Warming Into The Season
The season is upon us and El Nino has returned, promising to inundate the Sierra with snow. The anticipation of snow and the first turn is growing into a reality. After a long summer with a daily routine of 50 one legged squats (or 12 oz. curls in the lazy boy) you're body is ready for the slopes. But before we get too carried away, you should know that the first day or two on the slopes can be the best time for you to improve your technique and make the rest of the season even more enjoyable.
The first few runs can produce some of the clumsiest sensations you will feel during the entire season. You're rusty, that's natural. Believe it or not, that rust can also work to your advantage because it makes you more open to improving your technique. Old, bad habits are also rusty, and are easier to change. Now is the time to get rid of them before they return. So let's look at the very foundation of your skiing, the stance, and work towards perfecting it.
The stance is critical because all other skiing movement builds upon it. If your stance is unbalanced, your skiing will always be inherently unstable, causing you to work harder, fatigue more quickly, and increase your risk of injury. No matter how many one leg squats (or 12 oz. curls) I do, if I'm not centered, my legs will be on fire half way down the hill! The better a skier is at maintaining a good middle position on his or her skis, the easier it is to achieve higher quality, efficient skiing.
A balanced, centered position is achieved through constant movement. Every time a turn is initiated, the center of mass should move forward. Take a look at the skier shown, notice how his shins are parallel to his spine, and how both are perpendicular to the hill. The importance of this position relates to basic biomechanics. As the joints bend slightly, the muscles start to contract; this puts the body into a "ready" state. Therefore, the skier is able to make quick and explosive movements when needed for terrain and snow variations.
To attain this centered position, move your navel (center of mass) toward the tips of your skis. You can experiment in the lift line. Go ahead and lean forward until the front of the boot is felt on your shins. Do not lower your stance to feel the boot. You should almost feel your heels lift off the bottom of the boot. Remember, we are talking about continuous movement. The center of mass leads the way and the result is the shins contacting the cuff of the boots. Such movement will permit your weight to move toward the tip of the ski. This movement should initiate the turn. Now go try this on the hill. The outcome of forward pressure makes for an easier entry into the turn. Another way to visualize this is to think about letting your body lead the way down the hill. The skis will follow. When done correctly, you should feel like you are freefalling down the hill. If you have ever taken a lesson, this movement is commonly referred to as an extension movement.
The beginning of the turn is only the...well, beginning. The turn starts with pressure on the ball of the foot. As the arc continues, your weight should move toward your heel. Keep in mind; all three joints (the ankle, knee, and hip) must flex equally in order to achieve perpendicularity to the hill. Once you feel the entire arch flatten in the boot, you've gone far enough. Now move forward again. The quickness of this fore and aft movement determines the radius of the turn. Quicker movement shortens the turn and slower movement lengthens the radius.
You don't need snow to work on a centered position. At home, stand in your living room and rock back and forth. Notice how the weight moves from the ball to the heel. Remember, you should only rock back enough to feel equal pressure along the entire foot. If we move too far back, the legs will lock out and prevent most movements. The result on skis can be a "jetting" affect. In other words, the skis will shoot out ahead of the body and your skiing will quickly transform into a wild Rodeo Ride. When you think you've got it, close your eyes and do it some more. Closing the eyes will help you feel your balance more precisely. Performing this exercise for a few minutes a day will help to build it into muscle memory-and to prepare you for the snow.
When you get to the snow, you don't want to just ride up to the top of "Death Cornice for Those with Immense Egos Run." A better idea would be to slow things down for the first several runs. That's right, warm up on a run that you consider to be very easy. No need to take this at a ballistic pace, since you camped out in the parking lot all night waiting for the lifts to open, you have all day to ski. Force yourself to ski at 25%. Slowing down the movements not only pumps blood and loosens up rusty muscles, it lets the brain and muscles start working in conjunction again. It allows you to maintain control of your movements, imprinting proper technique into your muscles. Ski too fast and you will rely on strength rather than technique. Don't be embarrassed to be seen on a non-extreme slope, most top-skiers warm up gently whenever they ski.
The first few days on the hill can be as good as any, and may be more important for your development as a skier than the season that will follow. Start off slow and build from there. Before you know it you will be back in form, and skiing better than ever.
The first day or two on the slopes can be the best time for you to improve your technique and make the rest of the season even more enjoyable.