The Warm-up: Setting Yourself up for Success

Every day that you ski you have the opportunity to change your skiing and improve. The best way to ensure your success is to set yourself up for it right from your first few runs. How do you warm up for a day of skiing? Or, perhaps better put, do you warm up at all? By warming up I'm not advocating arm circles and static leg stretches. Static stretches before warming up do nothing to help your sports performance and can in fact lead to injury. Save the stretching for the end of day when your muscles are warm and stretching prevents soreness.

The best warm up for skiing is skiing, albeit at a slower pace and a lower performance level than that which you are capable. Balance is the key skill from which all of the other skiing skills fall. If you have strong balance, it is easier to do just about anything on skis. To set up great balance at the beginning of the day, try some of the following tactics for your first few warm up runs. For best results, focus on only one thing per run.

1) Feel your feet flat on the bottom of your boot. Often when one is skiing they feel more pressure on the ball of their foot when extending and on their heel when bending. Keeping your foot flat in your boot will ensure your fore/aft balance is in line.

2) Ski "shmooshy" turns. Try NOT to edge when skiing big round turns. It is easy to edge from an out of balance position. It is impossible to ski round turns without edging unless you are well balanced. Many high end skiers feel embarassed to "de-tune" their skiing in this fashion. To them I say, this is the way Herman Maier warmed up for his many World Cup wins. If the Hermanator can ski sloppy parallel turns, who are we to think we are too good to do that?

3) Ski with your boot buckles undone or very loose. You should have no trouble controlling your skis at a slower speed with loose buckles. Too often skiers crank down their buckles in an effort to control their skis instead of relying on good balance. This is especially hard on the feet muscles at the beginning of the day when we want lots of blood to flow to the feet.

4) Hop turns. Begin each turn by straightening your legs quickly allowing your skis to leave the snow. Land on a straight leg and then quickly absorb the hop. Hopping is impossible to do when out of balance.

5) Drag both poles in the snow. This is a great way to ensure you begin your day steering with your lower body rather than rotating with your upper body.

6) Ski any turn shape other than your favourite. If it is little tight turns that you love to do, ski great big carving turns, or vice versa. Set yourself up for change by trying something foreign first thing in your day.

Take a few runs to get to the point where you can comfortably up the performance. Having the patience to do a proper warm-up will set you up for success for your whole day.

Craving that Carving Feeling

What could be more fun than ripping up a clean sheet of corduroy snow? Shaped skis make it easier than ever to really carve it up. To get the most out of your skis it is integral that you are the one dictating your turn shape, not your skis.

The first step to carving a turn is the set up between turns. This is where you release your edges from your previous turn and get stacked for the new turn. The best thing you can do to have awesome edge performance at the end of your turn is to take the time to set yourself up properly at the beginning of the turn. Be patient. When you release your edges from your previous turn, allow your skis to be flat on their bases before beginning to simultaneously extend your legs and turn your feet to begin your new turn.

Be sure to continue extending as you enter the fall line (skis straight down the hill). At that point begin to progressively bend your legs (ankles, knees, hips) as you steer your skis across the fall line. For ultimate edge performance, you should get the sensation that you are almost steering back up the hill as you finish your turn. The energy you create should propel you into your next turn. The following are a few tactics you can use to help develop the edging sensation.

1. Feel as though you are pressing on the inside corner of the tongue of your boots as you complete your turn
2. Uphill Christies - on a quiet hill, practice doing one large turn at a time where you come to a stop by edging up the hill
3. Rollerblade turns - on flat terrain practice going edge to edge by rolling your ankles and legs without pivoting
4. When completing the turn allow your inside (uphill) leg to go completely soft
5. My new personal favourite - pretend you have elastic bands around each leg extending from the knee to the bottom of the ski. As you stretch the band on your outside leg through the turn, feel as though the band on your inside leg is contracting. If you are at the stage where you are skiing laterally with a wide natural stance, your inside leg will actually be a lot more bent than your outside leg making it easy and natural to do.

Take the time to play with some of these ideas and enjoy carving it up at a whole new level. Carve on!

Moguls 101

The most common request I get from parallel skiers is to learn how to ski the moguls. As an instructor, bumps are one of the things I enjoy instructing the most as there is just so much to work with. The biggest challenge is focusing on the changes that will make the most difference.

The single largest thing a parallel skier can do to improve their bump skiing is to pole plant. Not pole touch or pole point but really plant the pole. Plant it as far down the hill as you can reach in an area roughly even with your boots. This will do several things for you. First, it will get your body down the hill rather than leaning back up it. Second, it will recenter you as the bumps manipulate your fore/aft balance. Third, it expands your base of support from just under your skis to all the way to your pole. Finally, it will help you develop a rhythm in the bumps which brings me to the next point.

Moguls are not the place for shopping. Save that for the ski shops at the end of the day! I am often asked where the best place to turn in the bumps is found. There are several acceptable answers - on top of the bump where the tips and tails of the ski are free to pivot, on the front side of the bump to use the bumps to help you steer, or even in between the bumps on a powder day or when they are well spaced. However, the best answer is wherever your rhythm takes you. Keep the poles swinging. Always have one planted or in the process or being planted. Good rhythm hides a multitude of sins!

Finally, one of the areas where bump novices have the most challenge is getting thrown around in the bumps. It is integral to use your legs as shock absorbers to absorb the bumps. Practice traversing them with the visual of being in a low ceilinged room with the only way not to hit your head is to bend your legs (ankles, knees, hips) on the top of the moguls and extend your legs down in the space between the moguls.

Ultimately the best way to get better at skiing the moguls is to ski the moguls. Venture in whenever the opportunity arises and soon you will be looking for moguls with anticipation rather than trepidation.

Ski Like a Kid

I recently spent a day instructing 6-8 year olds. For someone used to skiing with and instructing adults I was reminded of a valuable lesson from the kids.

Skiing is fun!!! It shouldn't be about countless drills and thinking of a myriad of technical instructions as we make our way down the hill. Instead, ski like a kid. Look for the "funnest" way down the hill. Take advantage of of dips, rolls, and the sides of the run. Get some air! Ski where the snow is untracked and ungroomed. When you open your eyes to the possibilities, you will find areas of familiar ski hills that you have never before thought of skiing.

Concerned that this will impact your ability to improve? It's actually quite the opposite. Skiing up and down an embankment on the side of a run improves both balance and pivoting skills. Skiing through and over dips and rolls helps with pressure control and timing. Skiing less than perfectly groomed snow prepares you for an all-mountain experience when you travel.

But best of all you will remember why you began in this great sport and have fun! So next time you are on the hill watch some of the kids. See where they go. Then go tap that terrain and have a blast skiing like a kid!

Getting the Most out of Your Lesson

Have you ever experienced a lesson where everything just clicked and you were able to make a big change in your skiing? Perhaps the instructor said, did, or showed something that resonated with you. Just as likely, you were in a receptive place and open to learning that day. Being an active participant in the process ensures that you are getting the most out of your lesson.

How do you actively participate in a lesson? Take charge of your own success. Be open to trying what the instructor suggests. Your instructor knows your ability and wouldn't be asking you to do something if you were not capable. Sometimes a change is going to feel awkward at first. Stick it out and give it a chance.

Watch the instructor's demonstration closely and try to mimic not only the tactic but also the speed and turn shape. Pay attention to how you feel while doing it. Do you feel more or less in balance than usual? Where in the turn are you feeling pressure? On which ski?

Ask questions when you don't understand something. If you are not getting individual feedback ask for it. Listen to not only your feedback but also the feedback for the rest of the group. As they are of comparable ability to you, they are likely working on similar things. Plus if you have any aspirations to instruct someday, this is a great way to develop your eye to spot things people are doing well and things they can do to improve.

Be supportive of the other members of your group. When you see them make a positive change, tell them. Keep it positive. Instead of saying, "hey, you finally got your legs apart" try "your edging was really strong when you were skiing with a wider stance". Hopefully they will return positive comments when you do something well. And by following these simple tips, you will soon be giving them lots on which they can compliment you.

Women: Not Just Little Men

[Photo above: Britt Janyk]

Walking into a ski store these days you can't help but notice the proliferation of women-specific ski equipment. Is it all a clever marketing ploy or is there something to it?

There are technical and anatomical differences between male and female skiers. Women have a lower centre of gravity and thigh bones that angle towards the knee which can contribute to an "A-frame". For years women got beat up over this in lessons as male instructors tried to get their image to mirror that of a man's. Now it is recognized that so long as both skis are at the same angle on the snow a little A-frame can be okay! As a woman may not have the same strength as a man, putting her hips inside the turn gives her the leverage she needs to resist the forces of the turn.

In the photo above does Britt Janyk have an A-frame? That is, is her outside (right) shin at a different angle than her inside (left) shin? Absolutely. But are her skis on the snow at the same angle? Again, yes. So, is there anything wrong with the way she is skiing? Absolutely not! I know I'd like to carve a turn like her!

Women-specific equipment has come a long way in addressing women-specific issues. Women's boots are a lower height and tulip-shaped to accomodate women's lower calf muscle. They have padding specifically placed for women's anatomical foot shape. The most imprtant determinant in whether a woman's boot is right for you is your foot and your level of ability. A qualified boot fitter is essential in finding the right boot for you.

Women's skis, once known more for their pretty graphics than for performance, now come in high performance options. The concept is to have a woman's skis that is energy-saving yet athletically high performance by making adjustments to side cut, flex, weight and mounting system of the ski. Like any ski, it is best to try before you buy and go for what feels good and improves your performance, rather than what colour they are. Of course, if they happen to be a pretty colour, that's just bonus!

Why Wait for Snow? Start Skiing Right Now!

How would you like to transport yourself from in front of this computer screen to be on the slopes right now? Picture your favourite ski run laid out before you. See the trees covered with snow, the village down below, and the undulating surface of perfectly groomed snow with a dusting of fresh powder. It's first thing in the morning and you have the whole run to yourself. As you push off and begin to ski you can hear the snow spray beneath your skis as you carve the perfect turn. You feel the sun's warmth and a cool crisp breeze on your cheeks as you make your way down the slope linking one round turn after another. It's the run of your life.

Visualization is not only a great way to enjoy the sensation of skiing out of season or when you can't get to the hill, but is also a proven method of improving our skills by building muscle memory. One famous study on the topic was conducted by Dr. Blaslotto at the University of Chicago where he split people into three groups and tested each group on how many basketball free throws they could make. The first group practiced free throws every day for an hour. The second group just visualized themselves making successful free throws. The third group did nothing. After 30 days he tested them again. The first group improved by 24%. The second group improved by 23% without touching a basketball!!! The third group did not improve which was expected.

Imagine how much you can improve your skiing if you combine practicing with the mental rehearsal technique of visualization! Elite athletes do it all the time. You have probably seen ski racers at the start with their eyes closed, leaning on their poles, skiing with their arms through a course. For every one time they can physically run a course, they have hundreds of opportunities to practice it in their minds.

Tips for successful visualization:

1. Visualization works best if you make it a multi-sensory experience. Involve sight, sound, and feeling like we did in the opening scenario.
2. Visualize events unfolding out of your eyes (the first person). Think about the same things you think about when you are actually skiing. Feel the same positive sensations.
3. Picture yourself being successful. If you are just learning to ski the moguls don't picture yourself skiing through them with trepidation. Visualize yourself absorbing them as you execute rythmical controlled turns.
4. Practice. Just like you didn't learn to ski in a day, visualization is a skill that gets better the more often you do it.

I look forward to seeing you on the slopes soon. Until then enjoy many perfect runs in your mind!