Thread Starter
TS
under whatever layers of padding you have, absolutely
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Quick little weight transfers: what to work on?
- Thread starter Yepow
- Start date
Yes, I have 2 Bongo Boards and I have made boards for my daughter and both of my grandsons. They get used often, but not regularly.
You could do squats on a Bosu ball.
You can get quick feet if you ski enough days. I start to get this feeling after several days of skiing bumps in one season.
To pile on with everyone else, refined balance is required to make these quick moves with your feet. This is something you can train off snow. Find something that is fun for you to work on your balance when not skiing. There are things you can add to your gym routine, or modify things you are already doing at the gym to also challenge balance. You can also do other things that are more recreational and 'fun' like trail running or inline skating.
Even really low effort things like standing on one foot in the shower or while brushing your teeth can add up over time. Bonus is that if people think you are crazy doing these things, you will have fewer schedule conflicts for going skiing
To pile on with everyone else, refined balance is required to make these quick moves with your feet. This is something you can train off snow. Find something that is fun for you to work on your balance when not skiing. There are things you can add to your gym routine, or modify things you are already doing at the gym to also challenge balance. You can also do other things that are more recreational and 'fun' like trail running or inline skating.
Even really low effort things like standing on one foot in the shower or while brushing your teeth can add up over time. Bonus is that if people think you are crazy doing these things, you will have fewer schedule conflicts for going skiing
Uhhhhhh, I'd try this on dry land - with nothing on either side of you to fall on.
Just a suggestion.
Thread Starter
TS
I had hoped to balance board in the shower eventually
You might want to up the challenge and put a bosu ball on your balance board in the shower. Then you'll be an expert skier.
I've messed around with a balance/bongo board a bit, and I'd definitely suggest starting out someplace with some kind of handhold or something to steady yourself. Easy to fall if you're not a bit careful at first.
If you flip the Bosu over & stand on the hard side on one foot, can you rock it side to side like you're changing edges?
Thread Starter
TS
You can, though I find it very easy compared to a less spongy / smaller balance disk or a bongo board. I have done some bosu training but I think not at a challenging enough level. I am happy to have one.
You might want to up the challenge and put a bosu ball on your balance board in the shower. Then you'll be an expert showerer.
FIFY.
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- May 2, 2017
- Posts
- 4,348
Do 100 fast turns in a row. Count them. Do 200. Even going slow. Use your toes and feet.
a good way to start this is leave Bosu hard side down and step from side to top to side quickly keeping your head level.
Good for the quads too.
Ah, makes sense! I think if you feel confident with tipping edge to edge on a board, it might be worth practicing slaloming on skates? It's easier to do short quick slalom turns on skates anyways, and it'll give you the feeling of moving really quickly from edge to flat to the next edge. If you can do them two-footed, try it one footed or in a pistol squat for added evil.
I have the Fitter First version - and it's pretty trivial stuff for a skater (read: I didn't see much specific improvement and was able to do flat spins and stuff within a day or so) - but herself did finally manage to get her *s*l*o*w* extra wide weight transfers nailed and was pretty chuffed about it.
The way to slow down the action is to use the thing on DEEP shag carpet (or remnant thereof).
Anyway. She still uses it a bit (on lino so it's a lot faster). I use it for pushups.
EDIT: There's a bunch of stuff that a bongo can do but a lot more it can't - it will never open up your hips, it will never give you massive abductor/adductor control, it will never stabilise your IT band. All these benefits, and a far higher level of actual muscle and cardio work, are reasons to look at skating again and work past initial issues into a 3+ days/week habit.
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Consider adding spins, 90 stop spins and so on. All of these add edge feel and balance. The stops and restarts in spins really force to understand the motions involved. Once you (more or less) understand all of your skills will take a jump forward.
My off piste success, such as it is, came from understanding this combination of skills:
- Anticipation of where your CM needs to be in relation to the upcoming terrain. You may need to be fully engaged with tips down or you might need to be back a little to absorb a bump. If you're just getting the hang of it and noodling through the woods that neutral position can be quite tall. As your speed increases you will need to be more dynamic and more knee flexion is better.
- Anticipation Part 2 - Train yourself to look down the hill, not the next turn. It's like trying to speak a language with just individual letters - very limiting. Letters become words, words become phrases, phrases become sentences etc. Keeping a flow is hugely important and for me the most enjoyable sensation in skiing.
- Face the fall line - your feet and skis need to do all the work and you can't afford the time and effort to move your upper body from side to side.
- A little hop and pivot (seen in Jeff and Bob's video) will release the tails and it can be done very quickly in succession. Real slippery powder is your friend here and requires much less hop. Unweighting is the same as hopping for this purpose.
- If conditions are good, look for the easy trees. That's where you are more of less required to do all these things but the consequences are minimal if you fail (tree wells notwithstanding). It's a great way to have fun and learn your skills.
- Joined
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Regarding the Bongo Board, eliminate the wheel and replace with a stick of wood. Thicker the stick, greater the challenge.
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Tik Tok turns.
