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Fore/Aft Balance Drill

post #1 of 16
12/9/09 at 10:01am
Thread Starter 
This year, like last, and the year before that, I think my biggest issue to overcome is fore-aft balance, specifically, getting my hips forward.   From my reading, it would seem turning on one ski would be a great way to address this. However, I’m not sure I can do this successfully. What might be an easier drill I can start with?
I would prefer a drill that doesn’t ask me to leave a ski or my poles at the top of the hill. 
Thanks.
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post #2 of 16
12/9/09 at 2:26pm
Hi youngsman!

I love skiing backwards to give me the feeling for getting my hips forward.  Go to a gentle slope to try this on though!
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post #3 of 16
12/9/09 at 2:43pm
 Rick's first DVD is all balance exercises and they are really great.  yourskicoach.com
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post #4 of 16
12/9/09 at 2:59pm
Just to give some more info specifically about f/a drills.  He has you ski 1/2 turns then complete turns with your weight fore the entire time, then aft, then fore to aft, and so on.  The idea being getting you comfortable and confident wherever you are on your skis, so that for example getting too far back isn't a bad thing, it's something you are used to and you can do it until you get your weight back centered.
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post #5 of 16
12/9/09 at 3:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SkiMangoJazz View Post

Just to give some more info specifically about f/a drills.  He has you ski 1/2 turns then complete turns with your weight fore the entire time, then aft, then fore to aft, and so on.  The idea being getting you comfortable and confident wherever you are on your skis, so that for example getting too far back isn't a bad thing, it's something you are used to and you can do it until you get your weight back centered.

There's also a nice fore-and-aft drill in the advanced edging skis DVD (the one after the advanced balance drills DVD) called falling leaf drill:  You turn uphill by getting forward until your skis are pointed directly uphill, then ski backward to the original position faced across the hill with the tips slightly downhill by shifting aft.   (It's similar to a hammerhead stall, if you've ever seen aerobatic aircraft doing tricks.) 

SfDean.
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post #6 of 16
12/9/09 at 3:18pm
Gday,
I did a drill one day in ski school where we undid all the buckles on our ski boots and skied a few runs on a beginners slope. It realy gave me a good feel for the sense of weight distribution through the soles of my feet as opposed to my shins against the boot tongue. Since that drill I am still very aware of what my feet are doing, ie curling toes up or down, flexing my ankles.
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post #7 of 16
12/9/09 at 3:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Snowmiser View Post

Hi youngsman!

I love skiing backwards to give me the feeling for getting my hips forward.  Go to a gentle slope to try this on though!

I don t like this for this reason balance and hips forward is a movement not a static place. 
 when you ski backwards with your hips going up the hill your are actually moving your hips away from the direction of movement. this would be like skiing forward and purposely moving you hips backwards.  I am not discounting it totally sometimes when people feel the static spot of there hip forward they can make the movement to accomplish this.

For the OP try this

on a very gentle slope with both skis on make turns with your outside ski on the ground and your insides skis tip on the ground. This not only get your forward it gets your forward with your balance on your outside ski. you have to keep moving your hips forward all the time balance is like I said a very dynamic move and not something you get into and just remain there.

in un unrelated topic you should be skiing backwards by moving you hips backwards.
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post #8 of 16
12/9/09 at 3:56pm
youngsman, On flat terrain try to skate using all 4 edges, should be able to see 4 distinct marks in the snow with no smearing, if your ski is sliding out away from you when you push/ extend  off you are not engaging the edges and probably have your hips too far behind you. As you feel yourself being propelled across the snow you will get more gliding going.Glide as long as you can on one edge, roll/tip ski over extend to the other ski same edge then repeat.Edges go right, right, left left.  Move to a slight pitched slope and skate down hill again using all 4 edges leaving clean crisp  lines.If you are washing out go back to easier terrain until you get the feeling of power on a clean edge.               
                           
                           
                       
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post #9 of 16
12/9/09 at 4:19pm
 Youngsman, I'm the "Rick" SkiMangoJazz and sfdean referred to.  

The drill you referred to, picking up one ski, can be used as a fore/aft balance drill, but it's a very advanced skill that requires you to also move fore and aft while balancing on that one ski.   It's not where you want to start your fore/aft balance training.  

Here's a link to the appropriate DVD that the guys above were recommending.
www.yourskicoach.com/YourSkiCoach/Basic_Balance.html 
It's over an 1.5 hours of basic level balance drills that will provide you with that feeling of comfort on your skis you're seeking.  Even though I title it "Basic Balance", you come out of this DVD with balance skills well beyond those possessed by the vast majority of the skiing populous.  
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post #10 of 16
12/9/09 at 4:40pm
My favorite "getting forward" drill is to do some herringbone up a gentle slope and focus on where your hips are in relation to the foot with the weight on it.  Then turn around and skate back down the gentle slope, again sensing the relationship between hips and feet.  Then try to reach the same relationship while turning.  If you can find an area with a gentle leadin to steeper terrain, skate to the edge of the dropoff and then start turning.
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post #11 of 16
12/9/09 at 9:22pm
I'll second Rick's balance drills fore/aft/lateral - they all work and I use them and my own variations of them regularly.

One thing that I use for getting forward is simply pulling the feet back (there are many drills to teach this). Recently however I have further modified that thinking because my mental image of pulling the feet back [to me] means they are already too far in front of me (meaning I'm in the back seat)... so I think about pushing my feet behind be by closing the ankle joint. Perhaps it is semantics, but the mental image works for me and has continually produced good results.
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post #12 of 16
12/11/09 at 6:23pm
this idea of closing the ankle joint eludes me- my foort is in a pretty stiff boot so how does one close the angle?  

this is a key issue for me - and after skiing over 30 years - and dozens of instructors - I am still told I am always in the back seat.

I am ready to just move my bindings two inches forward and be done with it.

Len
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post #13 of 16
12/11/09 at 7:29pm
Your feeling of closing the ankle would be pulling your feet back under you. Stay centered over your boots as you allow your feet you move under you.  Move from that position to centered but extended in the fall line enough to manipulate your pressure intended .

Two things will help you immensely. Getting your feet under you as you change edges and enter your turn and learning how to feel and manipulate different balance states along the fore -aft plane.

Rick has some very good information to self help a skier to learn effective balancing . I think you would find improvement immediately.
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post #14 of 16
12/11/09 at 9:31pm
Try hopping while keeping your tips in the snow. To keep it simple you can work it as a progression... Start by traversing with the "tips on snow hops" until you have the movement dialed. The try it in one turn... then in linked turns... eventually lose the hop but keep the feeling of moving the hips forward.
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post #15 of 16
12/12/09 at 5:38am
I'd be careful about closing the ankle joint and losing range of motion.
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post #16 of 16
12/12/09 at 12:14pm
 According to Ron Lemaster, the ankle joint is primarily used for fore/aft adjustments.
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