 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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kevindonkleywood, try doing some traverses on the little toe edge of your uphill ski. It will get you you more comfortable being balanced on the 'wrong' edge. As you improve try tightening the carve that you make up the slope, and then starting the traverse more down the fall line until you are doing J Turns.
As for dealing with the psycological aspects of crossing over, I suggest you spend some time on gentle slopes covered with snow... 
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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,
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gentle slopes covered with snow
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I will have to pop in at the end of June 
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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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Probably does not help that its dendex
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Yikes. 
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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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| kevindonkleywood wrote: |
Probably does not help that its dendex  |
Respect.
A couple of things could help to build confidence on Dendex -
1. Try it with a blade on the other foot.
2. Try and pick up an 'out rigger' ski as per the adaptive guys to give you an option if you feel it's going wrong.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Tilt your head over the outside edge, it'll get you to lean that way. Looks a bit silly, but it does work quite well. Bit of a harsh suggestion for Dendex, but just going up something with one ski on is how I make my kids learn to do it - I'm a hypocrite, and crap at it myself, but they seem to have a lot less trouble bouncing up when they fall the first few times!
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| kevindonkleywood wrote: |
rob@rar,
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gentle slopes covered with snow
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I will have to pop in at the end of June |
The slope at Hemel. especially the top section, is quite steep for one-ski drills. Seen a few bad wipe-outs, and took a huge one myself, with one ski skiing.
You could also try garlands on your uphill ski when in traverse. Keep the other ski on for confidence and just roll on, off, on, off the little toe edge.
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have done drills for this also on dendex & can be very difficult to commit to the outside edge.
1. Body armor with forearm/elbow/shoulder protection, might sound extreme lol! But will reduce the psychological fear of broken digits, should it all not go to plan, aim to land on these areas instead of putting hands out!! Also lose the poles, again if it doesn't go to plan less chance of caught thumbs if they’re tucked out the way.
2. Try to start if possible on the bottom 20-30mtrs or so of the slope or shallow section, the way we practice is to start down the falline and stay low pressed into the front of the boots, then lift one ski fairly high and cross the tip over the other ski roughly 20-30 degrees, it acts like a tightrope walkers pole and really aids balance, very gradually transfer to your outside edge keeping your arms low and forward, it can also help to do a fake grab with the (opposite) fist, as if to touch the tip of the raised ski.
3. Don't set your sights too high, in the 20m or so run, 1/2 a mats width of turn is a good goal and progress "slowly" "slowly" from there....
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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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wot he said ^
That's pretty much exactly how I got to grips with it - although I didn't do any of the grab stuff. I always wear body armour when doing anything on Dendex (well, anything more than teaching beginners/ low intermediates). Makes a big difference to how you approach things.
Probably didn't really do the javelin thing either, but would have the second ski very close to the stance leg to start with. When you start making wider outside edge turns though it helps to do the exact opposite and hang that leg out very wide, as that counterbalances your body which is then trying to fall further over that outside edge.
Start off straight running, then put in little wiggles, then increase the amount of the wiggle - and make sure you do the same on inside and outside edges by giving yourself a definite coridor to ski (say making sure you hit the seam on each left turn).
Start with whatever rhythm feels best, then lengthen or shorten the turns as you feel yourself getting it.
The key for me was making sure the shin was pressed firmly on the front of the boot - it's very easy to get back-seated when your balance is challenged by this exercise, so I was surprised to find that this actually did more for my fore-aft than it did for lateral balance!
And get some time in a fridge from time to time, where it's much easier to commit to that outside edge - and then gun it with White Pass turns, which are huge fun!
gatecrasher, are you there for the race on Saturday? If not, why not!
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GrahamN,
Cos your a lot quicker than me! and mostly more graceful lol!, nah still pondering on it!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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gatecrasher, only 5 hours left to get your entry in before the price goes up
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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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Ok so I'm a pedant but I feel we ought to respect the man's name - the word is DENDIX.
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GrahamN,
I can't let a deal like that slip away!!
Yoda, yeah! pedant!! 
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You know it makes sense.
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By the way, is there any real mountain point to this exercise?
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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By the way, is there any real mountain point to this exercise?
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It improves your balance and ability to "recover" when you lose it.
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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 yes, I do sometimes lose a ski (though usually landing a jump or hitting a bump in crud) - but if you then do another turn you have further to climb back up for your ski
I have done this exercise but never really saw the point - except perhaps for a bit of variety in a snow dome. it is years since I fell on a piste.
By the way, GrahamN, I just bought new skis and tried them at Hemel and was astonished to realise how crap my old ones had got. I suddenly felt like I was 100% on rails without even trying much.
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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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snowball, as I said, it's not about practising skiing on one ski in case you need, it's about general development of smills. It's a great drill, and skiers who can do it well, usually ski well all round.
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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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snowball, However, the downside when you are OK at it is that when you do loose one ski, you have a lot further to walk up when you eventually 'sit down' 
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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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snowball, as beanie1 says, it's about increasing the balance capabilities and range and freedom of movement around the skis. The more freedom of movement the more fluid and natural you become in regular skiing. By challenging your balance it improves your overall level of control. And while it's not a particular target to intend skiing on one ski, it's always useful to be able to do so in recovery movements - knowing there's no problem if something does throw you onto the inside ski for a moment and you can just carry on skiing through the problem without any particular panic moment is very useful. I use it quite frequently .
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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gatecrasher, given how I was failing to get off the inside ski on Wednesday evening , almost anything could happen....so just as per usual!
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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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I've just remembered the exercise that got me started:
Pick a nice easy beginners' slope to get started;
Plan a nice easy series of S-shaped turns;
Start off on two feet and when comfortable:
Initiate the turn on two feet as normal but after extending upwards lift the outside ski;
As you finish the turn plant it back on the snow ready to initiate the next turn - again with two feet;
Repeat to gain confidence then, instead of just lifting, try extending the outside leg so that the ski is parallel with the ground but higher - you're now doing 'Royals'.
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Just in case no one has mentioned it yet, a good stepping stone tactic is to use the inside pole like a training wheel. Reach towards the inside of the turn with it, and lean on the dragging tip of the pole as you lift your outside ski and make your turn. As you get more comfortable at balancing on the inside ski while turning, you can gradually abandon depending on the pole.
Haven't been stopping in much lately, hope everyone is doing well. Many new projects keeping me busy these days.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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You know it makes sense.
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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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What has helped me a great deal was a drill I did with scarpa at the EOSB under NewGen's big Tom: Ski at a gentle pace, medium turns. Then lift the outside ski off the snow as early as possible towards the end of the turn (before the proper transition).
Got me much more comfortable on the outside edge up to the point of skiing linked turns using only left or right ski.
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FAQ
- couldn't find a "blinkered" smiley!!