Dynamics
Skiing is about dynamics – that is “The physics of disequilibrium”. So when most adults fail to understand this how do you communicate it to a 6 year old? Easy! Start with Harry Potter and a magic, invisible wall. Benjamin says he believes in magic so we are off to a good start.
When you slide forward on skis a magic invisible wall appears on each side of your body. If you push hard to the side – with your shoulder – against one of the invisible walls then – only if you “believe” properly in the magic – you cannot fall over (something that always astonishes people!).
We begin with a static exercise where I stand beside Benjamin and present my body as a substitute for the wall so he can push against me – so he can feel how the feet, legs and body actually feel when using the magic wall.
Benjamin, while following, can watch me actively moving my body (into the turns) and see how to move against the invisible wall. It’s exactly as you would see a motorbike incline into a turn – and then being returned back upright at the end.
To get this to work properly we have to be able to skate and Benjamin was not able to skate properly to begin with so he had to learn how to do it.
Skating
The key to skating is to stop the ski fattening on the snow by holding the adductor muscles in both legs tight even as the skis are diverging. Benjamin quickly understood this and applied it.
To ski parallel and create “dynamics” both adductor muscles must be constantly contracted – even though the actual skate is not visible – it just becomes a push against the invisible magic wall.
That’s what Benjamin was doing that allowed him to ski parallel. In addition the skating action brought him off the backs of his ski boots.
Today’s photos…
