been skiing for about 10 years-ish (10 week intermediate) and thought I was well past the snow plough but looking at a video I made last trip I can clearly see a snow plough going on there. I don't know if it's all bad technique or some portion of tired legs / unfitness. Either way, next trip I'll try and be more aware of this and try and improve my technique, any tips appreciated
@The_Mac_Daddy, a bit difficult to tell what's going on when all that can be seen is the tips of your skis! Have you got some video of yourself which someone else has taken?
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?
So try and get more weight forward by using pole plants
Hmm. Interesting to see what other views there are on that - it's perfectly possible to shift the weight without poles. Maybe ski without them a bit?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
The_Mac_Daddy wrote:
..Will this help with my tendancy to snow plough?
Might do. It'll help with weight transfer. You'll have to feel for the front of your skis gripping in the turn.
BTW: I'm not a pro. It seems they're all too busy skiing to give tips (or they're hiding from their Overlords )
Pam W I really enjoy skiing without poles, but I feel completely naked and insecure without them.
After all it is free
After all it is free
It's a myth that your skis necessarily have to be parallel all the time. Even world cup skiers use a stem on some turns.
To be honest, I don't see much of a snowplough in either video and I wouldn't focus on that issue. What I do see is rather long radius turns which don't have much edge angle and are not finished. that could be
a) because you were tired.
b) because you were skiing a flattish and narrow cat track
c) weaknesses in your technique
d) all of the above
A question which might shed light on the matter is what happens when you tackle steeper terrain?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Quote:
I really enjoy skiing without poles, but I feel completely naked and insecure without them.
you enjoy feeling naked and insecure @ALQ?
Ski instructors often, and pisteurs practically always, IME, ski without poles. I think it's a useful discipline. I have done some snowblading and some snowboarding, so am not too dependent on poles, and I sometimes ski with kids, too, when you need both hands free. Actually, snowblades are helpful for somebody who needs to get weight forwards - because they have no backs to speak of you will fall over if you sit back.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@The_Mac_Daddy, I can't see any obvious stem/plough as you start the your turns. The first few turns of the 2nd clip were a bit rushed, so your line down the hill was a bit 'Z' shaped rather than rounded, linked turns. I think the same might be seen in the 1st clip, but difficult to see from that angle. On the gentle terrain you were skiing in those clips it's not an issue, but on steeper terrain it might become a more obvious weakness.
You're a a bit back on your heels in the 2nd clip. Making a more definite move at the beginning of the turn and changing your turn shape so you do more rounded, linked turns, and being a bit more dynamic with your movements through the turn might help with your fore/aft balance.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
rob@rar wrote:
@The_Mac_Daddy, I can't see any obvious stem/plough as you start the your turns. The first few turns of the 2nd clip were a bit rushed, so your line down the hill was a bit 'Z' shaped rather than rounded, linked turns. I think the same might be seen in the 1st clip, but difficult to see from that angle. On the gentle terrain you were skiing in those clips it's not an issue, but on steeper terrain it might become a more obvious weakness.
You're a a bit back on your heels in the 2nd clip. Making a more definite move at the beginning of the turn and changing your turn shape so you do more rounded, linked turns, and being a bit more dynamic with your movements through the turn might help with your fore/aft balance.
Exactly. When I said the turns were not finished I meant the tendancy at the end of the turn to be travelling in a straight line for a long time, which obviously gives a zig-zag pattern. And that is happening because of insufficient edge angle. When the pressure in the turn builds up there is a tendancy to just go with gravity instead of keeping the turn going. On steeper terrain that is likely to mean a lack of speed control.
Exercises:
A) experiment with a wider stance
B) vary your turn size. For example three long radius turns then three short radius turns. Repeat 8ver and over.
C) vary your turn shape. Start with straightish turns down the fall line and then make them rounder and rounder until you are pointing slightly uphill at the end of the turn. Then gradually do straighter turns until you are doing a schuss. Feel how your speed changes.
M
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
pam w wrote:
..you enjoy feeling naked and insecure @ALQ?
Doesn't everyone
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
ahh interesting (nail on the head perhaps), I do struggle with speed control on the steeper slopes, I can control my speed on the steeper stuff but it's not smooth and the turns are less linked more a case of putting in harsher turns (almost hockey stops) when the speed has built up too much. I guess the real solution is to get a private lesson to practice on the steeps i generally avoid them as I feel more comfortable on blues and reds where i don't have to worry about speed control too much. It's been a long time since i took lessons so have got into some bad habits but find it hard to justify lessons to improve technique when i only ski 1 week per year. Don't get me wrong, my lack of technique / ability doesn't affect my level of enjoyment but I would one day like to improve a little. Guess I'm stuck in the lower/intermediate plateau.
Thanks for your tips, i'll keep it in mind. I'll also try and sort out a private lesson next trip if i have time.
Thanks guys
Al
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@The_Mac_Daddy, Hi Ya
This may be a bigger lesson for me than you, but FWIW here's my twopenneth..
I would pay heed to the advice already offered above to experiment with turn shape in order to improve your posture and control.
Having a private lesson is always a good idea IMHO especially if it's been a while.
To my eye it looks as if your skis are running away from you a little as you a turn into the fall line, this will put you in the backseat and allow the speed to increase as you mentioned, it may be related to a tendency to bank into the turn (especially when turning left).
I would try attempting to keep your feet directly underneath you all the way through the turn. Consciously pull your feet back under you as the turn progresses, maintaining ankle flex & keep your chin over the front binding of your outside ski.
Opening up the turn shape, travelling further around the arc of the turn will extend the duration of time for you to adjust to the changing forces and feel the difference.
Hope this helps
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Try to drive the outside ski with your hips - it looks like it’s rather passive in the turn (I’m no expert so will happily burry my head if I'm wrong!)
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Thanks guys
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Think of your skis like a pickup truck carrying a 1 ton block of concrete, if the weight is on the tailgate, there will be no weight on the front wheels and it will want to go straight on in the corners. Bring the weight forward just behind the cab and the truck is much easier to turn. I was told many times to get my weight forward but things got better when |I was told WHY to get the weight forward, it's a leap of faith, doing what your mind is saying not to do!.
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?
The thing that stands out a lot in your short video is your hand position down by your hips; it isn't very dynamic. Your hands should be somewhere around chest-shoulder height in front of you and in your peripheral vision. It'll feel odd at first but check out some pics or videos of good skiers, or just watch them from the chairlifts. It's a fairly easy bit of tekkers to master; however, if you wanted to do a specific drill, then holding both poles horizontally together in front of you should help.
@ben76 what advantage will his hands at chest/shoulder height give him? I think that is way too high and not the main thing to concentrate on, focus on what your skis are doing.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@kitenski, Balance - fore/aft as well as lateral. And having a wide(ish) stance also helps upper/lower body separation by causing you to need greater momentum to help turn your upper body. I could explain the physics behind this but the following vid (about spins in ice skating) does a much better job!
@ben76, yeh I get that but poles at shoulder/chest height is WAY to high IMHO and not the most important think for Al to concentrate on.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@kitenski, Above chest height may be a bit extreme, but watch any decent skier linking turns down the mountain, and you won't see any skiing with their hands by their hips like in the OP's video. An nice pic to demonstrate this in the following link:
http://www.esacademy.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/3-1.jpg
After all it is free
After all it is free
@ben76, cheers - I am being pedantic, but still think Al needs to work on getting his weight more central and more rounded turns to control speed rather than his hands.
Here's a nice vid of some performance short skiing and some longer turns...see how the skis finish the turn and make rounded turns, not Zy ones... look at the skis Al and then compare to what yours are doing.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
)
