 Poster: A snowHead
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I've recently become aware that I am not standing up enough and this is causing me to get knocked into the backseat on bumping slopes even though my shins are pressing the front of my boots. I've been told that it looks like I am sitting in a chair and is the reason why I am not as light on my feet as I should be. I try to stand up, but then revert back to a crouching (probably not the best description) position.
Does anyone have any suggestion on how I can stop myself getting into this position?
I never used to have this problem, but it has started to appear over the last few months and and now it has started to affect my skiing.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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On the Snoworks course I did recently they gave great emphasis to bending at the ankles as well as the knees. If you bend at the knees only you will get into the armchair position to put it politely.
I was also in Snow and Rock today and browsed one of the Warren Miller instruction guides. He was emphasising the same thing. He also says that if you emphasise bending at the ankles you will also bend at the knees automatically but the difference is that your weight will be centred further forward. The Warren Miller books are pocket sized and I spotted that item I think in his more advanced book talking about steep terrain.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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easiski, Thanks for the link. I practice skiing along the traverse on one ski, but when I ski 'normally' I seem to revert to the squating position even though my shins are on the front of my boots and shoulders are over the toes. Unfortunately, I seem to bend to much from the knees (and don't stand up) and stick my bum out, which is causing my problems. I know I need to stand up when skiing "normally", but I keep reverting to this squat position. I was once told "imagine you had a 10 pound note between you bum cheeks and try not to lose it." I'll give this a go next time I am on the slopes. Hopefully this will make me project my hips forward.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I don't think I sit back too much (although willing to be told otherwise!) but my 'neutral' stance is quite low and flexed. An exercise suggested to was to ski without poles and cross my hands behind my back. This did seem to help, so although I was still flexed forward at ankles and knees I was able to feel the difference in terms of a stronger leg as I carved fast, open radius turns. Perhaps it might be worth adding to your list of things to try?
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David,,, as you indicate this was not a problem before, but seems to have cropped up all of a sudden, a question comes to mind. Any change in boots? Too much forward lean can cause this problem. Too much forward lean causes the body to be pitched too far forward if a skier tries to stand tall, so they compensate by flexing at the knee, which drops the hips back.
Same deal could happen with a new ski/binding setup if the new setup has more ramp angle (heel higher than the toe).
If not an equipment issue, the drill rob@rar suggests is a good one. I'd also suggest getting down on to easy groomers to do drills and reestablish a good hips above feet stance. Get it embedded on easy terrain, then progressively move back up to more challenging terrain, bringing the new and improved stance with you.
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davidb, During my 7th week of skiing everything suddenly seemed to click into place. Just a personal insight - but I had been doing up my boots way to tightly, had been relying on ankle support instead of being balanced. The previous trip I had easyski giving me some drills as outlined above, and this one I just suddenly started keeping my thighs upright. Amazing, no thigh burn and no numb feet. I know I have a long way to go to refine my stance but the fact is that concentrating on keeping your thighs straight seems to work a treat.
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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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Agree with Scarpa 100%. Had a week of lessons with easiski, lifting tips, then hopping the heels, and one ski lifting on traverse and turns. ... Really helped me lose my "cacking my pants" or "sitting on the shi*ter" appearance with knees bent and body hunched. The exercises really get you feeling the safety and control of standing and flexing at the ankles. 
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richjp, that would be Warren Smith. Warren Miller is a 70 something American who insists on ruining his ski films by talking cobblers all through the action. I've skied so often with Warren (Smith) yelling at me to flex into my boots that I now sleep with my ankles perfectly flexed
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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BGA,
Whoops! Thank you, you are correct of course.
Sounds as though you have got the message about ankle flex.
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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.
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| davidb wrote: |
| I've recently become aware that I am not standing up enough and this is causing me to get knocked into the backseat on bumping slopes even though my shins are pressing the front of my boots. |
please listen carefully. the answer is very, very simple.
the causal basis is the VERY FACT that someone has told you to push your shins into the front of the boots.
i realize this will be heresy to many and in our parlance will ignite a "shitstorm"
stand up from a chair a observe the direction your tibia move.
drive your knees into anything and what happens to that energy. is it absorbed or does it come back to bite you in the proverbial ass. our friend from across the pond....sir issac described it as his third law.
please........see a full cert (level III) ski instructor in utah.
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