- Snowplough (Centre of Mass)
- Combining Dynamics and Snowplough
- For details on pressuring the ski fronts see… Michael Naiomi
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Initially Lisa had lost her dynamics and was on the tails of her skis -so we went right back to braking snowplough to start the “great reset” and “build back better”…
Snowplough (Centre of Mass)
The braking snowplough requires the adductors of both legs to be relaxed to open up the hip joints.
First turns are made by simply tightening the adductors in one leg only – to turn left it’s in the right leg. With narrower ploughs then the adductors of both legs should be engaged -and if there is some speed it becomes dependent on the turn shape and increased dynamics.
Weight is always maintained on whatever ski is furthest down the mountain so that it can act as an effective brake. Changes of pressure on any ski are due to geometrical effects between the skis and the slope angle – not “transfer of weight”.
Starting a turn when traversing the slope in a plough requires only a slight movement of the Centre of Mass toward the downhill ski. This ski then slowly feeds the skier into a controlled turn. When facing directly down the fall line, the body being held constantly toward the inside ski in the turn, ensures the outside ski can takeover the completion of the turn. The pressure changes on the skis are automatic – just move the Centre of Mass toward the centre of the intended turn and keep it there from start to finish.
There’s a tendency for habitual snowploughers to always push out the tail of the uphill ski to get it pointing downhill at the front. Better to push the tail of the downhill ski toward the upcoming turn centre, thus pulling the Centre of Mass that direction. This also reinforces the braking/pivoting action of that downhill ski.
Combining Dynamics and Snowplough
Dynamics is explained in terms of the mechanics of accelerations. (F=mA Newton’s 2nd Law). In skiing this means you move your centre of mass (either falling or with a push) in the direction you want to turn. You do not transfer your weight to the outside ski as is incorrectly taught in ski schools.
In the Snowplough using dynamics requires the adductors of both legs to be engaged and now the “deflection” is carried out by moving the Centre of Mass (CoM) across the skis in the direction of turning. The displacement of the CoM affects the geometry of both skis with respect to the slope (one goes flatter and the other more on edge) and that’s where the deflection comes from.
On steeper terrain the downhill ski (inside ski of the turn) takes the weight of the body and is used as a brake – pivoting slowly into the turn – until half way through the weight shifts by itself to the outside ski which is now able to take over the continued braking effect.