Author: bbooker99

Mathew, Suman – Atlanta, Austin. Focus: coming off the hard edge, flatter skis (the hill supplies plenty of edge, don’t need more), more ‘up and down’ with the knees and ankles, how to get strong, letting the CM cross over at initiation, tip both skis simultaneously to new edges at transition, steer (leg rotation) both feet (skis together), lot more slide and skid – much less ‘ride the edge’, shaping the turn, turn tips more uphill at finish, use friction and shaping to control speed, lots of friction when more of ski base on the snow, hands on knees drill, uphill arch drill, 80% of weight on inside ski drill (this was a drill, not skiing as such), wider arms and hands, lower the CM for stability. patience when the turn starts (ok to come through the fall line slowly), larger radius turns, be smooth!

Frank & Andrew – St. Louis. Guess the focus of today would be how to complete the last 5% of the turn (and such is not all that easy). As the skis come around the bottom of the turn with high pressure, strong leg steering is needed to finish the turn out … and for that to happen the hips need to be open to the outside of the turn, the inside leg flexed up toward the chest, the core dropping to the inside of the turn -with that, the femurs are allowed to rotate aggressively and bring the turn across (and sometimes up) the hill for speed control. Uphill arcs with inside leg tipping, line drill, hockey stops, how to deal with icy spots (prayer maybe best option), lots of bumps (keep skis on the snow, edges maintaining grip), short radius/long radius/fast/slow turns, engage the inside edge of the new outside ski (feel that edge), start to pressure the ski as the new inside leg flexes and the hips progressively rotate and open to the outside of the turn and the skis and CM (center of mass) quickly begin to separate in the lateral plain.

PS. Clemson was tough, they are on a roll, not sure they are up to Alabama.

Bertha, Argelia, Aden – somewhere in Texas, somewhere in Mexico. Level 1, boot work, one ski slide around, two skis slide around, side step, make a wedge, sliding wedge, wedge changeups, wedge direction change, stable upper body, arms up and out, look down the slope (not at your ski tips), wedge turns around the brushes.

Amir – Duluth, MN (son of Yelena). Not much talking, lots of skiing, more activity with the ankles and knees, getting lower and aggressive, skis closer (same width as hips), not collapsing the knees to the inside (each knee over each foot), absorbing the bump, keep head at constant height in uneven terrain (aka, bumps), both skis on the snow, always maintain edge grip, let the tips drop toward the fall line as edge change occurs/pressure both skis around the turn as the legs extend when the bump falls away, tip and steer both skis together (no wedging at transition in the bumps), it’s ok (very ok) to let the inside leg shorten as the hip rotates to face the outside of the turn (this a must to enable leg steering through the finish phase of turn).

Yelena (think I finally got the spelling right) – Duluth, MN. Ramping up the intensity, this is starting to look like ‘real skiing’! Hands on knees, getting lower in a more athletic stance/position, arms wider and lower, no more standing tall, active flex/extend with the legs, hockey stops (cant’ do these standing tall, need edge control and the ability to slide), side slips (this seems to show up in every lesson, wonder why), varying radius turns, hip rotation and inside leg flexion (got to have this for steering through the finish of the turn), introduction to pole touch.

Yelana – Duluth, MN. Coming off a hard edge to finish the turn, tipping to a more flat ski which can be steered and creates friction with the snow, turning hips (not always facing the trees), ‘show the tattoo’ for releasing new inside ski, what is leg rotation, pivot turns on top of bump, steering both feet together, bump traverse with lots of leg absorption (flex into the bump, extend down the back side), short radius turns, arm and hand position (get ready for that pole plant), long radius turns in the bumps (first bump lesson), tighter corridor with rhythm turns (use the energy from turn to turn), knees separated same a feet (no knee collapse), hops, more dynamic range of up & down with leg joints.

Owen – Starkville, MS. Start on Rip’s Ride, end on Colorado Super Chair. How to get rid of the wedge? … can be done, not that easy. Start with traversing with parallel skis, somewhat even weight, side slipping while traversing, less dependency on downhill ski, steering tips uphill at end of traverse, lots of garlands turning uphill from a slipping traverse, releasing the inside ski, starting the turn with the inside ski, balance, more motion in ankles and knees, not so much break at the waist, speed control with friction and shaping, using less of the slope – big traverse not needed.

Diane – Salt Lake City. Slow the ski direction change down at top of turn, let the turn develop, tip then steer, both skis on snow (no lifting inside ski to match), dynamic range of leg flex/extend, most flexed at finish of turn, let the pole touch trigger the CM crossing over the skis to become inside the new turn, let the new inside ski lead, initiate the turn with the new inside ski, where is the ‘sweet spot’ of balance (foot pressure & shin pressure), rhythm to carry old turn energy into new turn (this helps initiation to new edges – A LOT), pivot turns (don’t lose sleep over these, practice and they will get better, if you are balanced at the sweet spot on your feet/skis, then both feet can pivot together), let the legs get separated from the body core (the more the better).