 Poster: A snowHead
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| jedster wrote: |
| Probably just semantics but I think if you say to someone "you look tense" you are really suggesting that some of there muscles are INAPPROPRIATELY over-tensed. |
Yes, probably semantics, although for me that's important. I see a few people who are rigid because they are very anxious, which means they can't make effective movements and even the smallest lumps and bumps in the snow can throw them around or deflect their skis. But I see more skiers who are too "relaxed" for want of a better word, not matching their physical inputs to the demands of the terrain and how they want to skirt. Urging them to be "stronger", to have more "muscle tension" to resist and work with the forces that they are generating can help them to improve.
As I said earlier, phrases like 'relaxed' or 'you look tense' seem to me to be as much about their mental state as their physical state. So if I say to somebody "try to be a bit more relaxed" I need to be carefully as to how that is interpreted.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You nailed it buddy, the old 'Kasparov tongue' as we called it. The amount of wrist and finger injuries due to over tensing, especially during heated Queen exchange type moves was driving the team physio nuts. This sorted it though.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I don't think we are talking about tensing and relaxing of individual muscles that are necessary for control of skis but all the other ones that don't need to be tensed. It's more of a mental game - think of it like public speaking , you can be relaxed and casual, strolling around, extravagent with gestures or uptight, gripping a podium. It's generally thought the former is more effective.
That's why "jazz hands" continues to be the best way of skiing tricky off piste terrain 
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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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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| That's why "jazz hands" continues to be the best way of skiing tricky off piste terrain |
I keep trying to invent a drill which makes this very point, so far without much success other than saying "be more like Dave".
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
That's why "jazz hands" continues to be the best way of skiing tricky off piste terrain
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Ah... but there again, I've never seen you off piste...
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@Hurtle, Ohh jazz hands work equally well on piste along with "very camp" as you well know.
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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.
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@Dave of the Marmottes, 
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| Quote: |
Yes, probably semantics, although for me that's important. I see a few people who are rigid because they are very anxious, which means they can't make effective movements and even the smallest lumps and bumps in the snow can throw them around or deflect their skis. But I see more skiers who are too "relaxed" for want of a better word, not matching their physical inputs to the demands of the terrain and how they want to skirt. Urging them to be "stronger", to have more "muscle tension" to resist and work with the forces that they are generating can help them to improve.
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Point taken - semantics are pretty important to an instructor!
Actually I think we may have different sorts of terrain in mind as well.
If you are trying to carve nice turns on piste then I suspect it is rare that skiers are too tense - more often improvements requires "stacking" the body more powerfully over the outside edge.
However if you are skiing steep off piste slopes with lots of features - bumps, roll-overs, trees, etc - then more muscular tension is generally not that helpful, the challenge is much more adapting, absorbing. That is really what I had in mind when I read the OP's title but I appreciate it could just mean firm pisted black runs where your emphasis would be much more appropriate than mine.
Also moguls - I don't think I've ever been TOO relaxed on a bump run, it's only by being relaxed that I can maximise ski contact and speed control. Err on the side of firmly resisting the forces and I'll be bouncing off the bumps. When that happens, I stop and give myself a talking to about relaxing and flowing!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
Relaxed but alert. If you can't sing a song while skiing you're probably too uptight.
Plus it freaks people out if they hear Livin' On a Prayer murdered comprhensively as you nip past on the edge of the piste. |
Better choice would be " Nobody does it better " With violin of course.
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