I like to flex my ankles and rest a fair proportion of my weight on the front of the boots when skiing on piste because I like the feeling of control it gives.
Is there a downside to this and are there any benefits to skiing with less ankle flex?
I weigh 75kg and am about 175cm tall. I tend to prefer to ski smoothly rather than aggressively. I my current boots have a flex of about 110.
I'll ask the next instructor I ski with but that's a while off so I thought I'd ask here.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Speaking as someone who isn't an Instructor, there could be a "problem" (of a more advanced nature).
"Resting" your knees on the front of your boots will likely have your weight on the balls of your feet. The result will be to pressure the front of the skis, but leave the backs of the skis light.
This is not a problem at the start of the turn - in fact it's advisable/helpful, as it gets the tips to "bite" which pulls you into the turn....but....as you get towards the end of the turn, it can leave the tails a bit light, which can see them "washing out".
Ideally, your weight should travel along your feet as the turn progresses. Depending on your level, these videos may help:
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 24-05-23 18:58; edited 2 times 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?
Thanks makes sense thanks, in the past I have tended to avoid the tails biting because of the feeling of being back seat. I'll have a go at trying to vary my balance to improve the end of my turns.
Thanks makes sense thanks, in the past I have tended to avoid the tails biting because of the feeling of being back seat. I'll have a go at trying to vary my balance to improve the end of my turns.
As always - it's best done via an Instructor.
What I will say, is that it is much quicker and more effective to move your feet back and forth, by sucking them back or letting them slide forwards, than moving the whole body back and forth - explained here (as it applies to moguls, but it's the same thing):
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Henwc wrote:
Thanks makes sense thanks, in the past I have tended to avoid the tails biting because of the feeling of being back seat. I'll have a go at trying to vary my balance to improve the end of my turns.
I spent some time training this year, and in particular in my short turns, I now feel as though I have pressure going through my heel at the end of the turn. Shins pressing the tongue of the boot at the start of the turn, then feeling my heel at the end.
You might feel like you get pinged out the turn through the forces if you over do it, but it's a case of experimenting and playing with it to perfect it.
Most people don't flex their ankles anywhere near enough. It's a curse.
Don't worry about it. You can always weight back a bit if you have to but you're starting in a good place.
If you are flattening your boots at any point, they're too soft, otherwise they are fine for you.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Klamm Franzer wrote:
Most people don't flex their ankles anywhere near enough. It's a curse.
Agree with that so much. You can see it from the chair lifts all the time
After all it is free
After all it is free
That Tom Gellie guy is a bit good, I had to watch his video a few times to understand exactly what he is trying to get over.
I can't get much flexion out of my left ankle so I have to bluff it quite a lot.
I've been particularly working last season on feeling my foot action, not so much fore and aft but rolling around the whole souls of my feet.
i.e. Little Toe across to Big Toe and back via the Arch (I do this at every occasion when I should be standing still)
This is instead of cranking my knees over, which was my focus in previous seasons.
I dont know if it is improving my skiing, but I feel that I'm steering my feet around more rather than just balancing on them.
If any of that makes sense? I find it hard to put into words.
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.
Thanks all, the main thing I'll take away from this is that when I feel the tails gripping more than the tips at the end of my short turns it's a good thing, tbh I tend to fight against it so if I stop fighting it should come in without too much effort
Also should I be varying my fore-aft balance during long carved turns? I assume the answer is a bit but not that much
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
DrLawn wrote:
That Tom Gellie guy is a bit good, I had to watch his video a few times to understand exactly what he is trying to get over.
I can't get much flexion out of my left ankle so I have to bluff it quite a lot.
I've been particularly working last season on feeling my foot action, not so much fore and aft but rolling around the whole souls of my feet.
i.e. Little Toe across to Big Toe and back via the Arch (I do this at every occasion when I should be standing still)
This is instead of cranking my knees over, which was my focus in previous seasons.
I dont know if it is improving my skiing, but I feel that I'm steering my feet around more rather than just balancing on them.
If any of that makes sense? I find it hard to put into words.
I think Deb Armstrong calls it "Stroking the Ski" - which is a good description....and also talks a lot about BTE/LTE and the benefit of steering the skis.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Henwc wrote:
Also should I be varying my fore-aft balance during long carved turns? I assume the answer is a bit but not that much
In my (unprofessional) view - a similar thing should happen in Long Turns - but it doesn't have to happen as quickly and is thus not as pronounced.
As was said above, in Short Turns, due to the fast rhythm and pressuring the tails - you can get pinged out of the turn. You have to be prepared for this and retract the skis very quickly back underneath you - or you will be left behind and thrown off balance as you enter the next turn.
It is well worth experimenting with this - preferably under the watchful eye of a Professional. A lot may depend on your speed, the steepness of the slope and how icy it is. It all begins with becoming more aware of the sensations that you feel on the soles of your feet. Where do you feel the pressure and at what part of the turn? ie. The pad under your big toe (or little toe on the u/hill ski) -> Arch -> Front of the heel. It is subtle and shouldn't be overdone.
If you get it right, you should really feel the skis working as the they were designed to do ie. initially pulling you into the turn, using their shape to "cut" a turn, while feeling very grippy and making turn to turn more effortless.
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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.
Talking of Tom Gellie, I listened to his podcast last night about binding delta angle. Tom's podcast is excellent for any one into the technical aspects of skiing.
Fascinating stuff and something I hadn't considered when swapping between skis and it can effect ankle flexion and balance. Particularly if you have small feet and hence a larger delta angle.
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
@NoMapNoCompass, I watched it recently - and it's a complete minefield. I think most people only get it right by chance - unless they do a complete alignment (which is a tiny percentage of skiers).
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Henwc wrote:
Also should I be varying my fore-aft balance during long carved turns? I assume the answer is a bit but not that much
Agree with @Old Fartbag on this, yes you should be doing it in long turns and that it's a much more gradual change from fore to aft. Again it's something you need to play around with.
If you can get some decent footage of yourself skiing, that'll really aid you, as you'll be able to see if you're engaging your tails or not.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
When I first switched from skis with full camber, full side cut and plenty of shape to the tails to ones with very straight, flat tails I found my tails were washing out crazily at the end of the turn. Much head scratching!
Essentially the amount that you can allow your weight to move over the tails at the end of the turn depends on the ski design - it's quite different between for example a true slalom ski and free ride ski built to be able pivot and drift easily.
Once you realise what's going on it is quite a fun challenge to tweak your movement to the different designs and styles of skiing.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
jedster wrote:
When I first switched from skis with full camber, full side cut and plenty of shape to the tails to ones with very straight, flat tails I found my tails were washing out crazily at the end of the turn. Much head scratching!
Essentially the amount that you can allow your weight to move over the tails at the end of the turn depends on the ski design - it's quite different between for example a true slalom ski and free ride ski built to be able pivot and drift easily.
Once you realise what's going on it is quite a fun challenge to tweak your movement to the different designs and styles of skiing.
It's a good point....and I certainly find it's a similar thing when it comes to getting the Tips to engage as effectively, on skis with a Front Rocker. Scott The Ski (unsurprisingly) behaves differently in this respect, to Dynastar SZ 12
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