One of the simplest things a skier can do to improve their skiing is to change where they look when they ski. If you love the way it looks when your skis disappear under deep powder or how cool it is when you show off the base when you are carving, you are not looking far enough ahead! When you are driving, do you look at your hood ornament or the road? The next time you see ski racing on TV take a look at where the racers are looking. They are not looking at the gate they are skiing around, they are looking two or three gates ahead. Integrating the same tactic into your recreational skiing will dramatically improve your skiing.
Skiers that look down or immediately ahead when they ski are often not symmetrical from turn to turn. They fail to anticipate changes in terrain. Their skiing lacks flow. They are more likely to be involved in collisions with other people on the hill.
So the next time you are skiing, pick an object way down the hill to focus on – a ski chalet, body of water, or a caution sign. Keep it in your sight the entire run. If you are not in the habit of doing this, it will feel foreign at first and you will likely have to keep reminding yourself to look up. But I guarantee you will be skiing faster, more fluidly, and in control.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
A Fresh Start
A unique part of skiing is its limited season. Without extensive travel and expense, we can only ski a few months of the year. This brings a process of relearning as we start again each year. It is important to be easy on ourselves during this time and not compare our skiing to what we were doing at the end of last season. Think of it instead as an incredible opportunity for reinvention and to break past one’s previous abilities. Here are some ways to ease back into the season while setting yourself up for your best season yet.
Balance is one of the most critical aspects of skiing. In order to get your season off to a great start, the best thing you can do is experiment in finding your balance. One way is to concentrate on your feet in your boots. Think about feeling your feet flat on the bottom of the sole of the boot throughout the turn.
Play with your stance. Do one run with your legs as wide apart as you can muster. Do the next run with your feet glued together 80s style but still using good form. Find a position somewhere between that feels natural to you.
While standing still, try hanging off the front of the boot. Then see how far back you can lean in them. Find a relaxed natural position somewhere between.
Remember that in order to maintain balance while skiing over constantly changing terrain, balance must be in motion. Keep your legs moving constantly through the turn without any static posed spots.
Choose terrain with which you are comfortable to figure things out. But don’t be afraid to once in a while throw in a more challenging run. This will prevent you from getting caught in a rut and make you a more rounded skier.
Look ahead when you ski. Not just for safety but to add flow to your skiing by anticipating where you will be a few turns out.
Mix it up. Everyone has a favourite turn shape that we like to revert to. If it is medium sized turns that are your thing, do some great big turns mixed with some short turns in the same run. This promotes movement and adaptability.
Ski top to bottom. Especially if you are skiing in Ontario. Our runs are simply not long enough to stop, rest, and re-gather part way down. If you want to get back in ski shape quickly or prepare yourself for skiing a bigger mountain, you need to ski longer runs. You should be a bit out of breath at the bottom. It shows you are pushing yourself. You have the whole lift line and chairlift ride back up to recover.
Ski loose. Chances are the skiers you admire on the hill have a relaxed ease to their skiing. Make a conscious effort to be loose and free. And have fun!
Hope something here resonates with you and you have an incredible start to your ski season! Hope to see you on the slopes soon!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Lessons from the Rink
Ice skating, whether it is hockey, ringette, or figure skating, is one of Canada’s great past-times. It is hard to grow up in Canada and not have skated at some time in your life. Being your typical prairie Canadian, I grew up on skates, logging 15 years of figure skating while simultaneously coaching figure and power skating for the last 7 years of my skating career.
Then when I graduated from high school I stopped. It was what was expected. I moved on, went to university, began my career, and eventually embraced downhill skiing as my winter passion. But I still dreamed of skating and this fall after a 20+ year hiatus, I returned to the sport. Doing so has caused me to reflect on the similarities between skating and skiing.
There is a lot of muscle memory involved in a sport you performed regularly over 15 years. Though I had only skated a half dozen times in the last 20 years I had full confidence I would still “have it” when I returned. Skating across the ice the first time, I really missed having a long ski underfoot instead of a wee blade. Which brings me to my first shared skill: Balance. If you can balance on a rockered blade that’s 5 mm wide and less than a foot long, what challenge is there to a 66 cm wide, 164 cm long ski?
Of course, Stance goes with balance and there the hockey players’ semi-prone body position is much more similar to that of a skier’s. For years I had to work on getting rid of my figure skater’s arched back when I skied. Now that I am skating again, I am trying to straighten it back from the rolled over posture I’ve gotten used to as a skier!
Strong skaters have the ability to move quickly from forwards to backwards and backwards to forwards. Hockey players do it by transferring weight from one foot to the other (a Mohawk in figure skating parlance) while figure skaters are also capable of doing it on one foot (a three turn). Both methods of turning require Pivoting – turning with the feet- our second ski skill. Three turns involve bending the knee to initiate, un-bending (unweighting) to pivot, and bending again to complete. Sound a little like a ski turn?
Ever watch a hockey player fly around a corner to pick up a loose puck? How about ice dancers create deep, round edges as part of their program. There is even a warm up drill for skating called slalom. Yes, the third shared skill between skiing and skating is Edging. When skiing, skaters have a great ability to “move inside” the turn due to their well-developed lateral balance.
As a point of departure between the two sports, when you carve in skating, your weight is on your inside leg, the opposite as when you are skiing. This is what makes skaters so good at inclination (leaning into a turn) but sometimes lacking in angulation (maintaining weight on the outside ski by keeping the body in a C-shape).
With skating as in skiing, a lot of forces are built up that need to be reined in. In figure skating you see this when figure skaters “check” using a still upper body to land a jump or exit a turn. You also see it when they land a jump, reaching down to their ice with a straight landing leg that then quickly bends and absorbs the pressure upon contact with the ice. This can be likened to a skier absorbing the forces with their skis for Pressure Control, the fourth shared skill.
The final shared skill is Timing and Coordination. In hockey, you have to have incredible hand-eye coordination to pass the puck or score. Timing is everything. In figure skating, all routines are set to music with jumps, spins, and dance moves timed to the beat. Having the wrong timing on a jump or lift can be disastrous. Teaching skaters how to coordinate their movements and implement a pole plant is a piece of cake.
What these five skills don’t take into account are the intangibles that make skaters great skiers – a zest for life, fearlessness, and embracing of our Canadian winters.
So, if you are looking for a great off-season way to work on your skiing, or a way to stay in ski-shape on days you can’t make it to the hill, why not consider lacing up and getting in some skating? Your skiing will be all the better for it. See you at the rink!
Then when I graduated from high school I stopped. It was what was expected. I moved on, went to university, began my career, and eventually embraced downhill skiing as my winter passion. But I still dreamed of skating and this fall after a 20+ year hiatus, I returned to the sport. Doing so has caused me to reflect on the similarities between skating and skiing.
There is a lot of muscle memory involved in a sport you performed regularly over 15 years. Though I had only skated a half dozen times in the last 20 years I had full confidence I would still “have it” when I returned. Skating across the ice the first time, I really missed having a long ski underfoot instead of a wee blade. Which brings me to my first shared skill: Balance. If you can balance on a rockered blade that’s 5 mm wide and less than a foot long, what challenge is there to a 66 cm wide, 164 cm long ski?
Of course, Stance goes with balance and there the hockey players’ semi-prone body position is much more similar to that of a skier’s. For years I had to work on getting rid of my figure skater’s arched back when I skied. Now that I am skating again, I am trying to straighten it back from the rolled over posture I’ve gotten used to as a skier!
Strong skaters have the ability to move quickly from forwards to backwards and backwards to forwards. Hockey players do it by transferring weight from one foot to the other (a Mohawk in figure skating parlance) while figure skaters are also capable of doing it on one foot (a three turn). Both methods of turning require Pivoting – turning with the feet- our second ski skill. Three turns involve bending the knee to initiate, un-bending (unweighting) to pivot, and bending again to complete. Sound a little like a ski turn?
Ever watch a hockey player fly around a corner to pick up a loose puck? How about ice dancers create deep, round edges as part of their program. There is even a warm up drill for skating called slalom. Yes, the third shared skill between skiing and skating is Edging. When skiing, skaters have a great ability to “move inside” the turn due to their well-developed lateral balance.
As a point of departure between the two sports, when you carve in skating, your weight is on your inside leg, the opposite as when you are skiing. This is what makes skaters so good at inclination (leaning into a turn) but sometimes lacking in angulation (maintaining weight on the outside ski by keeping the body in a C-shape).
With skating as in skiing, a lot of forces are built up that need to be reined in. In figure skating you see this when figure skaters “check” using a still upper body to land a jump or exit a turn. You also see it when they land a jump, reaching down to their ice with a straight landing leg that then quickly bends and absorbs the pressure upon contact with the ice. This can be likened to a skier absorbing the forces with their skis for Pressure Control, the fourth shared skill.
The final shared skill is Timing and Coordination. In hockey, you have to have incredible hand-eye coordination to pass the puck or score. Timing is everything. In figure skating, all routines are set to music with jumps, spins, and dance moves timed to the beat. Having the wrong timing on a jump or lift can be disastrous. Teaching skaters how to coordinate their movements and implement a pole plant is a piece of cake.
What these five skills don’t take into account are the intangibles that make skaters great skiers – a zest for life, fearlessness, and embracing of our Canadian winters.
So, if you are looking for a great off-season way to work on your skiing, or a way to stay in ski-shape on days you can’t make it to the hill, why not consider lacing up and getting in some skating? Your skiing will be all the better for it. See you at the rink!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Setting Yourself Up For Success
From turkey tent sales and ski shows to the nip in the air, signals abound that the ski season will soon be upon us. As passionate skiers we can't help but start to make ski plans, get our gear in check, and perhaps even think about goals for the season.
What helps you to get better as a skier? One key is mileage. Whether you were lucky enough to get that mileage as a child or are now building it as an adult, to get better at skiing you need to spend time skiing. Now is the perfect time to lay out your ski plan for the year - whether it's marking up a calendar, inputting it into Outlook, or (like me) a detailed Excel spreadsheet, commit now to the number of days you plan to ski this season. Then try to beat it.
Of course we all know that repeating the same thing over and over expecting a different result is the very definition of insanity. Guided mileage is key. Start the year with a lesson. The first ski day after the summer break is magical. Just when you're thinking "will I remember how to do this?" your body takes over and you recall why you love skiing. This sensation of your body taking over is what is often referred to as muscle memory. The beginning of the season when your muscle memory is just being reactivated is the perfect time to break bad habits before they are reinforced.
Once the season is underway, check back in periodically with lessons to measure your progress and to find new ways to develop your skills. But remember to also spend time free skiing and integrating this knowledge. Discovery is an important part of the learning process.
Challenge yourself. Try new things. Define now what your goal for the season is going to be. The opportunities are endless - skiing black diamond runs on your next vacation to a big mountain, getting comfortable in the moguls, racing the gates efficiently, or becoming a ski instructor. The best goals are SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. Speak to an instructor about steps you can take to reach your individual goal.
The ski season will soon be upon us. Make it your most successful season yet!
What helps you to get better as a skier? One key is mileage. Whether you were lucky enough to get that mileage as a child or are now building it as an adult, to get better at skiing you need to spend time skiing. Now is the perfect time to lay out your ski plan for the year - whether it's marking up a calendar, inputting it into Outlook, or (like me) a detailed Excel spreadsheet, commit now to the number of days you plan to ski this season. Then try to beat it.
Of course we all know that repeating the same thing over and over expecting a different result is the very definition of insanity. Guided mileage is key. Start the year with a lesson. The first ski day after the summer break is magical. Just when you're thinking "will I remember how to do this?" your body takes over and you recall why you love skiing. This sensation of your body taking over is what is often referred to as muscle memory. The beginning of the season when your muscle memory is just being reactivated is the perfect time to break bad habits before they are reinforced.
Once the season is underway, check back in periodically with lessons to measure your progress and to find new ways to develop your skills. But remember to also spend time free skiing and integrating this knowledge. Discovery is an important part of the learning process.
Challenge yourself. Try new things. Define now what your goal for the season is going to be. The opportunities are endless - skiing black diamond runs on your next vacation to a big mountain, getting comfortable in the moguls, racing the gates efficiently, or becoming a ski instructor. The best goals are SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. Speak to an instructor about steps you can take to reach your individual goal.
The ski season will soon be upon us. Make it your most successful season yet!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Straddling East and West
Last winter my dreams came true. I was able to spend the entire winter living in the mountains, skiing every day, instructing and training with an incredible ski school, and oh yeah, taking in the Olympic alpine events in person. I turned the layoff from my corporate job into the opportunity of a lifetime.
Last winter's blog posts were written from Whistler, usually after a hard day's skiing. Since returning to Toronto, I've had the opportunity to reflect on some of the differences between skiing and instructing in the East versus the West.
Days at Whistler Blackcomb began with early moring training sessions for the instructors. There I quickly learned a couple things. These skiers skiied fast! Aand they don't stop. I was initially held back by my Ontario obsession with trying to make each turn perfect. I had to learn to just go for it and let my skis run. An invigorating way to start the day for sure! I also had to build up my endurance. My muscles and my cardio had to take me the equivalent distance of at least five Ontario-length runs without stopping.
So when could an Ontario insrtuctor excel? Perhaps not surprisingly in more technical conditions - on the odd day that we didn't have fresh snow or worked on skills like short radius turns. Then my "skinny skis"" (carving skis) came in handy! As did my regimen of meticulously waxing and edging my skis - something that is less of a focus for skiers that are always used to fresh snow.
One thing that has always bothered me as a skier in Ontario was so-called skiers who couldn't be "bothered" to ski in Ontario and limited their skiing to the one week or two they could get away each year. I love skiing too much to go a sinlge weekend without skiing. While Ontario does not present the challenging terrain that the west has to offer, there are many opportunities to improve your skiing - ski gates, moguls, trees. Heck, if that fails to challenge you, try skiing backwards or head into the terrain park!
The hardest part of my experience was winter ending and leaving Whistler. I would have stayed in a heartbeat if I could have figured out a way to integrate my professional life into the community. So I am back in Toronto where I have started my own company and will be instructing for High Park this winter. But I will still be straddling East and West as I have also committed to teaching at least four weeks for Whistler Blackcomb. You will be hearing from me from both places come this winter so stay tuned....
Last winter's blog posts were written from Whistler, usually after a hard day's skiing. Since returning to Toronto, I've had the opportunity to reflect on some of the differences between skiing and instructing in the East versus the West.
Days at Whistler Blackcomb began with early moring training sessions for the instructors. There I quickly learned a couple things. These skiers skiied fast! Aand they don't stop. I was initially held back by my Ontario obsession with trying to make each turn perfect. I had to learn to just go for it and let my skis run. An invigorating way to start the day for sure! I also had to build up my endurance. My muscles and my cardio had to take me the equivalent distance of at least five Ontario-length runs without stopping.
So when could an Ontario insrtuctor excel? Perhaps not surprisingly in more technical conditions - on the odd day that we didn't have fresh snow or worked on skills like short radius turns. Then my "skinny skis"" (carving skis) came in handy! As did my regimen of meticulously waxing and edging my skis - something that is less of a focus for skiers that are always used to fresh snow.
One thing that has always bothered me as a skier in Ontario was so-called skiers who couldn't be "bothered" to ski in Ontario and limited their skiing to the one week or two they could get away each year. I love skiing too much to go a sinlge weekend without skiing. While Ontario does not present the challenging terrain that the west has to offer, there are many opportunities to improve your skiing - ski gates, moguls, trees. Heck, if that fails to challenge you, try skiing backwards or head into the terrain park!
The hardest part of my experience was winter ending and leaving Whistler. I would have stayed in a heartbeat if I could have figured out a way to integrate my professional life into the community. So I am back in Toronto where I have started my own company and will be instructing for High Park this winter. But I will still be straddling East and West as I have also committed to teaching at least four weeks for Whistler Blackcomb. You will be hearing from me from both places come this winter so stay tuned....
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Packing it in
For those not lucky enough to have a spring ski vacation on the horizon, it is time to start thinking about packing away your ski gear for the summer. A little extra care now will set you up for a great next season.
First your skis: before stashing them away, treat them to a thick coat of hot wax. Coat not only the bases but also include the metal edges. Do not scrape. The wax will keep the bases moist so your skis don't dry out or warp in the off months. Covering the edges helps prevent them from rusting. It doesn't matter which of your ski waxes you use. I use whichever one I have the most of at the end of the season.
Note your DIN number and write it down on a Post-it note that you attach to your skis. Then take a flat edged screwdriver and release the front and back DIN of your bindings by unscrewing it to zero or until there is no tension left. This will ease the tension of the springs and ensure your bindings continue to work well for the lifetime of your skis. Just don't forget to re-set the DIN come fall! The Post-it note will remind you to re-set as well as remind you of your DIN. Store your skis somewhere with little temperature fluxtuation and that isn't too dry or too damp. So long as they are completely dry, storing them in your ski travel bag will keep them dust-free.
Before putting away your ski boots for the season, make sure the buckles are fastened in the same spots you keep them fastened when you are wearing them. Do up the power strap. Ski boots should never be left unbuckled even during the season as the hard plastic has memory that will make them difficult to fasten later. Store them somewhere that does not get too warm. Heat will affect the plastic shell and can undo any work (punching out) you have done on the boots.
Finally, I find it very useful to make note of any ski items (e.g., gloves, long underwear) that I need for the following season. Then you will be armed for any surprise summer sales or fall ski shows.
For those finished skiing for the season, enjoy your summer! For those not quite ready to call it quits, it has been DUMPING in Whistler. Look me up.
First your skis: before stashing them away, treat them to a thick coat of hot wax. Coat not only the bases but also include the metal edges. Do not scrape. The wax will keep the bases moist so your skis don't dry out or warp in the off months. Covering the edges helps prevent them from rusting. It doesn't matter which of your ski waxes you use. I use whichever one I have the most of at the end of the season.
Note your DIN number and write it down on a Post-it note that you attach to your skis. Then take a flat edged screwdriver and release the front and back DIN of your bindings by unscrewing it to zero or until there is no tension left. This will ease the tension of the springs and ensure your bindings continue to work well for the lifetime of your skis. Just don't forget to re-set the DIN come fall! The Post-it note will remind you to re-set as well as remind you of your DIN. Store your skis somewhere with little temperature fluxtuation and that isn't too dry or too damp. So long as they are completely dry, storing them in your ski travel bag will keep them dust-free.
Before putting away your ski boots for the season, make sure the buckles are fastened in the same spots you keep them fastened when you are wearing them. Do up the power strap. Ski boots should never be left unbuckled even during the season as the hard plastic has memory that will make them difficult to fasten later. Store them somewhere that does not get too warm. Heat will affect the plastic shell and can undo any work (punching out) you have done on the boots.
Finally, I find it very useful to make note of any ski items (e.g., gloves, long underwear) that I need for the following season. Then you will be armed for any surprise summer sales or fall ski shows.
For those finished skiing for the season, enjoy your summer! For those not quite ready to call it quits, it has been DUMPING in Whistler. Look me up.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Pow Pow!
As I write this, it is dumping snow outside which means one thing - powder! True powder days are elusive and thus stand out in skiers' memories. The key is to make it stand out for being fun rather than tedious.
Many western skiers are effortless in the powder, floating along on top of the snow. Not only do they have the opportunity to ski powder more often but they are also often on a wider ski. Some ski widths have gotten ridiculous. I've seen many skis this season that are wider in the mid-section than my skis are at the tip and tail. However, a mid-fat ski (around 80 mm) underfoot will allow you to float on the snow while still controlling the ski. Unless you are doing the majority of your skiing in powder (if we could be so lucky!) or you keep more than one pair of skis, it will not make sense for an eastern skier to buy mid-fat skis. However, that doesn't mean you can't rent them for the day. Just do it early - maybe even the night before when lots of snow is in the forecast - as they sell out quickly on a powder day.
Whether on mid-fats or "skinny" eastern skis, try running a straighter line than you would when you are carving. You need more speed in the powder as it will slow you down. If you are uncomfortable with speed in this unfamiliar environment, try it first on easier terrain. How to weight your skis? I had always been taught to keep my skis closer together in the powder and to weight them more evenly. However, this year I have been exposed to the new train of thought which is to ski more like you would when you are carving - "pedaling" through the turn by keeping the skis hip width apart and transfering weight from one outside ski to the other as you transition between turns. I have found this incredibly effective in the powder and more akin to the way one usually skis. It is particularly helpful once the powder begins to be chopped up as it helps maintain balance.
Like anything, the best way to get better at skiing powder is to ski it. So fingers crossed that there are many powder days in your future. Not to rub it in, but I'm signing off now to catch this one!
Many western skiers are effortless in the powder, floating along on top of the snow. Not only do they have the opportunity to ski powder more often but they are also often on a wider ski. Some ski widths have gotten ridiculous. I've seen many skis this season that are wider in the mid-section than my skis are at the tip and tail. However, a mid-fat ski (around 80 mm) underfoot will allow you to float on the snow while still controlling the ski. Unless you are doing the majority of your skiing in powder (if we could be so lucky!) or you keep more than one pair of skis, it will not make sense for an eastern skier to buy mid-fat skis. However, that doesn't mean you can't rent them for the day. Just do it early - maybe even the night before when lots of snow is in the forecast - as they sell out quickly on a powder day.
Whether on mid-fats or "skinny" eastern skis, try running a straighter line than you would when you are carving. You need more speed in the powder as it will slow you down. If you are uncomfortable with speed in this unfamiliar environment, try it first on easier terrain. How to weight your skis? I had always been taught to keep my skis closer together in the powder and to weight them more evenly. However, this year I have been exposed to the new train of thought which is to ski more like you would when you are carving - "pedaling" through the turn by keeping the skis hip width apart and transfering weight from one outside ski to the other as you transition between turns. I have found this incredibly effective in the powder and more akin to the way one usually skis. It is particularly helpful once the powder begins to be chopped up as it helps maintain balance.
Like anything, the best way to get better at skiing powder is to ski it. So fingers crossed that there are many powder days in your future. Not to rub it in, but I'm signing off now to catch this one!
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