 Poster: A snowHead
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I really dislike discussing technique on a forum because there can be so much missunderstanding but if I have learnt anything it is that there is no one size fits all conditions technique. The skills for skiing zipperline bumps are very different to those required for gs type turns for example.
On piste you can put weight on the new outside ski very early in the turn because there is a solid platform of support under the ski. This isn't always the case in off piste conditions. (here fatter skis will give you an advantage given the larger surface area of the ski offering a better platform. This is why they are more forgiving than most other skis in powder).
Pressure control is really important because there is no point putting weight on a ski if there is no platform to support it. You need to know when to apply pressure, where to apply pressure, how much to apply and what is going to happen when you do. All these factors change depending upon the terrain and the specific turn you want to achieve. It sounds like a lot to think about but you learn this from experience and active practice( as opposed to passive skiing where you are not really conciously trying to achieve something). Eventually it becomes second nature but skiing is not an exact science.
To answer the opening post, if you watch a footballer or rugby player side step(to change direction suddenly) they will step off their outside foot. Biomechanically we are more balanced on our outside leg when changing direction.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| uktrailmonster wrote: |
Sack the Juggler, Don't forget the dynamic loading from lateral acceleration generated in a turn. It's not just a static balance issue. Lateral acceleration i.e. cornering, increases the dynamic load on the outside ski. I actually quite like that feeling as you power through a turn and the dynamic load builds up on the outside ski.
I'd also question when people talk about having roughly equal weight on both skis. A perceived 50/50 distribution could easily be 80/20 in reality. Also in deep powder you are likely to turn less aggressively than on piste, which naturally reduces lateral weight transfer. I doubt in reality that people really ski with 50/50 weight distribution in any conditions other than straightlining or extremely gentle pivoted turns. |
This is similar to my experience. I always 'change feet' so I am balanced on the outside ski but weight distribution depends on the speed and radius of the turn. So that's between 50-50 and 51-49 for anyone who has ever seen me ski  .
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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?
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Elston, I actually entirely disagree with that idea - it's all just skiing. You react to forces and balance on a platform, and take your centre of mass where you want it to go. Powder, bumps, groomers, race courses - the goal is the same, all that changes is the variables of things you need to compensate for and deal with. The big change that people find hard to adapt to is resistance from 3d snow, and the idea of anticipating and dealing with it. GS turns and bumps might feel different, but the mechanics are similar, just the timing changes - in a GS turn you build a lot of pressure as the ski arcs, and have to deal with it somewhere - in bumps the pressure is given to you as you have to deal with a physical object in the way - zipperline gives a lot less time between these pressure buildups and releases, but it's still the same fundamentals. Trying to have a different skiing style for every condition seems as bad an idea as having a pair of skis for every occasion.
With regards to a narrower stance in powder, it depends on the skier. If they're timid or slower, a narrower platform is a good idea because it allows pivoted up unweighted turns more easily - but it's not really somewhere you can get a big win in terms of improvement. I can't say I ever consciously feel like I need to narrow my stance, and it's counterintuitive to skiing with more performance (as it makes separation harder and blocks movement compared to a wider stance that's more biomechanically free to react in balance)
The idea of "applying pressure" doesn't seem to fit well with reality either - pressure is generated by how you move against forces you generate. You can't make yourself weigh more, mass is still the same, but if you edge your ski enough and balance on it, your mass will force the ski to bend and create pressure you can work with. Yes, managing it is key to any performance skiing, but understanding what you're doing to allow it to build and then what you're going to do with it is where we need to focus. The root of this is balancing on your platform to manipulate and deal with the forces in the way you want - which brings me back to balancing to the outside.
(sorry if this sounds a little condescending or anything, i'm exhausted and it's pretty much stream of conciousness - I might clean it up later)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| DaveC wrote: |
| The idea of "applying pressure" doesn't seem to fit well with reality either - pressure is generated by how you move against forces you generate. You can't make yourself weigh more, mass is still the same, but if you edge your ski enough and balance on it, your mass will force the ski to bend and create pressure you can work with. Yes, managing it is key to any performance skiing, but understanding what you're doing to allow it to build and then what you're going to do with it is where we need to focus. The root of this is balancing on your platform to manipulate and deal with the forces in the way you want - which brings me back to balancing to the outside. |
Doesn't he mean applying pressure to different parts of the ski? For example someone skiing in the backseat will still be skiing in balance but will mostly not be engaging the front of the skis. You can think about it in terms of center of mass position as well but its describing the same thing from a slightly different perspective. One describing the intention the other describing the action taken (often unconsciously) to achieve that intention.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 2-05-12 11:54; edited 1 time in total
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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meh, You can apply pressure to the whole ski, just extend your leg.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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rjs, err yes, I'm talking about how that pressure is distributed across the whole ski.
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meh Yeah, you're right - I do think there's a difference though, it just brings the focus back onto skills you physically control rather than trying to get people to achieve outcomes, instead of improving the mechanics that allow it.
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