2022 New Zealand focuses (Rookie Academy)

[slow-line-fast]

Oftentimes I find that a motor pattern that is a passive output in an advanced skier is taught as a direct input to intermediates. They also tend to be ones void of other attributes regarding the above analysis. This is a visual copy of a movement that must then be powered, timed and integrated by the skier vs an automatic outcome prodded by the forces of the turn. While there may be some developmental benefits of using direct inputs in order to experiment and find a correlating passive output, they can also serve as severe developmental impediments if these movements become ingrained as inputs. Too many inputs up and down the chain places a lot of responsibility onto the skier and eventually turns their mind into something between Pandora’s Box and a can of worms.

I suspect inside knee to outside shoulder falls mostly under this description.

 

[Smear]

Lots of discussion of this upthread.

Back on snow, I focused on this a bit, passively, to see whether it was happening or not. I found that past some depth, it was just happening. I didn’t feel that it would add much to try to do this proactively. But I guess if a skier were somehow blocking this movement *and* getting to edge angles where it should kick in, it could help to drill it actively.

To me "inside knee to outside shoulder" seems to mean to have some tension in the leg adduction muscles of the inside leg while being in an angulated position.

Inside ski tipping is mostly a combination of rotation in the ankle in the opposite direction of the turn and rotation of the femur in the hip socket in the same direction as the turn. This moves the knee away from the shoulder, but it is possible to adduct at the same time. But the ROM is a lot less in the ankle than for the femur in the hip, so if trying to tip inside ski "to hard" or in an inappropriate way, not letting the feet limit it, then the skis will end up diverging. Loosing up a bit on the inside ski tipping focus and adding leg adduction focus instead, can keep the skis from diverging.

I have tried this focus lately on our little indoor ski hill after watching a video by the gellieman. I like it, feel it is working and easier to keep the skis from diverging into A-frame.

Taking the inside leg adduction too far will block tipping of both legs and it is going in a "more hip, less knee" direction. For me I often end up in an A-framed position, with lots of outside knee angulation, flat inside ski and no hip angulation. So I feel "more hip, less knee" is an appropriate direction. Click on the A-framed link and imagine how the racer in the background has moved his inside knee toward the outside shoulder compared to the poor fellow in the front... ;-)

 

[Chris V.]

Inside ski tipping is mostly a combination of rotation in the ankle in the opposite direction of the turn and rotation of the femur in the hip socket in the same direction as the turn.

An often overlooked point! (Technically, it's in the subtalar joint, not the ankle joint. A small degree of tib-fib rotation can add to this--the available range of fib-tib rotation being limited.)

But the ROM is a lot less in the ankle than for the femur in the hip, so if trying to tip inside ski "to hard" or in an inappropriate way, not letting the feet limit it, then the skis will end up diverging. Loosing up a bit on the inside ski tipping focus and adding leg adduction focus instead, can keep the skis from diverging.

Interesting!

 

[Sledhead]

This sounds to me a bit like a slight counter steering of the inside ski in turn phase one that, along with enhanced inside tipping (leading) and inside forward pressure (pull back), exaggeration movement patterns in all 3 planes regarding only the inside ski, is a good way to get it to hook up with the outside ski that is getting the lion’s share of the pressure thus getting the skis to work together more as one unit. While these three motor patterns may not be visible to the naked eye, they are providing the directional tension implied. Using geometry to make up for the physics, if you will. I can see how it may assist in minimizing the diversion of a poorly carved inside ski in turn phase two or three. Although, if a skier is struggling with diverging skis, this move may be a bit refined. It requires increased mobilization and stronger participation of the inside ankle. It also requires a bigger commitment to your turn. Once your inside edge is in full hook-up mode with the outside ski, it is no longer available for lateral balance adjustments.