Wedge vs. Stem; The Difference.

"foot2foot" wrote in message
...

"MH" wrote in message
not following the straight line down the hill.

I'm not sure what you mean here.

You know how you were saying that there is a dividing line down the
hill,
that's what I mean here.

This is actually a beginner's tool, the beginner is going so
slowly in the wedge that they can keep the shoulders square
to the skis and the body centered directly between the skis.
The centerline and line to infinity describe the tool *to a
beginner*. Once the person can ski a little better, this
changes a bit.

Then, it becomes more important that the body needs
to be on the inside of the turn. To do this it's useful
to move the hips to the inside of the turn.

It becomes more of an angulation thing. When turning
the skier needs the knees and hips moved inside toward the
center of the turn (for balance and edging) while still holding
the shoulders over the skis. It's a classic pose that goes
back to the 1940's or earlier.

The faster one goes, the farther inside the turn the hips
need to be. Slowly, maybe just a little. Faster, knees,
and especially hips more to the inside.

I suppose the line analogy would still work if you moved
the line to infinity farter inside the turn, the faster you go.
But, by that point there's really no need for it. The concept
is simple. Body (mostly hips) to the inside of the turn,
a little or a lot, depending on speed.

Then I'm doing the hip thang OK. : ) I want to see about the inside *lead*
ski thing, though. This sounds as if it might be helpful. I know that I am
getting to be a better and better skier, with a few more lessons (and the
confidence they always give me), I will excel.

Martha

foot2foot wrote:
"The Real Bev" wrote:
MH wrote:
"foot2foot" wrote:
So, as you finish up one turn, to start the new one, you need
to cross your body over the skis, and push the new inside ski
ahead of the outside. Well, you could also pull the new outside
ski back, or move both, one back and one forward, sort
of scissors. Any of these three methods will change the lead.

Oh, sounds interesting. I'm going to work on that on my next trip. Good
tips, thanks.

My impression is that the lead changes as a result of the turn. It just
happens, and it may not even be possible to prevent it. Am I doing
something wrong?

PSIA likes to let it happen without notice, naturally. So
according to them, you're a star. Have you tried playing with
lead change on fairly easy slopes? Actually intentionally trying
to initiate turns with one of the three styles of lead change, and
maybe increasing the lead more or less, to see the effect?
The more you change the lead, the sharper you can turn at
really slow speeds.

If I try to NOT do it, it hurts. Playing with more or less lead doesn't
seem to change anything so I stopped worrying about it.

--
Cheers, Bev
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity
is not thus handicapped."
-- Elbert Hubbard, American author

"foot2foot" wrote in message
...

Really, skiing is so simple, if a person just understands
the mechanics of the ski, they can do anything they want
within their ability, which they can improve.

Yes

So,

You might as well try these also:

Keep effective body position at all times, especially
keep your hands out in front of you.

Do that now

Start a turn, halfway through the turn, pick up the tail of
the inside ski, leaving the tip on the snow.

Ahh...got it!

Finish the turn.
Repeat. Don't try this on a bumped up double diamond
until you get good at it. This will *show* you a good,
effective body position, out of the back seat. If you can
pick up the tail and leave the tip on the snow, you're
golden.

Kewl

Hold your poles out in front of you horizontally, and pick
an object of some kind at about the center of the bottom
of the run, (lodge, lift hut), or something like that. Try to keep
the center of the poles (halfway between the grips and the
baskets) lined up with that object all the way through all your
turns. It will sort of force you to keep your body facing
downhill, and give you feedback as to how well you're
doing. It's a sneaky way of learning about rotation and
counter rotation. Don't try this in Corbett's Couloir until
you get good at it.

haha!

Sideslip. Sideslip a whole run or two. Sideslip all over the
place. This will help edge control.

Do that now

On a nice easy wide slope, a groomie maybe, get going on a
**long turn**, and when you get ready to start another, start
that new turn by doing nothing else but crossing your body
over the skis to the other side. Just that. Nothing else. Then,
after you get the next turn started in this way, apply the turning
forces to the skis as you wish, that is, edge, bend the ski or
steer the ski, etc. Repeat. Start the next turn by doing nothing
else but crossing your body over the skis to the other side. This
brings you into familiarity with the simplest, most basic fact and
truth of all skiing, "crossover". To turn left your body must be
on the left side of the skis, and vice versa. Moving from one
turn to the next, you need to cross your body over to the other
side of the skis.

Do that now

It's really a great, relaxing cruiser move.


But PSIA hates it.


Do it anyway.


But remember, it's a drill, not a mantra. Just like the others.

Of course. : )

Martha

"MH" wrote in message

"foot2foot" wrote in message
...

Keep effective body position at all times, especially
keep your hands out in front of you.

Do that now

Good, that's good....

Start a turn, halfway through the turn, pick up the tail of
the inside ski, leaving the tip on the snow.

Ahh...got it!

This is good.....


Kewl

Hold your poles out in front of you horizontally, and pick
an object of some kind at about the center of the bottom
of the run, (lodge, lift hut), or something like that. Try to keep
the center of the poles (halfway between the grips and the
baskets) lined up with that object all the way through all your
turns. It will sort of force you to keep your body facing
downhill, and give you feedback as to how well you're
doing. It's a sneaky way of learning about rotation and
counter rotation. Don't try this in Corbett's Couloir until
you get good at it.

haha!


So, are you wise to rotation and counter rotation? Do
you tend to turn your shoulders in the direction of the
turn, *after* the first half of the turn is over?

You see, in a short series of turns, it just sort of happens.
It's the "body faced down the hill thing".

But in longer turns, you would turn shouders in direction of
turn, only for the first half of the turn. At the moment when
the skis are pointing straight down the hill, (the start of the
second half of the turn), you might want to turn the shoulders,
in *the opposite direction* of the turn. It winds you up for
the next turn.

Rotation and counter rotation. You can use them, however
whenever, and how much ever you want, any time you
want. It's simple. You decide. PSIA call the latter "counter"
and sort of wishes away the former. But it's useful as well.
How much "counter" do you want to use?

Sideslip. Sideslip a whole run or two. Sideslip all over the
place. This will help edge control.

Do that now

This is good....


On a nice easy wide slope, a groomie maybe, get going on a
**long turn**, and when you get ready to start another, start
that new turn by doing nothing else but crossing your body
over the skis to the other side. Just that. Nothing else. Then,
after you get the next turn started in this way, apply the turning
forces to the skis as you wish, that is, edge, bend the ski or
steer the ski, etc. Repeat. Start the next turn by doing nothing
else but crossing your body over the skis to the other side. This
brings you into familiarity with the simplest, most basic fact and
truth of all skiing, "crossover". To turn left your body must be
on the left side of the skis, and vice versa. Moving from one
turn to the next, you need to cross your body over to the other
side of the skis.

Do that now

Good, how about some hip and knee angulation? Try to
move the hips in toward the center of the turn, without using
all that much knee angulation. So, the legs are fairly straight,
and the hips are way down toward the snow, toward the
center of the turn. Check out some pix of a world class racer
in some skiing mag or two. At the same time try to keep
the shoulders level with the snow.

If you really want to get woken up, and humble yourself a bit
just so you don't lose total touch with reality, try this:

Start a turn as you would, then halfway through the turn, pick
up the *outside* ski, any way you can, and finish the turn on the
*inside ski only*. This is very hard to do. If you can tell you're
not getting it, back down to both skis and try again on a new
turn. It's not worth a fall. After a while you'll be able to hold that
pinky edge longer and longer.

A beginner doesn't even want to fool with this because they must
first learn to be able to weight the outside ski fully. Once they can
do that and know how it feels, it's sometimes useful to be able to
feel how well you can use both skis, by trying to ski on only the
inside ski each way.

Do you think you're this far advanced, to be ready to try the
above drill?

"foot2foot" wrote in message
...

"MH" wrote in message

Keep effective body position at all times, especially
keep your hands out in front of you.

Do that now

Good, that's good....

Start a turn, halfway through the turn, pick up the tail of
the inside ski, leaving the tip on the snow.

Ahh...got it!

This is good.....


Kewl

Hold your poles out in front of you horizontally, and pick
an object of some kind at about the center of the bottom
of the run, (lodge, lift hut), or something like that. Try to keep
the center of the poles (halfway between the grips and the
baskets) lined up with that object all the way through all your
turns. It will sort of force you to keep your body facing
downhill, and give you feedback as to how well you're
doing. It's a sneaky way of learning about rotation and
counter rotation. Don't try this in Corbett's Couloir until
you get good at it.

haha!


So, are you wise to rotation and counter rotation? Do
you tend to turn your shoulders in the direction of the
turn, *after* the first half of the turn is over?

You see, in a short series of turns, it just sort of happens.
It's the "body faced down the hill thing".

But in longer turns, you would turn shouders in direction of
turn, only for the first half of the turn. At the moment when
the skis are pointing straight down the hill, (the start of the
second half of the turn), you might want to turn the shoulders,
in *the opposite direction* of the turn. It winds you up for
the next turn.

Rotation and counter rotation. You can use them, however
whenever, and how much ever you want, any time you
want. It's simple. You decide. PSIA call the latter "counter"
and sort of wishes away the former. But it's useful as well.
How much "counter" do you want to use?

Sideslip. Sideslip a whole run or two. Sideslip all over the
place. This will help edge control.

Do that now

This is good....


On a nice easy wide slope, a groomie maybe, get going on a
**long turn**, and when you get ready to start another, start
that new turn by doing nothing else but crossing your body
over the skis to the other side. Just that. Nothing else. Then,
after you get the next turn started in this way, apply the turning
forces to the skis as you wish, that is, edge, bend the ski or
steer the ski, etc. Repeat. Start the next turn by doing nothing
else but crossing your body over the skis to the other side. This
brings you into familiarity with the simplest, most basic fact and
truth of all skiing, "crossover". To turn left your body must be
on the left side of the skis, and vice versa. Moving from one
turn to the next, you need to cross your body over to the other
side of the skis.

Do that now

Good, how about some hip and knee angulation? Try to
move the hips in toward the center of the turn, without using
all that much knee angulation. So, the legs are fairly straight,
and the hips are way down toward the snow, toward the
center of the turn. Check out some pix of a world class racer
in some skiing mag or two. At the same time try to keep
the shoulders level with the snow.

If you really want to get woken up, and humble yourself a bit
just so you don't lose total touch with reality, try this:

Start a turn as you would, then halfway through the turn, pick
up the *outside* ski, any way you can, and finish the turn on the
*inside ski only*. This is very hard to do. If you can tell you're
not getting it, back down to both skis and try again on a new
turn. It's not worth a fall. After a while you'll be able to hold that
pinky edge longer and longer.

A beginner doesn't even want to fool with this because they must
first learn to be able to weight the outside ski fully. Once they can
do that and know how it feels, it's sometimes useful to be able to
feel how well you can use both skis, by trying to ski on only the
inside ski each way.

Do you think you're this far advanced, to be ready to try the
above drill?

I could certainly try it on a gentle slope. I don't see why I could
accomplish it. I'll report back.

Martha

foot2foot wrote:

"MH" wrote in message

"foot2foot" wrote in message
...

Keep effective body position at all times, especially
keep your hands out in front of you.

Do that now

Good, that's good....

Start a turn, halfway through the turn, pick up the tail of
the inside ski, leaving the tip on the snow.

Ahh...got it!

This is good.....

[major snip]

I'm learning a lot from this thread, knowledge that I plan to put to use
next ski trip. Thanks Foot!

Lisa

"Lisa Horton" wrote in message
...


foot2foot wrote:

"MH" wrote in message

"foot2foot" wrote in message
...

Keep effective body position at all times, especially
keep your hands out in front of you.

Do that now

Good, that's good....

Start a turn, halfway through the turn, pick up the tail of
the inside ski, leaving the tip on the snow.

Ahh...got it!

This is good.....

[major snip]

I'm learning a lot from this thread, knowledge that I plan to put to use
next ski trip. Thanks Foot!

Lisa

Thank you both for your responses and complements. The
mechanics of skiing are few and oh so simple. If a skier can
understand them, and put each to use even just a little at first,
they can ultimately do anything they want on skis.

foot2foot wrote:

"Lisa Horton" wrote in message
...


foot2foot wrote:

"MH" wrote in message

"foot2foot" wrote in message
...

Keep effective body position at all times, especially
keep your hands out in front of you.

Do that now

Good, that's good....

Start a turn, halfway through the turn, pick up the tail of
the inside ski, leaving the tip on the snow.

Ahh...got it!

This is good.....

[major snip]

I'm learning a lot from this thread, knowledge that I plan to put to use
next ski trip. Thanks Foot!

Lisa

Thank you both for your responses and complements. The
mechanics of skiing are few and oh so simple. If a skier can
understand them, and put each to use even just a little at first,
they can ultimately do anything they want on skis.

Alas, my workload precludes me putting the knowledge to use at this
time. Expect more questions after the season of stress is over

I will say though, that since you expressed it, your suggestions about
arm position have been a BIG help in keeping me in a good position for
control. In fact, if I feel like I'm in less control than I should be,
I usually find that I am not seeing my hands in my peripheral vision.

Next trip, I'm going to try the picking up of the tail of the inside ski
thing. For some reason, my skis seem to want to be in a not quite
parallel position, instead being in a very very slight wedge, like being
pigeontoed, which I'm not.

Lisa

"Lisa Horton" wrote in message
...


foot2foot wrote:

"Lisa Horton" wrote in message
...


foot2foot wrote:

"MH" wrote in message

"foot2foot" wrote in message
...

Keep effective body position at all times, especially
keep your hands out in front of you.

Do that now

Good, that's good....

Start a turn, halfway through the turn, pick up the tail of
the inside ski, leaving the tip on the snow.

Ahh...got it!

This is good.....

[major snip]

I'm learning a lot from this thread, knowledge that I plan to put to
use
next ski trip. Thanks Foot!

Lisa

Thank you both for your responses and complements. The
mechanics of skiing are few and oh so simple. If a skier can
understand them, and put each to use even just a little at first,
they can ultimately do anything they want on skis.

Alas, my workload precludes me putting the knowledge to use at this
time. Expect more questions after the season of stress is over

I will say though, that since you expressed it, your suggestions about
arm position have been a BIG help in keeping me in a good position for
control. In fact, if I feel like I'm in less control than I should be,
I usually find that I am not seeing my hands in my peripheral vision.

Next trip, I'm going to try the picking up of the tail of the inside ski
thing. For some reason, my skis seem to want to be in a not quite
parallel position, instead being in a very very slight wedge, like being
pigeontoed, which I'm not.

Lisa

You might also try sliding the new inside ski ahead of the new
outside to start a turn. It's a bit more advanced, kind of the next
step above picking up the tail.

foot2foot wrote:

"Lisa Horton" wrote in message
...


foot2foot wrote:

"Lisa Horton" wrote in message
...


foot2foot wrote:

"MH" wrote in message

"foot2foot" wrote in message
...

Keep effective body position at all times, especially
keep your hands out in front of you.

Do that now

Good, that's good....

Start a turn, halfway through the turn, pick up the tail of
the inside ski, leaving the tip on the snow.

Ahh...got it!

This is good.....

[major snip]

I'm learning a lot from this thread, knowledge that I plan to put to
use
next ski trip. Thanks Foot!

Lisa

Thank you both for your responses and complements. The
mechanics of skiing are few and oh so simple. If a skier can
understand them, and put each to use even just a little at first,
they can ultimately do anything they want on skis.

Alas, my workload precludes me putting the knowledge to use at this
time. Expect more questions after the season of stress is over

I will say though, that since you expressed it, your suggestions about
arm position have been a BIG help in keeping me in a good position for
control. In fact, if I feel like I'm in less control than I should be,
I usually find that I am not seeing my hands in my peripheral vision.

Next trip, I'm going to try the picking up of the tail of the inside ski
thing. For some reason, my skis seem to want to be in a not quite
parallel position, instead being in a very very slight wedge, like being
pigeontoed, which I'm not.

Lisa

You might also try sliding the new inside ski ahead of the new
outside to start a turn. It's a bit more advanced, kind of the next
step above picking up the tail.
'
Oh... I thought that it was kind of automatic that when I leaned on the
outside or is it outside to be ski that it would move forward. It all
may seem simple to you experts, but...

Lisa