Skia Sweetspot Trainer

A snowHead

Hi! Has anybody tried this/bought this? And do you have any comments/feedback? Looked quite interesting but is it just marketing hype? Would be very interested to hear from anybody that has tried this and is an intermediate skier: reds and sometimes blacks. Thanks

A snowHead

tinabf, we sell them in the store, i have only had a quick go on it myself but suffice to say it is very effective at getting you in the right place in your boots(dam difficult to do correctly), before we ordered any we spoke to the guys at BASS morzine who endorse it (i know the person i spoke to wouldn't just say it was good if they didn't think it was publicly)

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I have one, but it's only just arrived and it's too early for proper feedback.

It's effing hard though - even on the green block.

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pricey

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I think it's expensive for what it is. I can see how it would be worth it for a ski school, or a shop such as CEM's, but for personal use you could probably get a lot of the same benefit by balancing on a couple of narrow planks, making sure you put them under the right place on your boot.

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kieranm, the problem is getting them and keeping them( the narrow planks) under the right point on your boots consistantly, there is quite a lot of plastic involved in the unit, so yes i wouldn't be selling them if they were any more expensive but we have had a couple go already (only had them a few weeks so the price seems to be ok)

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Hugh Monney who was the inspiration for the device, has been advocating this balance point for years. he installed the idea in my head on my BASI course when he was the trainer. The method works in skiing for me, I've been using it for 6 years now. I've got one on the way to me, looking forward to trying it out.

After all it is free

Mmmmmm. I think I will wait for all you guys who are waiting for yours to arrive/have just got it, to tell me what you think. Is it for recreational skiers ( like me) or for racers? It is just that when I had lessons this year my teacher kept going on about my centre of balance and I am not sure I got it...And this seemed as though it might help...

Thanks for your input so far though folks. I shall watch this space...

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i have a couple sets which we will be trialling with clients

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Spyderman, I remember you trying to show me at Hemel. I found it really hard to focus on this area of my foot, I think because - as for anyone who isn't flat-footed - it's usually in mid-air and can't therefore be pressurized. Difficult to express, but for me it was like trying to balance on thin air.

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Pedantica, Well I've got a set coming, perfect for a night in, good food, vodka and a bit of balancing Laughing

Spyderman, OMG, could get HORRIBLY messy! Shocked

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

CEM, yes, I know, that's why I said 'usually'. I think my problem's psychological. Embarassed

A snowHead

who was that guru whose 'seventies videos spoke of pressing a lemon under the foot? With an all-in-one ski suit and bad hair?

A snowHead

OK, so I'm the relative beginner here and even I've got one coming - it will be interesting to see if I can get some improvement from it.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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Well my pair turned up a couple of days ago and I've been playing with them tonight. They were more substantial objects than I was expecting - the plastic is a bit stiff, but I am sure will bend to my boots with successive uses. The flat plate fits really neatly under the boot, and the blocks clip on and off with a positive action. The instruction manual is very good - it might be a good idea to get it onto a computer at some point as I think it might 'wear' if you wanted to refer to it long term, but it is a decent booklet for first usage, with good pictures and instructions.

You def. don't want to walk before you can run with the device - the green blocks are def. the ones to start on. I thought it seemed relatively easy to balance on these as I did the first crouching exercise, but I found I became really conscious that something was happening when I took them off for the part of the exercise where you stand flat on the ground again. The reaction of my legs and mind was astonishing/curious I'm not really sure what. As I stood there it was as though I was still on the blocks. The booklet says that your mind 'processes' what it has learned, I think that is what was going on - 'processing'. Back on the blocks again and repeat and the sensation starts to dimish with the repetitions, but the first time its quite astonishing. The green blocks are achievable, but having been on them I don't feel inclined to try a narrower one until I have these completely sussed. The crouching exercise also does your quads in a bit, I was amazed at how it warmed me up just doing the crouching exercise in the front room.

I'll do some more experimenting tomorrow.

Fingers crossed that I see the benefit in a couple of weeks time.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I've tried it and I've got one. It's really good!! I would definitely recommend it to everyone.

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We've been sent a couple off pairs so if any Inside Out clients want to try a pair we'll be taking them to Hemel. Not used them myself yet, but in general I think that any sustained exercises you do to develop your balance is a good thing for skiing, whether this be the sweetspot trainer, slack line, balance boards, bosu balls or whatever.

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beanie1, Anatomy wasn't ever my strong point LOL - the muscle I felt was the one that seems to run down and affect round to the front of the thigh.

rob@rar re: general balance I've also been scrubbing my teeth on one leg too! Something that I think was recommended to me by Pam W IIRC

After all it is free

Megamum, unless it's with an electric toothbrush, and with your eyes shut, it doesn't count. wink

I got to try a pair of these out at my ski club last night.

- bit fiddly to put on, even after they have been adjusted for your boot.
- they were fun and challenging to use, particularly as there was a group of us doing it at the same time, and the balance point was interesting.
- different to balancing on a wobble cushion where you can press on your toes and heels to correct imbalance; with the sweetspot trainer you can't do that, which is a plus for the sweetspot trainer.
- there were a few ways to cheat and make it easier (e.g. have one foot very slightly in front of other), or balance incorrectly (e.g. press hard with toes and push calves into back of boot) so they aren't infallible and you have to use them carefully and be disciplined to get the most out of it.
- you can't flex at the ankle and press shins into front of boot as you would when skiing (or at least I can't without immediately losing balance on the sweetspot trainer) so movement has to be mostly from knees and hips, which is not best practice when skiing. It encourages counter-balancing by pushing out your bum when flexing up and down which is something I really need to do less.

So, in general I liked using it. It was helpful, but not perfect. If I didn't have a wobble cushion already I might get one (as Rob says anything that improves balance is good). If I was a ski club or shop or ski school I'd get some as I think they'd be a useful tool. It doesn't have the convenience that a wobble cushion does (you have to get your boots on to use it) which would probably mean I'd not use it at home all that often. Having access to it at the dry slope where I ski last night was good as I could use the sweetspot trainer, then immediately ski to try and feel the same balance point. 45 pounds seems like a lot for what it is, but you'll probably get your money's worth if you compare it to an hour or two of lessons with an instructor where you're working on balance.

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Megamum: the instructions and exercises are on their website as a pdf to download if you want a computerised version.

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kieranm, I put the fiddliness down to the newness of the plastic - had the ones you tried been well used? I must admit I hadn't spotted that you couldn't easily flex the ankles and pressure the front of the boot - I'll look out for that. PDF might be a worthwhile download - esp. to take as a file on a mobile device.

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I'd be interested to hear feedback on whether it is much different from using a BOSU with your ski boots on.

Mosha Marc,

You know it makes sense.

There are some video clips on how to use it here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/SkiASweetspot?ob=0&feature=results_main

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I've never used a BOSU, but it looks similar to a wobble cushion, and I can compare that to the sweetspot trainer. With the sweetspot trainer you can't use pressure on the front and rear of your foot to correct imbalance, which you can do on a wobble cushion. Instead you have to remain balanced over the centre of your foot by adjusting the rest of your body. You can also do it with your feet a sensible distance apart, rather than close together which the cushion mandates.

A snowHead

kieranm, did you try the cusion with ski boots on? I'd have thought it was the boots that dictated that you have to use the whole of your body to balance.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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FlyingStantoni, who said anything about 'naked.' It'll look quite bizarre enough with clothes on!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I got one of these Skia Sweetspot Trainers at Slide in February and tried it out before my skiing holiday last month. I used it several times before my holiday and it certainly got easier with practice. When I was skiing, I was far more conscious of getting my balance on the "sweetspot" and I think it made quite a difference to my skiing. I was trying it out with a view to hiring them out. I hire out ski wear (based near East Grinstead) and it seems like a good idea when you come to collect your ski wear to pick up your ski trainer and then bring it back when you return your clothes at the end of your holiday. I would probably hire it out for £10-£12. Well worth it I think to improve your skiing! Comments please!

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georgina@schussaway.co.uk, good idea... a tenner may be a bit steep for a 40 odd quid item but it would be interesting to hear how you get on ... welcome to SH's snowHead

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Mosha Marc: no I've not tried the cushion with my boots on, but will. I think the difference is that with the cushion there is something under the toe/heel to press against (at least a bit), but with the sweetspot trainer there is just thin air.

After all it is free

Hi everyone,

I have purchased of these and I have to say I find it excellent. I suffer with very bad balance normally and usually the Skia Sweetspot has really helped with my confidence.

Welcome both georgina@schussaway.co.uk and Maria55.

I hate to be suspicious, but two endorsements from new posters in a day...

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Thanks FlyingStantoni, why should it be suspicious I saw this conversation and wanted to add my piece if its not welcome i can certainly leave. I can clearly see that most of the posting is being done a very small number of people so perhaps mine and georgina@schussaway.co.uk, views are not valid or welcome.

Help!!

Skia Sweetspot Trainer

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