Sir Sir Am I an Interm-idiot yet?

A snowHead

Hi guys ...........
Please have a butchers at this clip...............

http://www.youtube.com/user/colelynch?feature=mhee#p/u/0/FV36mLxxEKk

I know I have a whole host of errors to correct.. rolling eyes

eg: back seated.........not upright & ankle flex needed, am hoping lessons in Meribel next month will straighten me out.
Am also gonna try to get back to Hemel to see Inside Out before we go, but meanwhile...If I could pick your collective corpus collosums.......Pray tell....

Q: Why does my uphill ski keep lifting half way through my turns Puzzled

Is it because my body weight is not forward enough.......I think I started over-compensating for this with my knees.
The surface was very bumpy & undulating...........thought I was off piste...lol
The camera battery died whilst we were still warming up, but we got this footage first.

Any & All comments greatly received[/b]

A snowHead

Disclaimer - I'm not an instructor nor an expert.

But... the one very obvious mistake that I can see is that you keep looking uphill. It looks to me as if you are keeping an eye out for faster skiers who are going to come past you. This is understandable, but you will ski much better if you keep your upperbody and head facing the bottom of the slope. You 'just' have to pretend that you trust the skiers behind you to have the control to avoid you as they pass by. Once you have the confidence to do this, you will find it all alot easier.

Easier said than done, I know!

Tom.

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

My observation would be that as you accelerate through the turn your weight is coming back too far on to the tails of your skis causing the tip to lift.

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franzClammer, I think your problem here stems from the fact that you haven't got to grips with what happens when your skis are pointing downhill, as kevinrhead alludes to. First off...you will go faster. You are feeling that and trying to hold them (and you) back, as if you were in walking boots, by digging your heels into the snow. The planks on your feet don't allow that to happen, and actually work against what you are trying to do (as doing that actually makes them go even faster). The other thing that happens when your skis point downhill is that they sit on a steeper angle with respect to gravity. For your body to keep working the skis properly you still need to be in pretty much a constant angle with respect to the skis, not gravity, so you actually need your body to go further forward while pointing downhill to stay "centred" on (i.e. largely perpendicular to) your skis.

So you need to get your head around what happens when you are pointing downhill. How much simple straight running have you done? I think you need to do a fair bit more. It's not ideal doing that at Hemel (or even less so at Bromley), as you really need to be just going up and down the bottom 20m or so - although it is often possible to get off the lift at the first pylon. Since you can actually turn though, to slow down, you could do it in very short stretches: straight line for say max 10 yards, and then turn to a complete stop - don't just slow down to something comfortable or you will end up going too fast (don't worry too much about the style of the turn there - you've got other things to think about in this exercise). Then start again and so on until you get to the bottom. You should try to keep the speed to something sufficiently comfortable that you can concentrate on what your skis and body are doing, not "OMG how do I stop without dying"! While straight-lining, make sure you feel your shins snuggling against the front of your boot, not calves against the back. Make sure you feel your body well balanced over the feet - even pressure on the balls of the feet, not sitting on the heels. When "balanced" properly you will actually feel as if you are leaning in front of your skis slightly, due to the slope angle as I described above, so this should feel a quite dynamic position - you may well have heard it called the "goalkeeper position", as if you are a goalkeeper preparing to face a penalty. Also, as you get that dialled in, try a) walking on the spot, or b) one leg lifts, or c) little jumps/hops, all as you run down - jumping from the legs, not trying to heave yourself up using your shoulders - and check whether the skis come off the snow evenly along their full length (good), or just the fronts come up (bad).

Once you've got the downhill felling sorted, go back to your linked snowplough turns and really think about keeping that dynamic balanced position as you turn into the fall-line - you may feel as if you are projecting your body forward a bit as you go into the turn, but really you are just no longer going back. And keep that position as you finish the turn - you will feel a build up of pressure as you come out of the fall line until you slow down at the end of the turn, and it's important not to let that turn into another fall-back, i.e. keep concentrating on the shin just snuggling against the boot, and pressure under the ball of the foot not the heel.

This may feel like a bit of a backward step, but I think it's really important. You've got a natural reflex reaction set in there that is unfortunately the wrong thing when it comes to skiing. If you don't get on top of it now before moving on to greater things it will still be there to plague you for the rest of your skiing career - trust me...I still spend way too much time fighting that reflex myself (particularly when getting a bit late in a race course Sad

)

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I was at Hemel teaching when you took that.

Loads of stuff you need to look at…..

1. You are well in the back seat.
2. At times you push your heels out to turn (1.0 Cool

3. Your stance at times is quite wide meaning you are on the inside edges even when traversing (1.12 as an example)
4. You tend to lean up the hill, twisting shoulders.
5. You need to link up your turns; traverses are for getting to the pub; this will also help with rhythm / flow.
6. Your hands / shoulders are very “crunched up”; your elbows are tucked tight into your torso; free up a bit; hands further apart (and forward); elbows out a little and relax! Hands up.
7. You tend to lead with your shoulder (especially turning skiers left)
8. You are fighting gravity; you need, as Graham says to work out the basics first. Relax.
9. Your camera kid (Son?) is presenting the same characteristics as you.

I’d suggest some lessons pronto.

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Just so you don't get too confused with too many things to think about I'll give you one good exercise to help with the main issue of fore-aft balance (i.e. getting your weight a little more forward).

As you start the new turn you should try to lift the tail of the inside ski and keep the tip touching the snow (or tap the tail if you can't keep it constantly lifted). This movement is only possible if your weight is forward. It is therefore a great self-test to give you instant feedback on the slopes if you are too far back or not. If you end up lifting your tip then you are too far back.

If you are unable to lift the tail end of the ski then think of some of the advice above to help you get there (e.g. more ankle flex, hands forward etc.).

Once you have done a few runs successfully lifting only the tail then move onto what GrahamN was suggesting about lifting the complete inside ski and see if the whole ski is lifted equally along the length.

Once your fore-aft balance is sorted then the other stuff will be much easier to achive.
Keep up the good work!

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

It's the heavy wallet and gold bars in your rucksack. wink

Seriously get rid of the ruck sack if you can until your skiing is better, the weight and the straps etc could affect your skiing.

After all it is free

born2ski, just to be clear, that stuff I was suggesting about ski lifting etc was in straight-running only. He shouldn't begin to think about anything like that in a turn until he can straight run properly centred and in balance, which I very much doubt at present. Lifting in a turn is way beyond where he is at present.

But, when

Rather than trying to stop doing a bad thing (weight too far back) I think you should try to develop a good thing: start working on some flexion and extension movements (up and down as you make your turns). This often seems to help with bringing stance in to fore/aft balance. I think making a positive movement is much easier than trying to stop doing an instinctive negative movement.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

One obvious thing to the lay skiier that I am is that you see seem really tight. Tight elbows tucked in, shoulders hunched, cramped stance. I recall doing this myself a bit and when it was pointed out I really made a conscious decision to be more relaxed and flex my body more. I don't wish to sound rude at all but your skiing doesn't look very athletic and I think that if you start thinking yourself to be more athletic and balanced then you will become so.

Definitely straight controlled runs practicing bunny hops and foot raises will help get your balance and fluidity of movement going. I've watch my kids do this in lessons and it really seems to boost their confidence because they know they can balance on one ski alone even at pace and makes them more flexible skiing.

Hope that makes sense and helps but remember I'm a mile from being an instructor so do check with guys who know best!

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I'd agree with the negatives that have been pointed to but I think the approach rob@rar suggests is the best.

Basically start practising the correct/positive movements and you may find some of the other stuff dissapears.

I would suggest getting some lessons pronto though and perhaps Rob and Scott can help you out there presuming you're in the Hemel area Toofy Grin

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try at www.skiervillage.com in the ski school area

franzClammer, love the vid & the thread title snowHead

Good luck with the skiing - you look like you're having fun and that's the main thing!

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

franzClammer, if you want to do one of our coaching sessions it would be our Building Confidence Clinic that is suitable. You can see details, including dates, here.

A snowHead

Cheers Rob

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

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DB, not to mention the look of a backpack in a fridge, could only be funnier if it was an avi pack. http://www.www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150333912631627

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Back from Meribel
Xmas pud all gone
Looking at return dates for Feb-March

Do you think we are up to the snowHead

Snow Heads bash in Italy that's planned.......Is there a min age ? (10yr old kid)

http://youtube.com/v/XvKGO-URUfs

Any thoughts on the skiing displayed are most welcome...We were with ESF: more of a guiding service than technical instruction in this case, but was a pleasant enough chap. Just want to get back on the snow n practice our newfound competence/confidence.

Ciao

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franzClammer, Glad to hear you had a good trip! Re the snowHeads trip to Italy I don't think there's any minimum age, but I expect that there wouldn't be any other kids there for company, if that's important, as it's taking place during term-time for most schools (4th - 11th Feb).

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

franzClammer, The rucksack is still there Shocked

After all it is free

A definite improvement franzClammer, well done!

Keep working on getting those arms out and forwards. It might help if you focus more on where you're going and spend less time looking around you.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

franzClammer, Big improvement on your dry slope skiing that you posted earlier Smile

But knowing that praise is not what your looking for Wink

I shall throw my 2 pence in.

your turns early in the video are still very 'z' shaped, Ie a long traverse and a short quick somwhat rushed turn, as a result you are still letting your weight come back on the ski as you make the turn. (you can see your ski tips lifting in some of the footage).

Your posture in the traverse is a lot better but as you turn the skis down the fallline you are not working to keep your weight centred as the skis go from the level (in the traverse) to pointing downhill (in the turn). Work on trying to keep your shin touching the front of the boot cuff through the turn.

I suspect that you may be clenching your toes as you make the turns on the steeper bits, the acceleration makes you a bit wary so your toes press hard on the bottom of the boot this pushes your balance even further aft.

If you are doing this try a few turns wiggling your toes as you turn.

On the cat track from about 07:00 you make some nice relaxed little 's' shaped turns, thats the feeling and turn shape you need to take to the steeper bits Smile

will have a second viewing later but you have come on leaps and bounds and are clearly loving your skiing so well done Smile

Edit: comments for first video:

+1 for your hands forward.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Definitely better.

BUT

Go faster and be more dynamic. It looks rather like you're not interested in being there and just lolloping along to me.

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You know it makes sense.

franzClammer, and it gets so much better with time and effort! be prepared to empty your wallet and live for the moment!

Well done!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

franzClammer, looking good. Very Happy

Well jealous that you were there and I wasn't. Crying or Very sad

I agree with what Kevin said. Work on pushing that posture forward and get more centered over the skis. I'd also suggest holding your poles a fair bit further forward than you do. They almost drag along behind you! Laughing

Get on holding them further forward in your stance and it will push you more centered over your ski auotmatically.

A snowHead

franzClammer, I wasn't trying to be rude and trust me I'm no expert but the experts will tell you that more speed and dynamic athletisism through the turns will help. Like riding a bike round a corner, too slow you topple over, bit more pace better balanced.

A snowHead

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

Still hadn't realised how to use my poles at this point
Lovely footage though..excellent weather & empty pistes

http://youtube.com/v/f111BBtLftA

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I'm certainly no expert but, from watching that last clip, are you looking down at, or just in front of your skis? I found that looking further ahead helps get a better feel for what is going on under the skis.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Help!!

Sir Sir Am I an Interm-idiot yet?

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