TECHNICAL COMPONENTS
Good teaching or coaching takes the mystery out of learning. The best teachers excel at introducing an image that works the sensory system, to hold a ‘picture’ without requiring an abundance of brainpower. To accomplish this in alpine skiing, work towards developing a relaxed movement, based on an athletic stance with a body alignment, which creates a strong center of mass and forms a foundation for solid technique--balancing off the dynamics of a turn.
Ideally skiers should move into turns with an athletic aggression, utilizing selective relaxation that compliments centrifugal forces--‘move like a cat’. Body alignment is of key importance and should start from the feet and work upward through the total skeleton. The foot-ankle attachment is extremely important, because the first message sent to the skis is through the ankles. This makes constant cuff contact with the ankle and the front of the boot tongue a must. Learning to ‘feel’ with the feet dictates the balance and reaction response of the rest of the body. The message then moves up the body: Knees. Hips. Core. Shoulders. Arms.
Because this starts with an athletic stance, let us review its components:
- Feet a comfortable distance apart.
- The knees and ankles slightly flexed with the knees over the balls of the feet.
- Hips should be centered over the feet.
- An open and relaxed attitude of the arms, elbows and hands (above the waist) in front of and away from the body.
- The head and shoulders relaxed and level.
The next component of major importance is the arms. The feet and ankles are only going to be as responsive and productive as the arms are relaxed and the hands are soft (elbows aligned with the knees). The arms and hands working in unison impact the body core, allowing the big skeletal muscles to move in a strong, coordinated manner.
Now it’s time to begin linking some turns. Also review last week’s article, “Technical Outline for Alpine Skill Development”.