Mike – Hip Angulation

Mike was sent through the slalom course today to establish a base time. The video of the slalom also helps to pick out his strong points and the priority areas to be worked on.

The initial sub 40s time was a good indication that major shoulder rotation issues had been well controlled. The second run where Mike decided to attack the course showed a limit at around 37s. The most significant limiting factor was a total lack of hip angulation and all the associated consequences. This had already been evident in the off piste yesterday but it was easy to show to Mike on the slalom video – and the results are inescapable in slalom. 

Developing Hip Angulation

My strategy for working on hip angulation was partly dictated by terrain. There are several key issues to address and they can be approached in any order. 

Compression Turns

From the top of the Tovière we began work on simulated compression turns on the flat. Compression is normally the result of hitting a bump at speed – the legs are compressed with the knees frequently hitting the chest. On the flat we actively bend to a very flexed degree to simulate this compression. Good edge control makes this relatively easy and that means pivoting from the top edges of the skis with strong pole support. The timing is no different from normal turns other than the fact that the down motion is extremely exaggerated. Most people are unable to relax enough at first to get as low as is required – so this is a great exercise for getting people to become aware of the tension in their legs and for learning how to greatly extend the range of motion. The turn is completed with a full leg extension – which in the case of skiing bumps will actually be an extension into a hole instead of pushing the centre of mass upwards. 

The whole exercise is much easier if the feet are kept below the body on the mountain and the range of motion of the legs is built around a basic “seated” position. Using the pole for support – when the centre of mass starts to fall downhill it should be used to pull/swing the fronts of the skis into the turn. This pivoting action is aided by the tips and tails being in the air when actually on a bump. On a bump the pole would be planted near the apex and the skis straddling the upper shoulder. On the flat plant the pole directly down the fall-line from the heel. Make sure that the outside hip pulls backwards during the turn completion to prevent body rotation during the extension. The extension should be done with a sideslip and no velocity across the hill. Feet should be kept together to enhance the pivot – which can be done on both skis and to prevent the uphill ski catching on its inside edge too early in the turn. The “seated” position works as a reference only if the skier doesn’t turn too much across the hill – and the combination of sitting and keeping the body and knees generally facing downhill guarantees the feet always being below the skier and the pivot happening very easily. This actually requires the acceptance of a certain elevated level of speed in the bumps and an effort to keep the hands and centre of mass forward as it has a tendency to fall defensively backwards – making a continuous rhythm impossible. The compression must be linked to proactive dynamics and not become a defensive blocking or braking action. 

We didn’t really get this far – but the aim was to increase range of leg motion and the ability to relax the leg muscles enough to achieve this.

Spine and Posture

After the compression turns we looked more directly at posture and specifically the hip issues that prevent hip angulation. Traditionally the shoulders are countered to a turn and end up remaining facing downhill, along with the pelvis. There is a tension in the body midsection that leads to a “winding up” which uncoils at the start of a turn. We looked at the issue from the perspective that this “winding up” is in the wrong direction for good body mechanics and back health. Basically the pelvis should be countered to the turn but the shoulders should continue in the direction of the turn. The difference is hard to see visually, but the spine twists in the opposite direction. Starting the next turn there is not so much an uncoiling but a core muscle impetus towards pushing the outside foot forwards and pulling inwards with the adductor muscles. This also realigns the outside leg so that the foot is on its inside edge and the bone structure lined up to take the load off the quadriceps. We worked on this for a while in pivoted turns

Indoors we looked at pelvic tilt and how this is achieved by only contracting the lower abdomen – not clenching the glutes. This still permits you to shape the overall curvature of your lumbar spine independently, but it keeps all the core muscles aligned and functional – protecting the back. Mike had a tendency to fall off his outer hip joint so I got him to feel how he could stand perched over this joint so that all the force went through it properly. The upper body needs to tilt forwards from the hips until the hip flexors start to function. This oddly gives a relaxed sensation. You then stand on one leg with all the force going through the one hip – then swing the body around while on this hip. This is what hip angulation is – when looked at from different angles and with the entire body inclined with dynamics. 

Carving

We did some carving because this gives time to feel and adjust the body plus feedback is sustained and clear from the skis. Mike was able to generate more angulation than before but there was obviously work to be done because much of this is slowly acquired body awareness.

Hockey Stops

Another way to enhance the correct stance is through complete hockey stops. If the hip follows though then so will everything else and the skier will fail to stop. Hockey stops are a clear way to feel if the hip is being allowed to rotate through the turn or not.

We need to take this further though and pull the hip backwards to the extent that it generates a twist all the way up to the 12th vertebra at the bottom of the rib cage. This opens up the entire mid section and accesses the available power from muscles, tendons and ligaments. The aim should be to feel this counter rotation of the hips to the shoulders generating this feeling in the spine. This is an internal counter rotation – not something referring to the turn. The same counter rotation should be felt when walking, running or cycling – regardless of whether the leg extends in front (cycling, skiing) or behind (running, walking).

Winter Orchard

Christiane asked me to photograph the trees across the valley in Aime. She says it’s like the trees in the foreground are an audience and the apple trees spread out in the field are in a ballet – some in couples and others alone. She even suggested that one was gay – but I objected to that. I’m not having political correctness interfering with my photography. Perhaps ballet dancers are often gay but I really don’t want to start seeing gay apple trees.