 Poster: A snowHead
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So today the on piste was more like chopped off-piste..there were lots of bumps of about 10-15cm high which were soft and fluffy. Whilst I was good at keeping my feet closer together and keepin the skis angle the same what I found difficult was keeping my weight forward - i.e. so that I could feel the front of my boot on my shins, and not the back of my boot on my calves. I found that as I hit bump after bump I kept getting thrown a little backwards and could feel the ski-tips lifting up a bit too much...a bit like the classic 4 year old kid, but they can get away with it....
thoughts / comments?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Retraction turns.
+ dryland practice
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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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bertie bassett, I'll give you the advice that several instructors have told me for the same problem: "stop doing it". You know what you are doing wrong, so just stop doing it!
Try skiing with "soft legs". Be a bit more flexed at ankles and knees better to absorb the terrain. I wouldn't try anything else, like pushing hands forward too much as that will upset your natural stance (which IIRC is pretty good to begin with).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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comprex, "retraction turns". Are they like "compression turns"? Absorb the bump?
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| comprex, "retraction turns". Are they like "compression turns"? Absorb the bump? |
Yes, called avalement turns in France.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
bertie bassett, I'll give you the advice that several instructors have told me for the same problem: "stop doing it". You know what you are doing wrong, so just stop doing it!
Try skiing with "soft legs". Be a bit more flexed at ankles and knees better to absorb the terrain. I wouldn't try anything else, like pushing hands forward too much as that will upset your natural stance (which IIRC is pretty good to begin with). |
Cheers Rob - I did try that a little but I guess I stiffen up a little as I couldn't really see the bumps..I guess I need to practice some 'relax' exercises first, and getting used to softening some more.
Tis true that knowing what you are doing wrong is the 1st step to putting it right...still I've got some more time this season to fix it, and will try and get some newgen for a week or so in the next couple of weeks if they've got space...
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| Quote: |
I guess I need to practice some 'relax' exercises first
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try a vin chaud. I think that having some heavier and stiffer skis has helped me to cope with that sort of thing, too, though I'm still struggling a bit, and certainly ending in the back seat too often. Comes of losing confidence part way through, I suspect.
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| bertie bassett wrote: |
Cheers Rob - I did try that a little but I guess I stiffen up a little as I couldn't really see the bumps..I guess I need to practice some 'relax' exercises first, and getting used to softening some more.
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Think of it as carrying a tray of champagne glasses on your head. In order to keep that level, you simply cannot 'stand tall' on top of the bump.
Oh, and get your hands up and front. Higher than that.
^^ Edit for clarification: I know rob said not to; I believe he was commenting on your overall form. That's fine: this is in a different context, it is a one-time physical cue to remind the parts of your body below your hands to go soft. The body already -knows- how to carry trays and babies, see.
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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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bertie bassett, a good exercise is to find a "nice" mogul field and traverse across the line of bumps rather than try to head down it.
As you traverse exaggerate the absorption as you run across the bump and push out on the back side. Do this slowly to start with, build speed as you get the rhythm and confidence. This will let you practice without all the speed build up and gives you a chance of correcting if you get thrown back.
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As crazy as it sounds, skiing "baby bumps" with your eyes closed really does wonders for your skiing.
Our bodies are much better at this skiing stuff than we often give them credit for and if you take away the thinking (by closing the eyes) then your body just gets on with it.
Also bear in mind that skiing any type of bumps is about managing your fore-aft balance. It's very, very hard (much harder than I can do) to ski bumps with your shins always in contact with the tongue of the boot. Try to think of it as you constantly seeking to get forwards - rather than contantly being forwards.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Alternatively, if they are soft mounds of cut-up snow rather than bumps per se you could get a stiff pair of skis, some bad-ass attitude and just blast through them as if they weren't there. It has a big grin-factor 
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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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bertie bassett, Really, it's just practice. I've found these things help in those conditions -
1 - longer, fatter skis
2 - weight forward
3 - equal weight on both feet
4 - pole plant to initiate your turn
5 - ski a bit slower
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rob@rar, I particularly liked that when I first got the Volkls - since they weigh a ton they just splat through everything instead of bouncing off.
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You know it makes sense.
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Lizzard, do you really think the skis' weight has anything to do with it?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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A single tip, IMV..
If you do nothing else in deep snow....bend the knee/ankle angle and drive it forward in a decent stance...that will bend the ski and make a turn.
It also adds stability to the body so no grabby snatches of the skis and tipping you over.
Link them and hey presto..!!!
For a power turn..you might concentrate on a hip drive...NOT rotation..to engage the turn earlier
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Poster: A snowHead
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| JT wrote: |
For a power turn..you might concentrate on a hip drive...NOT rotation..to engage the turn earlier |
Excellent point.
Hip drives like this are one of the major rewards of doing core muscle work off-season- strength and control enough to drive the ski and to help bend the boot at the ankle so that stance remains out of the back seat.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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JT, good advice from JT, and having just skied with you I think it would help a lot.
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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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| rob@rar wrote: |
| JT, good advice from JT, and having just skied with you I think it would help a lot. |
Cheers Rob &JT for those pointers...
Hmm got lured down Malgovert on Sunday - that definitely tested my bumps capabilities..
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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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bertie bassett, Have a lesson that looks at learning to ski moguls. This should get the legs moving more independantly of the body and sive you the basic tools for pointing straight down the hill and blasting through the lumpy stuff.
I did this last season and although blasting is milking it a bit, I found a massive difference in my speed and control. It also became huge fun and was a big help in poor light i.e. hitting lumps & bumps that you can't see
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rob@rar, thanx for the comment re 'soft legs' earlier, last trip i was constantly told to soften my outside leg and when i asked how no one could tell me, so your explanation above gives me something to be thinking on, thanx!!!!!
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