Previously my short radius turns have been a mix of rotation and pressuring the outside ski. I don't think there is anything wrong with that (is there?) but I've been trying different approaches in the hope of giving myself more options.
What I've sort of stumbled into is trying a type of turn that uses a lot of 'foot tipping', I think what I'm doing is something similar to the video below.
My concern is that, catching site of my reflection in the windows at the bottom of the snow slope, a lot of my angulation / lateral separation seemed to be happening at the knees, rather than at the hip. It felt like this was particularly the case when I was doing short radius turns at slow speed. I also felt that I had a significant amount of weight on my inside ski while doing these 'foot tipping' turns.
Am I just progressing down a sort of developmental dead end, or is this type of turn worth persevering with?
I've booked a lesson for next month, but in the mean time, does anybody have any useful thoughts on 'foot tipping'?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
First, I will qualify my remarks by saying that I'm not an instructor.
- I think it is helpful thinking about starting the turn with tipping the feet....it gets you skiing from the feet up.
- When carving short turns, it is vital to get the front of the ski "biting" at the top of the turn - I find pulling the feet back at this point very useful.
- It's also essential to use skis with a radius of 11-13m.
- Short turns are "Cross Under" turns (opposite of Cross Over turns, where "you" cross over the skis). It takes a lot of nerve letting the skis carve further and further away (to the side) from a stable upper body....it's the shovel of the ski biting, that brings them back again.
- If you are able to get the skis carving way out to the side, the body shape should take care of itself.
- Remove any up and down movement....imagine skiing under a low ceiling. Watch this video of Darren Turner, especially as he turns by retracting and extending his legs over the rollers (and how little up and down movement he does)
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Fri 28-04-17 22:54; edited 1 time in total
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@Oceanic, foot tipping is often underrated IMHO, possibly because it is not immediately obvious when watching a skilled skier. See what your instructor says but a simple suggestion is that stretching the outside leg can move angulation up to the hip, or above.
Another foot tipping video I like: (edit: skip to 2:49 to get straight to the point)
@balernoStu, these series of video's are very useful for high end dynamic skiing. Complete explanations and very clear diagrams. Subtitles available in english at cog button.
Thanks for posting...
ps - trying never to have my feet as wide as (snowhead favourite ) Darren Turner ever again.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Is this a bit like the Harold Harb thing?
Ive been working on it as it helps get the inside ski working and being less reliant on the outside ski
Is this a bit like the Harold Harb thing?
Ive been working on it as it helps get the inside ski working and being less reliant on the outside ski
Yes I think it is. IMO. HH has some very good ideas....it's just he is a bit "one technique fits all", for my liking.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Ok , well i feel it helped me lead with the inside ski more and let it initiate the turn.
Coupled with the advice you gave me
In fact i would say that it makes more sense to explain this to a beginner , i dont think im alone in trying to unlearn what i was taught at the very beginning.
Easier to get going as a beginner but then stuck and all this hassle trying to unlearn it all
After all it is free
After all it is free
Oceanic wrote:
My concern is that, catching site of my reflection in the windows at the bottom of the snow slope, a lot of my angulation / lateral separation seemed to be happening at the knees, rather than at the hip. It felt like this was particularly the case when I was doing short radius turns at slow speed. I also felt that I had a significant amount of weight on my inside ski while doing these 'foot tipping' turns.
If you are working at slow speed then the amount of hip angulation you can build in will be limited as there won;t be the forces to work against to allow this and stay balanced. Hence more natural to tilt 'from the knees' as this allows you to stay balanced more easily at slower speeds...
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
hawkwind wrote:
Ok , well i feel it helped me lead with the inside ski more and let it initiate the turn.
Coupled with the advice you gave me
In fact i would say that it makes more sense to explain this to a beginner , i dont think im alone in trying to unlearn what i was taught at the very beginning.
Easier to get going as a beginner but then stuck and all this hassle trying to unlearn it all
I think that if used appropriately and cherry picked, certain HH techniques can greatly help...it's just that imo they should be incorporated as part of an overall system (I like BASI). IMO. Anything that gets the uphill foot working parallel to the d/hill foot and achieve early weight transfer, is a very good thing.