Hannah getting it right! Image 4 (the close up) – Forward on the skis, Centre of Mass to the inside of the turn, angulation at the hip, skis slightly diverging, natural arm carriage. All good! Nice racing stance – strong on the outside leg throughout the turn.
Revision
We revised the braking plough first of all – bringing a bit more clarity to how it works – the key always being the placement of the centre of mass. The inside ski has to take the weight for the first half of the turn and slide sideways – then the other ski takes over – so it’s always the lower ski that has the weight and is always on an uphill/braking edge.
Stabilisers
1 – Inside leg in a plough – especially with the Centre of Mass moving in the correct direction
2 – Ski countervailing force – lifting power of the ski from dynamics – requires forward speed
3 – Pole Plant – For use only in braking fall line skiing – short/pivot turns
Both 2 and 3 are fundamental but persist up to the most advanced levels.
Centering
Unless we are proactive about training both the body and the mind then all of it is dominated completely by the unconscious.
Skiing is physically all about the Centre of Mass.
Skiing is mentally all about centering the mind.
When you have a clear and accurate understanding (with all the senses) of the basic movement patterns and forces required in skiing then you can relate this to your own feelings and visualisation. Directing the body and monitoring feedback internalises your thinking – resembling a moving meditation. This largely displaces fear and anxiety as well as potential errors.
If your thoughts are on keeping up with a friend, wondering where Johnny is or if you are headed for the right restaurant etc – then it soon gets boring. Dealing directly with anxiety also requires a clear and honest dialogue with yourself regarding the reality of risk – which is actually very low in skiing. You can overcome the “fight or flight” response if the situation is inappropriate just by rationalising the situation openly with yourself. Both anxiety and physical actions are re-programmed when we are attentive – and the unconscious quickly adopts this new level.