There's a couple of ways of making it happen...
Quote:
Originally Posted by jbm13  I also notice this predominantly on the steeper portions of the course. I would imagine if you stay completely square on the steeper parts, your skis will lose their edge grip (especially on those injected courses  : ).
This is where getting an early edge is absolutely imperative. This anticipation would appear to be a crucial part of releasing the edges and getting your COM inside the turn early.
When I attempt this move, I usually extend to much upward and not enough down the hill. I suppose there in lies the challenge of high level skiing.... |
...to whit:
- You're going off a diving board to the side and forward. Think mostly about the "and forward" part. This is also called the "Superman Move."
- Here's a progression/drills we learned in my USCSA L1 Certification this year that's one of my favorite fix-alls and simplificators for all kinds of problems. And here 'tis:
- A
natural athletic stance is the stance you would take if a bear jumped out of the woods at you. Weight balanced evenly on the balls of the feet, all joints flexed, everything in a vertical line over your feet. On the flat, you're standing upright over both feet.
- What we used to call a "traverse position" is now what's called a
parallel stance. Our clinic leader said, and I believe it, that you can't do much of anything right until you learn to ski across the hill in parallel stance with your pressure over the inside edge of the outside ski. Because you're not turning yet, you're pretty square to the ski, but you have a pinch at the waist (think of doing the "Schlopy" drill) so you're standing against that edge, not tipping onto the inside ski.
Got it? Okay, then
all skiing is is going from one parallel stance...through a natural athletic position...to the other parallel stance. So find something medium steep with no traffic to distract you, and cruise across the hill in parallel stance until you have some good momentum going. Time to turn...so go to the natural athletic stance, which means start tipping the little toe of the outside foot down the hill to flatten the skis...and weight both skis evenly...and, most important, press forward into your boots. Why? Because in a natural athletic stance on the flat, you can stand right over your feet. As soon as the hill starts tilting down,
press forward or end up in the back seat. So it's:
- Roll the little toe down the hill to start flattening the skis.
- Weight even on both skis.
- Press forward.
- And most important of all, be patient! Most people try to rush through the turn initiation, which is a
bad idea, because inevitably you wind up fighting gravity and momentum, and your muscles are going to lose that battle every time. Instead, use the fact that a pair of flat, evenly weighted skis,
wants to seek the fall line (which is where you want to go...)
provided that you are pressing forward. Otherwise, your mileage may vary, including the possibility of sliding sideways down the hill, or worse yet, having the
tails go into the fall line.
And, of course, once you find the fall line...what next? Simple, just go to the parallel stance on the other side...try it!
