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#31
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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! |
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#32
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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 |
#33
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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 |
#34
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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 |
#35
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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. |
#36
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"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 |
#37
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"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 |
#38
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"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 |
#39
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"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 |
#40
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"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 |
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