Month: December 2014

Elaine, Taylor, Cliff, Lexy – Johannisberg and Israel – level 7, first day out, 8 inches new snow (heavy at that), skiing was really good!
Balance, pole plants, pole balance, upper/lower body separation, leg rotation, shin pressure, long/short radius turn drill, lead turn with new inside ski, more even pressure in powder. Have a great Christmas, hopefully we will meet again (great sweaters guys).

Abbey (level 1), Nickey (level 5) – a cold one, winter solstice, lots of new snow. Abbey all the way up to level three working on matching and actually made a few parallel turns. Nickey working on inside leg steering of the new inside ski, starting the turn with the downhill ski to keep them parallel. Enjoy your two weeks in Breckenridge, happy holidays.

Donna, Dan, Mike, Mary, Kay, Natisha, Brenda – strong level 7. Focus: balance, edge control, skidding. What are the edging body mechanisms, how to initiate an edge change, balancing more on both edges, side slips in irregular bumps, skiing ‘the line’, turn shape with more ‘slide’, skiing the fast line slow. Serious progress today, some good bumps turns, slow and in control, staying off the strong edge, less ‘shopping’, less effort. FUN … happy holidays!

Level 7: Pam, Judy, Donna, Joelle, Kat, Ruth, Donna. Balance main focus with the active thread of flex and extend (whoa, did we do a lot of that) and early edge change, how do these two concepts blend together, highest pressure point in the turn, what does flex/extend do for us, why an early edge change (how to make it happen), drills and bumps, video … some changes, do I ever like to see that. Thank you for being willing students and exploring the boundaries of your comfort zone.

One week until Christmas, presents to buy, meals to cook, family to coordinate, trees to trim … and what are we doing, ripping it up on Outlaw, now that’s the holiday spirit. Linda, Mary Lynne, Suzann, Mitzi (that would be ‘the Mitzi’), Chong, Laurel, Rebecca, Peter (token man). Balance was the focus, lots of threads branching off … Outlaw, Eagles Nest, Lulu, White Crown, Contest Bowl, Upper Towelette, Inferno, Meadows. Drills: pulling feet back under, pole balance (Mitzi drill), start on outside ski – finish on inside ski, squish the spider (Laurel drill). Chocolate for lunch and Harry & David pear thx to Mitzi. Almost everyone hung until 3:30 – now that’s a good day!

Peter, Diane, Laurel, Joe, Chong, Mitzi. No picture (forgot camera) … powder day! Really nothing else to be said, just a most enjoyable powder day. AND … Laurel brought dark chocolate with sea salt!

Judy, Pam, Holley, Dan, Barbara, Donna, Jenny – another blue bird day – we will pay for this! Once again focus on edge control: side slips in bumps, pivot slides, speed checks, picking a line, how the lower body tips, 10 turn contests, syncro skiing in pairs, turn shaping with ski performance and leg steering. Once again Jenny brought ginger snaps for lunch, this is Christmas before Christmas!

Susanne, Laurel, Jenny, Mitzi, Doug – level 8+. Tipping was the focus (ankle, knee, femur, hip) … tip early onto the new edges using momentum and centrifugal force from the previous turn to help the hips move inside the new turn. Side slips in bumps, stork turns, pole balance/hold/drop in bumps … Imperial bowl, Rustler, Peerless, Crescendo. Ginger snaps dipped in chocolate for lunch (killer), thank you Jenny. Holding the line in bumps, good job guys, fun to watch.