Today’s goal was to get Mia’s confidence back. Immediately it was clear to me that the issues Mia was having with skiing were not psychological – despite appearing to be psychological to Mia. When questioned over her “technique” there was the typical vagueness that is often the result of classic, orthodox ski instruction. Mia showed herself not to be paralysed with nerves but to be engaged in a physical struggle directly and primarily caused by the instruction. Not everyone is affected this way – but everyone taught this way ends up with a learning plateau eventually – and usually permanently – because they always blame their selves.
Mia coped very well with an introduction to Dynamics. The “Dynamics” link at the top of his blog page leads to an explanation of Dynamics and an account of the exercises we used to train with on the mountain. The only addition to that account is the use of an extension of the leg providing the thrust/impulse for the motion of the centre of mass – and maintaining this extension through the whole turn. I used to consider this only for racing – but recently recognised that it’s better to use it at all levels of skiing. The photograph below of Alex shows how the leg extension aims to project the centre of mass down and into the turn – not to extend the body up into the air. Each turn resembles a motorbike going down into a turn and then back up out of the turn.
Mia was also introduced to the “Pivot” (Also linked in the menu at the top of this page) as an entry into letting the turning ski initiate the turn from its uphill edge and a narrower stance. Ironically this makes turn transitions easier in general than by using a wide stance and using the inside edge of the new turning ski.
Mia was steady and secure with her dynamics and moving her centre of mass to the inside of the turns – gaining good contact and control from start to finish of each turn with the outside ski. Tomorrow we will start to have a look at adding some some hip angulation – in a safe manner – well demonstrated by Alex in the photograph above in a racing situation.