- Leg Retraction
- Anticipation (Short Swings or Short Turns with Strong Pole Planting)
- Dynamics (Turn Exit)
Trying to get Derin to use an aggressive pole plant – which is made by the whole body moving out over the downhill ski (weight on the ski pole) in early anticipation of the next turn. The outcome (video above) is that the pole plant is weak and there is a lot of body rotation (preventing the motion of the centre of mass). We have some work to do in this department before venturing off piste! Prior to this Derin had successfully worked on leg retraction – but what we need to see here is the body starting to come out of the turn even before the leg retraction – hence needing the pole plant down the hill for support. There are some modules posted below that may be able to help visualise.
Leg Retraction
“Leg retraction” – the extended downhill leg at the end of a turn is retracted to allow the body to cross over the skis into the next turn the fastest way possible – then the new outside leg extends (independent leg action). The video below shows a top World Cup racer using this movement pattern. It’s easier to learn this pattern first and apply it to “normal” skiing before learning how to retract both legs simultaneously with the feet together to absorb bumps.
Dynamics 5 (Turn Exit)
Where exactly is the end of the turn? Most people automatically assume that it’s when they are vertical and moving across the hill. For “dynamic” skiing that is not correct. The skier has still not completed the turn. The turn is only over when the skier is crossing the hill with the skis flat and the body momentarily perpendicular to the hill. This can naturally only be sustained very briefly and is part of a dynamic process. The turn completion is every bit as important as the turn initiation.
Very tight pivots also require the upper body coming over the lower ski early but in this case using an aggressive and supportive pole plant.
Short Swings / Jump Turns / Swing Weight
If a jump is made while solidly planting the ski pole then there is zero resistance on the skis so they can literally pivot in mid air – swinging the ski fronts into a turn. Coordination for this is tricky initially and usually work has to be done even on jumping correctly. Most people retract their heels when jumping but they should fully extend their leg in mid air to raise the centre of mass and then flex on landing to absorb the impact smoothly. The soft landing helps to generate a smooth pivot. It’s only necessary to swing the skis a few degrees in the air and then land on the uphill edges to continue a smooth pivot. The pressure cycle and dynamics of coming down into the turn from landing also help to drive the pivot once it has been initiated. When turns like this are linked with a rebounding effect and fluent rhythm they are called short swings. Most people at the start are unable to keep their body from rotating or pushing out the heels/ski tails so they are often unable to use their ski poles properly and unable to keep a good rhythm or accurate coordination.
Hanger Turns
While leg retraction is the fastest way to get the body across the skis from one turn to the next sometimes instead it is necessary or preferable to direct the body across the hill – where using the downhill ski to complete the turn then becomes desirable.
Visualize a motorbike going into a turn and coming down low to the ground then back up out of the turn to complete it. Then visualize doing all of that on the outside ski of a single turn on skis – letting the ski lift the body up and out of the turn and finishing going across the slope with the skis now flat on the surface. Sometimes the entire turn transition into the next turn can also be carried out on this downhill ski – this being named a “Hanger Turn”. Basically this entails a complete commitment of the centre of mass directed laterally to the skis and downhill.