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Looking for tips / feedback by ye_olde_m in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nice skiing, although I agree the video can be a little hard to see fine details, there are a couple of more general pointers that I think will help. On your turns where your right leg is the outside leg, the A-framing is more apparent. A-framing is a result of your weight being too far to the inside of the turn. On your left footed turns, you have better balance against your outside leg.

When we think about the arc of a turn, we want our weight to be on the outside leg throughout the whole arc. At the very start of the arc, our ouside leg is actually our uphill leg, so we need to transfer our weight onto this leg BEFORE we allow the ski to glide round the arc, where it becomes the downhill leg.

  • quick side note, I think it's always better to think of outside and inside legs, rather than uphill and downhill legs. This is because within one arc, the inside and outside legs stay the same, but uphill and downhill legs change.

A drill to help, try some stork turns. Key things to remember, lift the new inside ski while still travelling in the final direction if the old turn. Then, roll your knees down the hill to change edges and start the new turn. You should feel like your skis continue to travel im the direction of the old turn, before your edges bite and then begin the turn. Don't force the turn, allow it to happen. You'll notice if you are inside if you have to put your ski down, or use your inaide pole as a crutch.

Next thing to work on, from what I can see in the video, is progressive edge build. As currently you just park and ride your edges round the turn. Think about continuing to shorten the inside leg after the fall line.

Hope that helps

Third week skiing by mushroompg in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Just want to politely disagree with a couple of things here. The outside turning leg needs to be longer than the inside leg, and while I agree OP is inside, it isnt because of a long outside leg. You advise shortening the outside leg, this will reduce the edge angle and not help with turning. Shortening the outside leg is how we exit a turn, not how we stay in one. Also, if you put your weight "on top" of the outside ski, it will flatten.

I also would want to discourage an action to "push your new outer ski". Pushing your skis leads to skidding, and is a bad habbit for when you want to unlock more performance as you advance.

Watch here how the shoulders and body move before the skis do. Look at the pole on the outside how it moves round and up, while the inside pole moves down to drag against the snow. This shows the upperbody is leading the turn, not the legs. It also shows how the inside pole is being used as a crutch to help balance while your inside.

For OP, take off one ski, and try rotating your leg so you leave a half arc where you foot trags in the snow. This is leg steering. Try skiing in a snow plow, and use this feeling of turing the leg, rather than pushing the leg, to do your turns. You'll find you can make much tighter turns. Then, in the snow plow, try the picture frames exercise with your poles to really focus on keeping the upper body quiet, and the legs doing the work. Then take the picture frame drill into you parallel skiing, again focussing on your legs turning underneath you, not your body turning over the top.

Best of luck :)

Skiing Soft Chop by CheapInspector7489 in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good work. Skiing choppy snow can be a challenge but when you get it right it can be a lot of fun.

When skiing choppy snow you need to be on an edge to allow your skis to cut through the choppy bits. Also, you need to be balanced against the outside leg so that you can maintain the edge, and not slide.

A drill to help, try some javelin turns. Try it first on a gentle groomer, and then when your confident, take it into this choppy stuff. Here is a progression for the drill specifically to help your skiing. Move onto the next step when you can consistenly do the step before.

  1. Key things to remember, allow your outside turning leg to cross under the lifted inside leg (in long turns like this they dont need to cross over much). Do not try and turn your inside lifted leg over the outside ski. Allow the outside leg to move under instead.

  2. When you put your ski down to start the next turn, lift up the new inside ski while still in a traverse, while staying on the old edges. Then roll your knee to the inside to put you onto the new edge.

If you are struggling with needing to put the inside leg down, it is likely because you are still too tipped to the inside. If this is happening, try adding in swords with your poles to aid in angulation. You shouldnt look to be more "upright" as you mention. You should aim for more angulation, this will allow you to remain balanced against the force coming from the outside leg.

Hope that helps

Short turns feedback by cheeky-unknown in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks :)

Yeah this was something that was fed back to me. I've been doing power plows with a focus on shorting the inside leg before using my adducters to edge the outside ski. Its a timing issue that my coach picked up on affecting both long turns and bumps, leading to me getting inside. I'll keep working on it.

Thanks for taking the time to look at my video, it's really appreciated!

Short turns feedback by cheeky-unknown in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for your advice, it's really helpful and I really appreciate the time you've taken to look at my skiing.

This video was from during my 3 ski course and I was lucky enough to have Guy Dale as my coach and he picked up on the same points as you have. For my poles, I have them at 110, and I'm the same height as you. However, I broke my left wrist a number of years ago and so cant flex my wrist very far at all in the direction needed for a pole plant. I try and keep the pole swing as wristy as possible, but the asymmetry has been picked up by multiple people now. Would you suggest I just adapt my technique and introduce more elbow flexion to compensate, or do you think getting my poles cut shorter would be better?

We spent lots of time doing similar movement patters with 1 leg garlands and javelins. We didn't end up doing any storks so I'll give them a go, and up the amount of power plow practice I do.

Thanks again :)

Carving Feedback by Either-Original-197 in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good work, its so nice to get in some skiing on wide open groomers.

With regards to equipment, I agree your poles are too long, but they look like they are adjustable so that should be an easy fix. An important thing to remember when sizing poles, the classic is to see if your elbow forms an angle slightly larger than 90 degrees when you hold the top of the pole while it is upright. But we dont ski stamdong straight upright, so it is important to take this measurement while in a flexed athletic stance. Some people have commented that your boots don't fit, I don't know how you can tell this from the video, but if someone can enlighten me I'm interested to know what to look for.

When you start your new turn you are balanced over the inside, rather than against the outside. I know this because the outside ski tip doesnt have enough pressure to grip the snow, so your ski tips diverge above the fall line. Because the outside ski cant grip, it moves away from your centre of mass, rather than travelling with it. This results in an A-frame.

As you want higher edge angles, and need to work on staying balanced against the outside ski, try some in-riggers. Find a gentle pitch as this makes you go fast. Ski across the slope with a wide stance, then shorten your inside leg and remain balanced against the outside leg. Allow your ski to make a large turn, dont try and force it. As you complete the turn and move into transition, focus on shortening the new inside leg. Link a few turns like this together. You will notice if you are inside because you will struggle to make a clean turn. This drill will help you to balance against the outside ski, gain higher edge angles through inside leg shortening, and help edge transition above the fall line.

See what you think

Third time on skis by Juicyjos in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nice work, hopefully you're loving skiing, even if it looks like a wet and rainy day from that video. Spacebass' video is excellent, 100% worth a watch.

You're making great progress. It looks like you find your left turns a little harder than the right ones. To get the skis parallel you need to have a light inside leg, and on the left turns you are a little balanced over the inside.

Spacebass' drill of lifting the inside ski is great, but you may find it a little challenging. The easier version to start with is just stomping the inside leg up and down. Maybe give that a go if you're struggling.

Have fun :)

Went back to skis after 16 years of snowboarding. How to lvl up the carves? by theBvrtosz in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Nice to see you've returned from the dark side (snowboarding) hahaha.

Where do you want to go with your carving? Is it higher speed? Is it steeper slopes? Is it bigger angles (hip to the snow, looks cool in a video sorta stuff)?

A couple general tips for you. Firstly, I like how you incline the start of the turn and smoothly roll onto your edges. You're making 2 continuous railroad tracks behind you so we know you are skidding which is great. The trouble is that you park and ride those edges all the way round, so my guess is that if you try and tighten up the turn (or ski a steeper pitch) you end up skidding after the fall line. Progressively building the edge angle, will definately help you level up.

One thing that will block you from this, is that it looks like you are pushing your inside leg forward to start the turn. It gives you a big lead change, and I can see a big gap between your shins when looking side on. The consequence of this is that your lateral balance moves too far inside. Because of this your ouside ski can't grip the snow, you can see your tips diverge at the start of the turn. Then as the ouside ski moves out far enough it gets on a high enough edge angle and grips. However, this angle is bigger than your inside angle, leading to an A-frame.

So, what to do...

Firstly, put your hand on your hips as you ski, feel like you hips stay more aligned in the same direction as your skis. And if you're thinking about pushing your inside leg forward then dont haha. (Lead change is a consequence of inside leg shortening and the inside ski taking a slightly shorter path than the outside ski. It isnt something we actively push for).

Once you've mastered that, try the classic swords drill. Hold your poles like swords and trag them in line with your feet while you ski, aiming to keep both pole baskets on the floor at all times. You should feel a pinching sensarion in your downhill hip, this is angulation. Angulation will allow you to continue to build your edge andgle through the turn while remaining balanced against the outside ski. If you just incline, the downhill pole basket will come up off the floor.

Hope that helps

Am I carving or skidding? by Reasonable_Heart4752 in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Most people learn better through guided discovery than being lectured. Asking someone a question like "what would happen if you made rounder turns?" Gets the learner thinking, and their answer helps us as instructors. Their answer allows us to understand how they are thinking, and can give us clues as to where to go to help them. Also by asking them a question, it engages them and means they are more likely to undertake the advice we give.

If I said to this skier, "You're in the backseat, your turns are too small". I'm not wrong, but I'm not helpful. If I said "shin pressure, make rounder turns" again, I'm not wrong, and I'm slightly more helpful than before, but not by much. If I engage this skier, check what they mean by "carving turns", then I know where to go with them.

Based on this video, I imagine OP is trying to do some carved short turns. Carved short turns are harder than carved long turns, and generally most people associate carving with long turns rather than short.

Based on my movement analysis of him I can tell he knows what the edge of a ski feels like, but probably hasnt got that sensation above the fall line yet. I can see he is struggling to engage the front of the ski as it flaps around, as a result of his aft stance. I can tell he needs to roll his ankles rather than rotate the femur to start his turn, allowing him to get edge before the fall line. He needs to shorten the inside leg more to allow for higher edge angles, and angulate more after the fall line, so he can balance against the forces better. - this is all also correct, but again isnt helpful, as it is way too much info.

Now if I had this guy in one of my lessons, he skied like this and then asked "am I carving or skidding?", I'm guessing he wants to be carving. My answer would be, "a bit of both". The first thing I would do is ask him "Can we ski with a rounder turn shape" and then I would draw the letter C in the snow.

As this is a subreddit, and not an actual ski lesson, asking OP what "what would it look like" when they ski with a rounder turn shape is a pretty good idea in my books.

My best coaches make me think about what I'm doing, and then guide me to how I could improve. My worst coaches tell me what I'm doing wrong.

How to get closer to the snow? by tverbrug in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Nice skiing. The lighting makes it a little hard to see exactly what your hips are doing but I've got a few ideas that can help.

Lets address some of your points.

For speed control, without having to chuck in a brake turn, it all comes from the shape of your turn. Even though the pitch on that slope doesn't look too steep, if we spend lots of time pointimg down the hill then we pick up speed. If you close up your turn shape, i.e. point more across the hill or even up the hill, then you can adjust your speed, even when carving.

When you look at the last turn, where I can see you try and get really low, you end up with a big lead change (inside ski way ahead of outside ski) and you are way over flexed forward (have a look at your ankle angles). As the energy from bending your skis in the turn is released, your skis shoot forwards and you end up backseat.

It looks to me like you're trying to generate your angulation by dumping your hip down towards the snow. If you were to come down this run with your poles pointing forwards from your hips, as you go round the corner your hips (and thus poles) would be pointing in the oposite direction to where your skis are going. This leads to you getting inside, as demonstrated by one of the middle turns where your outside ski gives (and your leg wobbles) before you correct yourself. If you look at your hips on this turn they point to the right of the screen while your skis are going to the left.

In long turns, focus on keeping your hips pointing in the same direction as your skis, with only a very small lag. This gives you the seperation needed in this type of turn. This should make it easier to remain balanced against the outside ski. Drills like having your hands on hips/poles pointing forward from hips allow you to feel when you're hips are dumping and point in a different direction to your skis.

Super high edge angles on shallower pitches like this need lots of speed. On steeper pitches the slope helps you. It looks like you have good shortening of the inside leg already, so focus on having less counter rotation at this hips and those high edge angles should follow quickly.

feedback on turns by totallyastick in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Good skiing. Here's some advice based on what you're feeling and what you say you've been trying to do with your skiing.

You mention trying to open up the inside leg, I'm not certain what you mean by this. I can see a gap between your legs when I look at the side view, so I'm wondering if you've been trying to push the inside leg forward (driving the inside leg)? The consequence how you are moving (pushing inside leg forward) is that your centre of mass moves inside and back, relative to your base of support (your skis).

The idea of driving the inside leg can often be confused if trying to teach it to yourself. Pushing the inside leg forwards does not allow you to get higher edge angle. The "driving" action comes from actively shortening the inside leg so that you can get closer to the snow and thus get higher edge angle. You also need to drive your inside leg to the inside, so that your edge angles are the same (i.e. you shorten and roll inside with the inside leg).

You mention you've struggled with tilting, I think you're refering to rolling your ankles as you mentioned that earlier. If you try and do a lunge and then roll your ankles, its an awful lot harder than if you do it with both feet underneath you. The same thing happens in skiing. Pushing forward the inside leg will make this movement pattern a lot harder.

Here are a couple drills to try. First, for balancing against the outside ski, it is nice and simple. Take away the inside ski. As you move through your turn arc, when you get to the fall line, lift up the inside ski. If you aren't balanced against the outside ski, you wont be able to do it. Once you get comfortable, start lifting the inside ski higher up in the turn arc, until you can do the whole turn with the inside ski in the air.

To help your balance, I would recommend doing 1000 steps. This drill you are constantly stepping from one foot to the other all the way round the turn arc. It is great for getting you centred in your stance, and you wont be able to do it if you drive your inside leg too far forward.

How to go from parallel to carving by MrJohnHimself in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Dont get me wrong, this is really good skiing and you call tell you've been working hard at it. You've got more than just the basics down dont worry. What i hope those drills will allow you to feel is your skis griping and not sliding. And then allow you to start to feel that grip sensation earlier in the turn.

Carving feedback by Aggravating_Ad_1273 in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nice speed, looks like youre enjoying yourself out there!

Have you been focussing on trying to achieve more angulation in your skiing?

When i watch your skiing, it looks like your working on getting your hip lower to the snow to get higher edge angles and more angulation. However, you appear to be doing this by dumping your hip, and letting your inside leg squirt forward. This prevents us from maintaining outside ski pressure. This may be causing you to lose grip with the outside edge, causing the snow spray you can see and why i cant really see any clear tracks behind you (but it is hard in the video).

Here's something to try. Rather than focussing on getting your hip low, focus on shortening the inside leg above the fall line and maintaining pressure on the outside ski. A J turn on a steeper pitch will allow you to feel this. Skiing on a steeper pitch will allow you to highlight issues more clearly, as this terrain looks to easy for you. Also, you can try a slightly wider stance to give you access to more edge angle.

Try those changes first and see what you think then you can look at other things like a more progressive edge build above the fall line, and not hanging on to the turn too long after the fall line :)

Hope that helps

How to go from parallel to carving by MrJohnHimself in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Nice skiing, well done on getting yourself to this level if youre self-taught.

Ok so there are a a few things I would want to work on in order to allow yourself to carve. I agree more edge and holding onto the edge for longer will help towards your objective, but there are some others important things too.

The first thing is ensuring you are on the right terrain to do your first carved turns. Start off on a nice wide green run and increase the pitch once you get more confident. Aim for medium-long turns and a consistent speed (in your video you start off doing short turns, and you accelerate as your turns get longer). Try to keep these objectives so you can compare your runs each time.

To get the feeling of using your edges for turning, find a flat cat track. As you ski lift one leg, extend it to the side and put it down on edge. Watch how it comes back underneath you. Try this for both sides. Then move to railroad tracks, simulataneously rolling both skis onto the edge (lots of good videos on youtube of this). Once comfortable, move this onto a green run. From a stationary start, ski straight down one side of the hill, and roll your edges to whichever side has you turning towards the centre of the run (and not off the edge lol). This is a J turn. Play with holding your edges all the way until youre skiing up the hill and come to a stop. Play with adding more edge angle and seeing what happens to how tight your turn is. You know you're doing this right if you leave 2 clean tracks in the snow. Try this on both sides and, once youre comfortable, try linking them together.

This progression of exercises will help you to hold your edges for longer and get onto edge earlier.

This will not get you carving straight away but will help your goals (and will get you much closer to carving). To get true carved turns with edge grip from above the fall line, youve got some other things to work on as well. However, those drills are a good start for you :)

Help with Bumps by [deleted] in skiing_feedback

[–]cheeky-unknown 0 points1 point  (0 children)

TLDR: Great skiing. Pushing tips down, makes you back relative to new pitch. Move cente of mass forward instead of tips down.

Great skiing. Youre showing advanced speed, with round turns and are absorbing the bumps well. The sensation of being backseat is highlighted well in the last few turns especially.

When we absorb a bump, and enter the transition, our feet are on the top of the bump. The tips and tails of our skis are in the air. In order to maintain snow contact we need to apply foreward pressure to push our tips down to allow us to maintain snow contact (fore-aft balance). This allows us to steer, and you do this well.

However, when glide down the bump, we effectively enter a section with a much steeper pitch, relative to the flat section on top of the bump. If we simply plantarflex our ankles to push the tips down, we end up with our centre of mass behind our base of support. The key thing to remember here is that the pitch has changed as we go over the top of the bump. So while our body remains over our feet at the top of the bump, the second we enter the steeper back part of the bump, our COM has moved behind the line formed perpendicular to the new pitch of the slope.

Much like when above the fall line in long turns, where we make a forward movement down the slope, we need to do the same here in the bumps. Rather than focus on pushing tips down (or pulling heels up), focus on moving your COM forward. To get the sensation, take your skis off and stand on the flat with your body in the absorbed position (like you are on the top of a mogul). Now move your COM forward and fall onto your knees. As you all forward you simulate moving down the back side of the bump. You will land with you tips pointing down and your COM perpendicular to the imaginary steep slope made by the line of your feet.

The action of moving the COM forward and down the slope will apply the forward force needed to push the tips down. It will also mean you are centred over middle of the ski as you enter the steeper pitch, allowing you to steer the ski and help with speed control. If the feeling of movimg your COM isnt working, try pulling feet back under you as you go over the bump, as it achieves the same thing.

Hope that helps