid chafing.

delayed onset muscle soreness.

I can't believe these things aren't available in the US, they are huge back
home. All ski instructors and racers regard them as essential. This season,
a theif stole things from our flat in Jindabyne. 2 digital cameras, a
digital video, my toshiba laptop AND, my snow skins!!!!! he left all the
TVs, videos, DVD players, huge DVD collection, phones, gameboy thingies,
skis, snowboards, etc etc etc.

Today was my 3rd day of training, and my legs told me last night that they
weren't happy, so I wore the skins. magic. they really are incredible. I
wore them on teh plane over, too, as they deal with deep vein thrombosis.

ant

"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
Private lessons are rather expensive; group lessons often end up being
only
partially useful, and of course I get less direct attention.

well, it depends on how much the problem is bothering you.

I have spent the last 3 days clinicing, and it always amuses me how the
punters watch a group of instructors listening to one person talk, and then
go down the hill doing strange things, just like in a lesson. Adn they never
twig that skiing is a sport just like any other. You only improve with good
coaching, and then practising what the coach has given you.

I say, good coaching. There are many instructors in the US... get a
recommendation. That's all I'm going to say on that matter!

ant

"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
...
On 2005-01-10, ant penned:
"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
When instructors, friends, etc, try to get me to feel the point where
my
boots are providing all of my support, I never seem to find it, whether
on
my old boots (salomon evolution) or my new (salomon women's xwave 8).
It
*always* seems like my quads are involved.

You should not try to use your boots to "hold you up". A terrible habit,
we
see a lot of it in the US. I have been skiing with my top buckle undone
this
last week, just to fine-tune my balance a bit more and to prevent me
using
any kind of fore-aft leverage in my boots.

Sore quads are invariably caused by the hips being back (just half an
inch
is all it takes), which is a common skiing position of many.

Sorry to be a pain, but can you find an online picture that demonstrates
the
proper body position? I've heard that I should be forward, and I've heard
that (with modern skis) I shouldn't have to bend my knees excessively.
I've
also heard that I should imagine a line through my feet, knees, and
(hands?
head?), which seems like I'd *have* to bend my knees a lot. So confused
=/

There is no correct position; skiing balance is dynamic, not static. to test
your slow-speed start balance, jump up and down a few times on skis; the way
you land about the third time is where you should be. you shouldn't bend
anything exessively, it all works together: ankles, knees, hips, every bit
of your spine, neck, head, hands. forget lines and whatnot, it's dynamic
balance. you should align your bones up over the arch of your foot, but
having said that, as you advance into a turn, you move your hips toward the
tips of your skis, then settle back progressivly on the arch of your foot.
Through every turn, you should be moving this way constantly. but then you
add terrain, snow depth, speed, bumps vs groom.. this balance has to work
with all of it. you might bend everyting to cope with some bumps, or some
deep pow...the trick is to come out of it back to your "home" balance
position, before coping with the next bumps or pile of pow or whatever.

ant