Month: March 2016

Terri – Virginia Beach. Starting to match more consistently, tipping of the new inside ski to release, rhythm, using momentum to help initiate the new turn, less dependence on just the downhill ski, rotating both skis (feet) together, turn shape to control speed. It’s starting to gel …..

Maddy (princess), Bella (tiger), Lily (lion) – all different levers (6 through 3) … some matching and sliding drills, some pole drills, some upper body stability drills, some more even pressure drills, working both skis (feet) in unison, less reliance on inside edge of inside ski as a brake.

Andy & Terri,  Virginia Beach. Alignment and stability of upper body, edge and pressure vs. twist and brace, slow the turns down to reduce the rotary motion … more pressure on uphill ski, edge control (gentle), sliding on both skis, matching and sliding … tomorrow address initiating the turn with skis staying parallel.

Dave, Andrew, Ella, Rosie – DC and Great Britain … crazy spring weather some sun and blizzard. Steep bumps on Rustler, Mule … some less steep stuff on Wales and White Crown. Lots of focus on eliminating the rotation to change directing and replacing with early edge change and pressuring the skis to effect binding and ski performance. Some bump stuff with traverse balance and tactics … hands on knees, side slip line and video. An intense day with some challenging terrain and new technique … don’t lose sleep over the summer thinking about when to flex and when to extend, creating pressure and releasing edges … I’ll remind you next March … happy summer!

Frank, Leanne, Andrew, Airanna, Alex … one of the best days in seven years, it just seems to ‘click’ for everyone. The family can now ski together without ‘needing’ to ski together, if that makes any sense. This whole transition/edging thing is starting to gel, the legs are waking up doing the tasks that legs in skiing are designed to do, balance in uneven terrain (aka bumps) is being explored … and the race course, champions in our own minds (what else matters). Was a terrific three days, thank you! Stay safe this summer, stay in touch … was the best week of winter.

Frank, Leanne, Andrew, Arianna, Alex – this was a good day. A real religious experience at church, some of the best off piste skiing of the year, Whales was interesting, first ones down, zero visibility – now that’s good stuff. Tree skiing in the PM with Mother Earth and Alex, just trees, pressure the skis and work on flexing. Could have done without the bus thing but staying late and talking over a hot cup of honey water was worth every minute. These are good pictures, they tell a story.

Michael – Colorado. Some light powder in the morning, hands on knees drill to explore ‘flex’, pivot turns, more patience after edge change, wider turns in the bumps (don’t be in a hurry to change direction with the skis), always pressure on both skies. Best snow on Peak 6. Thanks Michael for a good two days, I hope to have helped more than confused the mind, some things will go away for awhile (pulling the feet back) but when returning they will return stronger. Have a great summer.

Frank, Arianna, Leanne, Alex, Andrew – killer first couple of runs at church with Frank and Arianna down Dukes and Rounders, maybe 6 inches or so with more in spots, nothing like religion to start the morning off right. Mother Earth and Alex working on less of a vertical rise with the leg extension, staying more flexed at transition and let the legs get long in the shaping phase of the turn … said another way, stay ‘down’ longer – stay ‘up’ less (how’s that). Poles and hands behind back drills to develop the ‘feel’ of ankle/knee flexion at transition – it’s the ‘cross under’ technique of getting the center of mass and base of support to cross. Don’t overthink this Leanne (yeah right, you will do it anyway) … let it roll around the head for awhile (days and years) and the muscle memory will come. Drink more wine, life is short! I am pushing you and Alex a little harder than normal right now, the two of you have stepped into the world of ‘serious skiing’, no more training wheels … think you (plural) are ready for this … that is if Mother Earth doesn’t have a mental short circuit overload. No picture today, forgot … but I almost can remember that I had for breakfast yesterday.