Quick little weight transfers: what to work on?

[Scruffy]

OFC, they only work for runs shorter than 60 seconds

About 2/3s more than the average NASTAR course

 

[Pandita]

I'm a big fan of this video...

This is great!! Loved this video

 

[Henry]

Yepow...

We need to see you moving. We need to see if you have any excess movements that are habits for you. Some people do big windups with their arms or other movements that don't help their skiing and waste time. If you want to quiet your upper body movements try either skiing with your hands on your hips, thumbs forward (brings the shoulders forward) or skiing holding both poles across in front of you, hands palms-up near the ends of the poles.

When you try to quicken things, try standing on the balls of your feet all the time. Think of a coach in any other sport yelling, "GET OFF YOUR HEELS!" Ditto here.

 

[Chris V.]

The earlier video was revealing, even though the objective was different.

 

[dbostedo]

try standing on the balls of your feet all the time.

You (in the general sense) need to be careful how you think about this though, as you DON'T ski/move from the balls of your feet like in other sports. (Where being on the balls of your feet lets you push off and step - two things you don't do in skiing.) That would lead to pulling the heels up and out of the heel pocket and losing connection with the boots (or needing bigger boots). In some cases it leads to poor position/balance and could actually slow the ability to move.

 

[Yepow]

if we figure out the railed then fixed-but-I-still-don't-like-the-tune on the AXs (deets over at https://www.skitalk.com/threads/the-scrub-strikes-back-sunshine-report-part-deux.27160/#post-739381) I can get a kid to take video tomorrow

Eh, I'll probably just change skis tomorrow...

 

[tromano]

You (in the general sense) need to be careful how you think about this though, as you DON'T ski/move from the balls of your feet like in other sports. (Where being on the balls of your feet lets you push off and step - two things you don't do in skiing.) That would lead to pulling the heels up and out of the heel pocket and losing connection with the boots (or needing bigger boots). In some cases it leads to poor position/balance and could actually slow the ability to move.

Based on my demos of am skis, most skis seem to have sweet spots that favor more mid foot balance and upright stance, only one ski favored heavy bof and cuff crushing. One actually wanted more heel balance, yikes. So the idea that always be on the bof that seems to not be needed these days.

 

[KingGrump]

You (in the general sense) need to be careful how you think about this though, as you DON'T ski/move from the balls of your feet like in other sports. (Where being on the balls of your feet lets you push off and step - two things you don't do in skiing.) That would lead to pulling the heels up and out of the heel pocket and losing connection with the boots (or needing bigger boots). In some cases it leads to poor position/balance and could actually slow the ability to move.

 

[mdf]

Based on my demos of am skis, most skis seem to have sweet spots that favor more mid foot balance and upright stance, only one ski favored heavy bof and cuff crushing. One actually wanted more heel balance, yikes. So the idea that always be on the bof that seems to not be needed these days.

I've also noticed that different skis want your fore-aft balance in (slightly) different places.

 

[slow-line-fast]

I was skiing with @Erik Timmerman a few seasons back (and, well, several times since then) but he said "Balance is the ability to make whatever movement you need to make whenever you need to make it". (And I probably butchered his exact quote, but close enough). Many people equate "balance" to "didn't fall", but falling is simply the extreme end of a spectrum of balance.

"Fast feet", "being quick", etc. -- it's easy once you're in balance.

When I'm skiing bumps well -- and most equate bump skiing to "fast reflexes" -- it feels smooth and relaxed. The bumps are coming in slow motion -- assuming I'm balanced. Once I get "rocked back" or "jammed" or whatever other euphemism you choose for "in trouble" -- yeah, some reflexes come in handy.

Now as to why you're not feeling balanced enough to make rapid, precise (to borrow @KingGrump 's phrasing) turns -- that's a much more complex question and one that I'm not even remotely qualified to answer. But don't think about fast / quick / athletic -- think about balance and watch the mountain slow down.

This.

A common problem (not a diagnosis of the OP) is simply being backseat. From there, it's hard to be quick.

 

[Wasatchman]

This.

A common problem (not a diagnosis of the OP) is simply being backseat. From there, it's hard to be quick.

Likewise you can also remain too far forward at the end of the turn. In my opinion learning how to be heel heavy without being back seat is critical and one of the harder skills to learn for really good carved turns. Not being backseat does not mean never being heel heavy. I think it's an important distinction that's not talked about enough.

 

[slow-line-fast]

Likewise you can also remain too far forward at the end of the turn. In my opinion learning how to be heel heavy without being back seat is critical and one of the harder skills to learn for really good carved turns. Not being backseat does not mean never being heel heavy. I think it's an important distinction that's not talked about enough.

Agreed for carved turns - working from the ball to heel of the foot over the course of the turn. But for quick flutters, any noticeable time on the heel means no flutter.

 

[James]

Likewise you can also remain too far forward at the end of the turn. In my opinion learning how to be heel heavy without being back seat is critical and one of the harder skills to learn for really good carved turns. Not being backseat does not mean never being heel heavy. I think it's an important distinction that's not talked about enough.

You can feel that in spring corn on narrow skis. On hard snow the feedback isn‘t as strong. In spring you can feel the slowing of too far forward near end of turn, and the acceleration of heel weighted.
This is partly why it’s unfortunate that more racer kids are not skiing in spring.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Likewise you can also remain too far forward at the end of the turn. In my opinion learning how to be heel heavy without being back seat is critical and one of the harder skills to learn for really good carved turns. Not being backseat does not mean never being heel heavy. I think it's an important distinction that's not talked about enough.

Spend some time in the telemark world.

 

[Yepow]

Do you think it's necessary, or if not necessary, beneficial to wear ski boots while doing balance board and other proprioceptive work? (Note: I will weight answers based on how likely I think you are trolling and just like the idea of imagining me being a dumbass in ski boots indoors in summer) At least shoes?

 

[geepers]

Do you think it's necessary, or if not necessary, beneficial to wear ski boots while doing balance board and other proprioceptive work? (Note: I will weight answers based on how likely I think you are trolling and just like the idea of imagining me being a dumbass in ski boots indoors in summer) At least shoes?

Boot and skis and jacket and pants and gloves and helmet. Heck, should even carry the squashed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and the Hershey bars. And every so often shuffle over to the fireplace and throw in a few more $50 notes. Train the way you intend to ski.

 

[slow-line-fast]

Do you think it's necessary, or if not necessary, beneficial to wear ski boots while doing balance board and other proprioceptive work? (Note: I will weight answers based on how likely I think you are trolling and just like the idea of imagining me being a dumbass in ski boots indoors in summer) At least shoes?

Counterproductive, as with the balance dryland work you really want to focus on standing over your feet, feeling where your weight is, all without the crutch/support/limited ROM of ski boots. Then on snow ski (slow) with your boot buckles and straps open (and if a touring boot, in walk mode), again to focus on where your weight is on your feet, and to activate your ankles.

 

[James]

 

[mister moose]

You (in the general sense) need to be careful how you think about this though, as you DON'T ski/move from the balls of your feet like in other sports. (Where being on the balls of your feet lets you push off and step - two things you don't do in skiing.) That would lead to pulling the heels up and out of the heel pocket and losing connection with the boots (or needing bigger boots). In some cases it leads to poor position/balance and could actually slow the ability to move.

There's a difference between
Staying on the balls of your feet vs "passing through"
Being on the balls with lifted heels vs flat heels.

For instance, when I'm cresting a mogul and move to stuff the tips down the backside, I go forward in the boots and move to BOF. The tail of the ski gets light and rises, but the heels stay in the heel pocket. The heel stays put because 1) my boots fit snug and the instep buckle is tight, and 2) the lift comes at the whole boot, I feel pressure at the top of the instep, not heel lift.

Another way to look at it is if you use the dolphin turn motion in your skiing, (Doesn't have to be that exaggerated) you are going to be in toe down mode.

 

[James]

The heel stays put because 1) my boots fit snug and the instep buckle is tight, and 2) the lift comes at the whole boot, I feel pressure at the top of the instep, not heel lift.

Reminded me of reading Jonny Mosely talking about his winning run in Nagano.

————-
“I knew I was coming in hot, and I just jumped, and I remember jumping so hard that I felt like my heels came out of my boots, and I just knew right away that I nailed it,” Moseley recalls. “So I reached down and grabbed my skis and it was like time stood still. I was just floating and I looked around, and I knew, this was it.”
———————

Jonny Moseley's Golden Moment - Tahoe Quarterly

Sixteen years after taking the Olympics by storm and winning gold in Nagano, a look back on Jonny Moseley's iconic run

tahoequarterly.com