 Poster: A snowHead
|
Disclaimer - working entirely from memory.
Lesson - 2 hour Private.
Student - Child age 4.
Level - Beginner/Never-ever.
Terrain - Children's beginner area ("back-yard"), almost flat terrain, serviced by "magic carpet" lifts and a pony tow. There are 2 carpets laid out across the fall line - one at the top of the "magic carpet" and one at the bottom.
Greet parents, get down on knees to greet child. Check child's boots - are they on the right feet, and do up buckles. Say good-bye to parents (who can watch from a discreet distance) and walk over to the back-yard holding child's hand and skis.
Dry land work - lift one foot, lift the other foot, jump, turn around. Toes in, toes out, toes straight. Toes in with heels out - "that's pizza - do you like eating pizza?! We use pizza to slow and stop". Feet straight and jump. Feet straight but not touching - "that's french fries - but not curly fries. French fries makes us go fast". Show me pizza. Show me french fries. Pizza, french fries, pizza, french fries (hands are often mirroring foot movement).
"Okay, lets put a ski on!" Toe in first push down and forward with heel - click. One ski - scootering, push and slide, pizza, french fries. Switch to other foot and repeat.
2 skis on - hold hands and just stand. "can you jump?". Practice pizza and french fries (p and ff) statically. Walk around - may need to hold hands.
Moving - instructor tows child up hill about 2 yards (may put own skis on at this point), positions child facing down, "do your pizza" and lets go! Child usually skis into the carpet at the bottom and falls over. Repeat until child does pizza - usually on 3rd or 4th try. Then encourage bigger pizza until child manages a stop "well done". Move slightly further up hill repeating until child can ski from the top carpet to the bottom carpet and stop before hitting the bottom carpet. Instructor spends a lot of time walking up and down the slope.
Using the magic carpet (instructor with skis off) - walk on to the bottom carpet and shuffle around in the line. When it is your turn shuffle forward until the magic carpet moves you, it is wobbly but I will help (instructor stands behind child). At the top start walking forward, and then turn using baby steps and follow the carpet (instructor scoops child up and turns).
Skiing by yourself - walk to end of top carpet, turn skis down towards instructor and shuffle forward until sliding, do pizza and stop before you hit the instructor. Instructor spends the time saying "look at me" and "hands in front" and "pizza, pizza, PIZZA!" Practice until time is up, or child is tired.
At the end of the lesson take child over to the parents and give a description of what has been taught. Give recommendations for what to practice with Daddy, and which level lesson child will fit into at Squaw Kids. Remember to ask "will I see you again tomorrow?" (The family in this lesson was just stopping for the day and then going away for the weekend - in the end they spent four days skiing and came back on and off all season).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
skinanny, I used to inwardly cringe at the 'Pizza - french fries' but its the perfect way to get the little ones to make the shapes required.
Weight centering and balance are a bit difficult at this age and from what ive seen (admittedly limited) most of the little ones ski with their weight way back, some almost sitting on their tails. This back weighting of the ski and the very wide plough (on a heavier child or adult it would definitely be a braking plough) that is often adopted almost seems like a slightly different steering mechanism as the tips are never engaged and it almost seems to be the just the back of the ski doing any work (like a rudder on a boat?).
Is this because they just lack the strength or is it more a fine muscle control to get, and keep the weight forward? and what ages do you start to see the control and understanding of the use of the whole ski developing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| kevindonkleywood wrote: |
| Is this because they just lack the strength or is it more a fine muscle control to get, and keep the weight forward? and what ages do you start to see the control and understanding of the use of the whole ski developing. |
Kids have a slightly different centre of gravity, so the usual "in the backseat" stance that young kids have is normal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Also younger kids tend to ski with a "backseat stance" because they are relying on skeletal strength as their musculature is not fully developed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Both mine learned in the back seat - how old do they need to be before this changes - mine now seem much more centered than they were (Though possibly not quite there with the youngest), but I can't recall when it happened
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
In small children the head is far heavier in relation to the rest of the body, thus they have a higher center of mass and their weight will be on their heels. As children gain control of large motor movements first they are more dependant on the large muscle groups, thus bracing against the backs of their boots with straightish legs. Adults have more refined movements and are not fighting the higher center of mass, so find it easier to balance forward and stack the skeleton in a forward position. Children generally start to grow out of this backseat stance as they reach about 3/4 of their eventual adult growth - about age 10 to 14 - as their heads are then more in proportion with the rest of their bodies.
Control and understanding of the use of the whole ski seems to come at about age 8, but again depends on the maturity and experience of the child. I'm more likely to see it in a 11 or 12 year old though.
And I don't like "pizza" and "french fries" but it's what is most widely recognised.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Some things for instructors to try: (no poles!)
Ski like a 4 year old! Weight back, legs braced, wide plough/wedge.
Gliding wedge/plough on gentle terrain - raise one hand above your head, how far up do you have to reach before it makes a difference in the direction you are going?
- hands on outside of knees, press inwards with one knee, how much does the ski edge?
- hands on hips, point one arm in the direction you want to turn. Repeat with other arm pointing same way. Do you change direction, which is more effective?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I use several analagies :-
1 Pizza and Chips widely liked but can be boring.
2. Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Flakes a big hit with the kids
and in these healthier times
3. Celery Sticks and Quiche
To be honest you can use anything. Be imaginative and get the Kids to think up things that way they're getting more involved in the learning process.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
