More harsh unseasonable weather today. Everyone will be glad when this storm system has passed – yet it has provided much needed snow in significant quantity. I think it’s the only substantial snowfall we have had so far in 2022.
Despite the stinging wind driven snow and whiteout we were at least able to ski (a bit) and put into practice some of the dynamics and pivot skills learned yesterday. Normally I would use video for providing feedback but once again the conditions were against us.
Feedback
Thomas: Thomas was still pushing his heels out and missing the entire first half of his turns – then just using the skis as a brake on the second half.
Molly: Molly was using the Braking Plough to control speed – instead of seeing it as a way to develop turning as a means of controlling speed.
Harry: Harry was the clearest in working with dynamics and with independent leg action. There is some rotation of whole body but we haven’t looked at this subject yet.
Helen: Helen was bent forward at the hips but with the bottom pushed back and on the backs of the ski boots – arms dragging the upper body down toward the ground.
Nick: Nick was also obviously using dynamics but making the leg extension into an upward movement of the centre of mass instead of a downward movement – and also rushing the start of each turn.
Correction
Thomas: Stand early (even before the completion of the existing turn) on the uphill edge of the uphill ski and start the leg extension into the next turn from there. This makes it impossible to push the skis outward from the turn and gives early pressure on the new outside ski – making the start of the turn functional in providing grip and control.
Molly: Molly’s main task was to be aware of using the turning for controlling speed instead of relying on the snowplough for that. This way she would avoid straight lining steeper descents in a snowplough.
Harry: Harry’s weight was clearly too far back so his task was to get further forward to feel the fronts of the skis driving the turns.
Helen: Helen’s goal was to stand upright and with an open arm carriage (as if carrying a wide tray) – thus bringing her centre of mass forward and stacking the skeleton bones up in a stronger stance.
Nick: Same as Thomas – in this case to prevent rushing of the start of the turn. Also the “up” extension had to convert into a lateral/downward(CoM) push from the support leg.
General Exercises
Everyone is making good progress despite the obstructive conditions.
Standing on balls of the feet
Pressuring the ski fronts when on the balls of the feet requires a strong extended ankle and pressure from the shins against the front of the ski boot.
Wing Suit skiing – leaning the entire body massively forward from the feet and skiing with this – so that the fronts of the skis have pressure and you can feel them driving you into the turn.
We started to look at how to complete a turn -regarding dynamics – but we’ll leave that until tomorrow along with “angulation”.
Centrifugal Force
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictitious_force
In skiing forces are not “balanced” and “centrifugal (outward) force” is a fiction. The ski turns and turns you due to an inward deflection – a centripetal (inward) force. Supporting this action is achieved by always directing the Centre of Mass inward to initiate and maintain a turn. We must avoid resisting/bracing and pushing outwards (especially the skis).
Some local photos to compensate for the absence so far of any filming…
