Skiing Technique / Photo Critique Thread

[jack97]

Here's me at Hunter on Friday:

http://www.bvibert.com/skiing/vids/bvibert_hunter_121506.wmv

I'm pretty lame in the second half, the falling snowboarder and SOD threw me off a bit...

Need upper and lower body seperation. You're using the upper body to start or making it as part of your turns, you can almost see your shoulder and arms hooks at the upper half of the trail. Definitely see it in the lower half of the trail. Do it to much and it puts your lower body out of position for the next turn.

Also, you're banking your turns (body leaning toward the surface) versus keeping the body uprigth to counterbalance the legs due to the ski edge angle. The more banking, the less edge angle, limits the amount of range you have and the type of turns you can make.

 

[SnowRider]

my tips...

1.aim tips down slope.
2. Scan trail for possible gapers
3. Push off
4. Go Straight
5. Carve
6. Stop
7. Get on lift
8. Put bar down
9. Get off lift

And Repeat

 

[JimG.]

nice comment jim about knees AND ankles, i never thought of it that way but it makes perfect sense and is sage advice.

Ankle flex and good balancing are the usual issues for the advanced/expert skier who has reached a plateau and can't seem to move ahead. Ankles are so key in this regard and it's why I start my day in walk mode with unbuckled boots. That way, I can't fake anything. If I have lazy ankles to start the day, I don't after my first few runs.

 

[bvibert]

Need upper and lower body seperation. You're using the upper body to start or making it as part of your turns, you can almost see your shoulder and arms hooks at the upper half of the trail. Definitely see it in the lower half of the trail. Do it to much and it puts your lower body out of position for the next turn.

Also, you're banking your turns (body leaning toward the surface) versus keeping the body uprigth to counterbalance the legs due to the ski edge angle. The more banking, the less edge angle, limits the amount of range you have and the type of turns you can make.

Thanks! Does anyone have any suggestions on how to work on these issues?

Also, that video is down right now, I'm having issues with my host. I hope to have it back up soon....

 

[JimG.]

Thanks! Does anyone have any suggestions on how to work on these issues?

I always have ideas...

Pick a run you feel very comfortable on. Stand on top, look down the slope, and pick a stationary object as a visual goal. Look at that visual goal. Don't take your eyes off of it. Now ski...careful, don't stop looking at your visual target. What you are going to find is that you're going to get dizzy swiveling your head to maintain eye contact on your goal if you start rotating your upper body. The idea is to keep the upper body still and let your legs move underneath you.

To take it to a higher level, start on top of the same run, use the same target, but hold your poles at mid shaft and use them to frame your target. Now ski. Don't let your target move out of your frame.

See how that works for you.

 

[jack97]

Thanks! Does anyone have any suggestions on how to work on these issues?

Here’s some drills;

To get rid of banking. On a comfortable trail, hold in one hand the two poles near the handle and the other hand hold the poles near the basket. Think of your poles as a leveler. Hold it at cafeteria tray height, keep your elbows tuck to the side of the body. Make your turns and try to keep the poles parallel to the surface (as a leveler).

For upper body separation extend this on Jim’s idea, instead of holding the poles mid shaft in each hand, hold it the way I describe and you can use your fist to frame the target. I’ve used markings on the mid shaft of the pole as a pointer to a straight line to the target. If don’t have good markings put duct tape at mid shaft.

 

[bvibert]

Thanks guys. I was trying Jim's first suggestion last night. It seemed to be helping, but it's hard to tell. I'll try the other drills next time out, maybe tonight...

 

[JimG.]

Here’s some drills;

To get rid of banking. On a comfortable trail, hold in one hand the two poles near the handle and the other hand hold the poles near the basket. Think of your poles as a leveler. Hold it at cafeteria tray height, keep your elbows tuck to the side of the body. Make your turns and try to keep the poles parallel to the surface (as a leveler).

Another great drill...and you can build on this idea by just resting the poles on your wrists once you have mastered holding them level. To expand on the cafeteria tray image, imagine that your poles are a tray that has a few full glasses of water on it.

Don't spill!!

 

[hammer]

Another great drill...and you can build on this idea by just resting the poles on your wrists once you have mastered holding them level. To expand on the cafeteria tray image, imagine that your poles are a tray that has a few full glasses of water on it.

Don't spill!!

I had an instructor at Crotched that had us do this drill...I dropped my poles a number of times on that one...

 

[JimG.]

I had an instructor at Crotched that had us do this drill...I dropped my poles a number of times on that one...

Keep practicing...like anything, practice is important.

When I had a group that really got this stuff quickly, I would take them to the beginner area and slow everything way down. Slowing down their skiing really emphasized any technique flaws.

 

[riverc0il]

Keep practicing...like anything, practice is important.

When I had a group that really got this stuff quickly, I would take them to the beginner area and slow everything way down. Slowing down their skiing really emphasized any technique flaws.

i was about to suggest this. slowing down and making deliberate and slow turns without loosing your timing is very helpful once you think you have a drill or technique licked. then you really find out exactly how much more work you need!

 

[SIKSKIER]

I always found that the fastest way to improve is to ski/follow with a few expert skiers.It's amazing how you can pick up technique by trying to mimic a great skiers turns.It worked for me.Just don't get in over your head as far as trying to keep up high speed and tough terrain.

 

[awf170]

Have at it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucCuYWUeoII

I also tried skiing the line slower and more technical but Marc doesn't know how to use a camera.

The conditions are very small, spread out, random moguls.

Basically I'm trying to ski it as aggresively as possible with no regard towards anything else.

How can you ski small bumps and crud aggresively without getting thrown off like I do in the middle of the clip?

(I know I suck. I don't need to be reminded again.)

Also, don't tell me to slow down. That isn't fun.

 

[Greg]

How can you ski small bumps and crud aggresively without getting thrown off like I do in the middle of the clip?

Slow down.

Also, don't tell me to slow down. That isn't fun.

Okay. Nevermind.

 

[jack97]

Have at it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucCuYWUeoII

I also tried skiing the line slower and more technical but Marc doesn't know how to use a camera.

The conditions are very small, spread out, random moguls.

Basically I'm trying to ski it as aggresively as possible with no regard towards anything else.

How can you ski small bumps and crud aggresively without getting thrown off like I do in the middle of the clip?

(I know I suck. I don't need to be reminded again.)

Also, don't tell me to slow down. That isn't fun.

Look at Marc's vid, on the same trail and conditions he is in control. He is using short turns, good edge angle on the skis. Knees and ankles flexed, upper body with a little forward lean.

Your vid, knee and ankle flex is good but the upper body was slighly back, don't know if this was due to excessive speed. But as stated you can can control this speed with short turns.

 

[Grassi21]

Look at Marc's vid, on the same trail and conditions he is in control. He is using short turns, good edge angle on the skis. Knees and ankles flexed, upper body with a little forward lean.

Your vid, knee and ankle flex is good but the upper body was slighly back, don't know if this was due to excessive speed. But as stated you can can control this speed with short turns.

Marc a role-model? What's this world coming to?

 

[jack97]

Marc a role-model? What's this world coming to?

Wow I can't believe I just said that, I was over analyzing. Somebody.. put me in the observation room.

 

[JimG.]

Your vid, knee and ankle flex is good but the upper body was slighly back, don't know if this was due to excessive speed. But as stated you can can control this speed with short turns.

It's not the speed, although the speed makes it worse. It's lazy hands.

Austin, you should be able to see your hands in your lower peripheral vision at all times when you ski. Keep your hands up more, and allow your elbows to move away from your body a little. If you can't see your hands by just moving your eyes down a little and not drop your head, your hands are up to no good and your skiing will suffer.

 

[jack97]

It's not the speed, although the speed makes it worse. It's lazy hands.

Austin, you should be able to see your hands in your lower peripheral vision at all times when you ski. Keeps your hands up more, and allow your elbows to move away from your body a little. If you can't see your hands by just moving your eys down a little and not drop your head, your hands are up to no good and your skiing will suffer.

Interesting. Do you see alot lazy hands along with the upper body leaning back?

 

[JimG.]

Interesting. Do you see alot lazy hands along with the upper body leaning back?

Alot. Poor hand position is widespread, even in advanced skiers.

Some of the symptoms are upper body leaning back, poor knee/ankle flex, bending at the waist, head down, big backseat action.

I think Austin's upper body position is more a reflection of too little ankle flex but I'm having trouble picking that up in the video.