am i carving?

[Chris V.]

Updating my response upthread, based on experience teaching this year.

The idea of foot tipping remains fundamental, and yes, it starts from the feet (pretty much by definition). But many students run into trouble because they block the movement due to lack of fluidity in the hip joints. Action at the level of the feet needs to be complemented with turning of the femurs in the hip sockets.

If a skier only tips the feet, the skier will fall over. So the skier naturally does something to avoid this, and unfortunately that something is often to stop tipping. To enable tipping, there needs to be a balancing movement higher up the chain, and this requires that turning of the femurs.

 

[Tony S]

Updating my response upthread, based on experience teaching this year.

The idea of foot tipping remains fundamental, and yes, it starts from the feet (pretty much by definition). But many students run into trouble because they block the movement due to lack of fluidity in the hip joints. Action at the level of the feet needs to be complemented with turning of the femurs in the hip sockets.

If a skier only tips the feet, the skier will fall over. So the skier naturally does something to avoid this, and unfortunately that something is often to stop tipping. To enable tipping, there needs to be a balancing movement higher up the chain, and this requires that turning of the femurs.

Cool. So what next? Do you have suggestions for drills to unblock? Animations? Mental cues? Etc.? Thanks in advance. (I can immediately think of about four ski buddies who fit your profile here. They might be interested.)

 

[DebbieSue]

Cool. So what next? Do you have suggestions for drills to unblock? Animations? Mental cues? Etc.? Thanks in advance. (I can immediately think of about four ski buddies who fit your profile here. They might be interested.)

I fit the profile for sure, and don’t mind outing myself as likely one of the four. How to unlock the femurs…that is the question. I know I have poor outward rotation and am working on this in barre, Pilates, yoga. Any idea how to translate/incorporate the cuing from those disciplines into skiiing?

 

[Yepow]

Cool. So what next? Do you have suggestions for drills to unblock? Animations? Mental cues? Etc.? Thanks in advance. (I can immediately think of about four ski buddies who fit your profile here. They might be interested.)

make that 5

 

[Mike King]

Cool. So what next? Do you have suggestions for drills to unblock? Animations? Mental cues? Etc.? Thanks in advance. (I can immediately think of about four ski buddies who fit your profile here. They might be interested.)

Side slips
Garlands
Pivot slips
Skating
Crab walks

 

[Tony S]

don’t mind outing myself as likely one of the four

Ha! You flatter yourself. I have plenty of friends with far worse ingrained habits than a rank amateur like you can muster. If you want to be counted among them, you've got to lower your game substantially.

(When it comes to the topic at hand, my sense is that you have poked the oyster a few times with a two-tined silver cocktail fork and decided you're just not interested in that particular primitive experience. I predict that eventually you will be in the right place at the right time with the right people and have your oyster epiphany. Until then there are plenty of other shellfish.)

 

[LiquidFeet]

I fit the profile for sure, and don’t mind outing myself as likely one of the four. How to unlock the femurs…that is the question. I know I have poor outward rotation and am working on this in barre, Pilates, yoga. Any idea how to translate/incorporate the cuing from those disciplines into skiiing?

Warren Smith has some good stuff on YouTube about developing and using femur rotation. He calls it "leg steering." As a general rule Warren Smith's stuff is excellent.


All three of these videos directly address getting one's thigh to rotate without rotating the hip along it. He's been running clinics for many years and understands his client's difficulties and how to help them overcome them.

Each of these videos shows at least one excellent exercise that might help with developing this movement pattern.


And here's something from Warren Smith to read on this topic:

Leg steering range - Warren Smith Ski Academy

Many skiers use the upper body to affect a change in direction of their skis, this is wrong. The most effective way to create a steering of the skis is by using our legs independently of the upper body. Do you have the range to unleash your skiing potential?

www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com

 

[Tony S]

Warren Smith has some good stuff on YouTube about developing and using femur rotation. He calls it "leg steering." (It's odd that this topic is happening in a thread on carving. Just sayin'.) As a general rule, Warren Smith's stuff is excellent.


All three of these videos directly address getting one's thigh to rotate without rotating the hip along it. He's been running clinics for many years and understands his client's difficulties and how to help them overcome them.

Eachof these videos shows at least one excellent exercise that might help with developing this movement pattern.


And here's something from Warren Smith to read on this topic:

Leg steering range - Warren Smith Ski Academy

Many skiers use the upper body to affect a change in direction of their skis, this is wrong. The most effective way to create a steering of the skis is by using our legs independently of the upper body. Do you have the range to unleash your skiing potential?

www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks, LF.

 

[razie]

I only see the first video, not sure of any followup/improvements. Good feedback here already: narrow the stance a bit first so you don't rely on standing on both feet only, then focusing on rolling the feet inside the boots instead of throwing the shoulders first. Your boots are likely too large and unresponsive and you'r foot wiggling inside won't do much now, may need some knee assistance, doesn't matter much, keep at focusing on using the lower body more, until you're ready to kick it up a notch and get maybe better equipment.

The idea you're working towards is to tip the skis on edge with the feet and legs and only after that to balance with the upper body as needed for each turn.

The idea with using a narrower stance is because you're meant to stand mostly on the outside ski instead of using both equally and if you're wide you'll keep doing like a penguin walk trying to transfer from one side to the other

Garlands and Rollerblades are good. Edge hops too. If you follow those you'll find links to other related drills.

As you get more comfortable, start trying to lift the inside foot in the middle of the turn, to glide more on the outside only - you will never ever go wrong with drilling skiing on one ski only - you may find it easy in the begginning to drag the poles in the snow for support while lifting.

 

[DebbieSue]

If you want to be counted among them, you've got to lower your game substantially.

(When it comes to the topic at hand, my sense is that you have poked the oyster a few times with a two-tined silver cocktail fork and decided you're just not interested in that particular primitive experience. I predict that eventually you will be in the right place at the right time with the right people and have your oyster epiphany. Until then there are plenty of other shellfish.)

Thank you … I think…
I am an oyster eater, an enthusiastic one at that. But, truth be told, I’m more of a mignonette than cocktail sauce type. Actually, my preference is to slurp them with no garnish if they are good ones. Two-tined fork…well maybe if I’m dressed up, but otherwise no patience for that!
I do not eat Rocky Mountain oysters, for the record.
Carving epiphany … I’m waiting…..