All it takes is weight adjustment

A snowHead

For any back country purists who don't enter the Piste, a terrific demonstration of how simple it can be to make skis turn popped up in this thread ....
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=6905 [IH]

Apparently the small model has no power source, no controls and works simply by being slightly top-heavy and as the weight moves over the COG the skis edge on the other side and round it goes.

The Japanese skiing robot from 2002 is much more sophisticated - as you would expect. But I like the little fun model. Will they be scooting all over the Alps next season ? Another opportunity for snowHead marketing ?

To emulate the PSIMan, I just have to find a way to relocate my 'slipped chest' back up around shoulder level - then a bit of gentle center of mass adjustment as I move down the piste should take care of things. Why have we been tiring our legs for so long. We've been doing it all wrong. Damn.

A snowHead

kuwait_ian, "center of mass adjustment"

You see, you should have made it to the bash - exactly what most people were getting yelled at for Very Happy

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

easiski, I heard tell BALLS came into the equation too

Maybe next year I'll be up for some GBH of the earhole from you.

Seriously, that little gadget is a brilliant demonstration of how simple it can be with your weight being exerted in the right way at the right time. Similar principle to judo, I believe. Let your opponent's weight do the work.

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Apparently if adjust my weight it will improve my skiing dramatically, or so my physio says

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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comprex, now we’re in my world, mass, speed, inertia, torque and strength. Whilst I can equate all these within a gymnastic or trampoline routine, in skiing there is the added factor of the variable and directional friction coefficient.
That’s why I bated Ian. The little robot uses the shield as a pendulum to move the top link (pelvis) down the fall line as the turn passes through it. A simple cross-link keeps everything in a parallelogram and the width of the ‘pelvis coupled with the weight of the uphill ski stops it toppling over the downhill ski as it stars a new turn. Which goes a long way to explain the ‘weeble like’ stability of small children as they blast past you on the hill whilst shouting waving and bending into body positions that’ll put you and me into a trauma clinic.

So . . . as I dig myself a soddin’ big hole . . . With the centre of mass below a wide pelvis and no upper body mass inertia to influence movement, it should mean that a short, flat chested bird with a big bum should be inherently more stable than a tall skinny bloke. Should we be looking for our next Olympic champion in Essex?
(where can I find a tongue-in-cheek smiley?)

Developing muscle strength and control to consistently and accurately place your body’s centre of mass in relation to its dynamic environment is the first goal of pretty much any active sport after achieving your own acceptable base level fitness.
This centre of mass can be well outside the confines of your body.
In this relationship, skis, boots etc. are just unsprung inertial mass that has to be included in its calculations by your brain and controlled by your muscles. (sometimes we don’t make a good job of that).

On that train of thought a ski specific training regime would concentrate primarily on leg strength and leg muscle mass with enhanced core/torso flexibility and strength (with as limited mass as possible) to constrain and channel the inertial forces of the upper body head and shoulders as the counterbalance.

For ski specific activities I’m persuaded that John Wells has the preferred (if supervised) approach to developing muscle strength and density. I’m not convinced that it’s an adequate replacement for a generally more active lifestyle which will improve your skiing anyway by your involvement in ‘dynamic’ activities where your balance control (strength) improves. I’m not convinced that the once or twice a year skier would take any benefit from targeted body training. I’m more inclined to believe that better general fitness to enhance our ability to assimilate technique training is a more productive route for most of us.

It boils down to . . . how far do you want to improve in your sport or do you want to maintain your existing abilities? These are age and/or attitude related questions that only the individual can answer.

Your thoughts?

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Frosty the Snowman, Most holiday skiers do not stand properly in balance when they're ski-ing. Telling people to lean forward doesn't usually help because they just advance their head and shoulders. this has the opposite effect on the bum! If you stand with your weight on the balls of your feet, your hips over balls/arch and your knees over your toes (roughly), you should find almost zero stress on your body/legs. They can then work properly and your skeleton can do it's job and hold you up. You need to be perpendicular to the slope that you're currently ski-ing down. (There will be some differences if you tackle stuff like Phillingle). In addition to this the majority of holiday skiers seem unable to flex their ankles, which is a pre-requisite.

All this can be fixed with practise on gentle slopes, and concentration! Smile

Having said that, of course it's a little harder to do than to say, and you do (especially off piste) get knocked out of position quite often. Getting back into the balanced position is the trick, but takes time to get used to. Very Happy

After all it is free

Strewth (spelling?). All I've ever done to initiate a turn is move my chewing gum from one side of my mouth to the other Shocked

easiski, She wasnt bothered by my stance but wouyldlike me to shift 20kg. Thanks for the tips though, I have had the boots on and practised already snowHead

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Alan Craggs, snowHead

Only spit on a cornice! Cool

Masque, PSIman can't do a retraction turn to save his metal skis. That video does not show how smooth that snow had to be for him not to bounce on his side or back. He does angulate quite nicely though. Regarding your, um, somewhat unfortunate mental image, that is the definite assumption behind 'women's' ski models.

What easiski said ^ is going to be a major part of my flexibility work. Ankles and hips.

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easiski, always impressed by your skiing insights Very Happy

Help!!

All it takes is weight adjustment

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