Breckenridge Ski Lesson Pictures And Some Food For Thought

Once again no picture, had camera but hands too cold. Elaine, Bob, Terry, Terry Violeta. Stayed on Crescendo working on technique, counter balance, counter acting, always have a pole plant, don’t square up, lift inside ski exercise, smooth line, feel the edge then commit to it, flexion through the transition, don’t push the down hill leg out through the apex – let it extend to maintain snow contact as the hips come to the inside and edge angle increases. A cold day, snow good.

No picture today, forgot camera but maybe Laurel will send one. Level 9 
'wild and crazy' bunch: Laurel, Diane, Olive, Paola, Chongee, Rebeca, Jenny.
Counter balance and counter act at edge change, new edges THEN maybe some 
active steering - better yet, balance on the inside edge of the new outside 
ski and let the forces of the turn dictate how the hips counter, how much 
angulation needed, how the legs extend and flex. Some words about arms, 
hands and poles, balancing on one ski (the outside one in this exercise).

…

Linda Carr, Kay Jones, Dean Kelly, Catharine Merigold, Scott Ribe, Donna Watson. What are the real mechanics of a turn, how do experts turn, is there one turn that works in all terrain, how do we do it!

Don Medula, Nick Rozak, Meow Rozak, Linda Himmrich, Brenda Griffth

All about tipping (edge change ) at transition, no rotation, counterbalance, counteract – let the ski make the turn, put it on edge then manage the pressure.

Deborah, Kris, Briana, Cody, Ella, Amanda – Grand Cayman … but in reality it was just Cody and I working the ‘go from level 1 to level 5’ in one day, a late start day at that. Start with the gliding wedge, then turning wedge, match during the traverse, tipping and rotating (twisting if you like) the inside ski getting to to release easier/earlier, slip along the berm, get some skidding into the mix, chair 5, more lower body angles, less upper body movement, use the arms to stabilize (up and out), some vertical motion to lighten and pressure the skis, turning and friction (the holy grail), and the even bigger ‘holy grail’ … READY POSITION – SIDEWAYS! Good job Cody, you are off to blues tomorrow!

Karrie & Kyle – San Antonio. Another slush day (from about 9:30 to 11:30 snow was great), good for balance, kind of fatiguing. Coming off the hard edge and short radius turn that creates a wedge with inside ski ‘stuck’, how to ‘unstuck’ a ‘stuck’ ski, more pressure on inside ski, release with an edge change then start to skid and shape, keep the hips facing (doesn’t have to be a lot) the outside of the arc – the shoulders will follow, use arms to your advantage, shuffles, hop turns (these are hard), let the hips and feet separate, 60% friction/40% turn for control, how to rotate the femurs, create body angles (any angles good now even if not completely correct), use the dynamic range of the legs by letting them flex and extend, nose/knee/toe piece alignment, larger radius turns, carrying some energy from turn to turn. Kyle, thanks for hanging in there – every day of skiing increases your skill level … Karrie, you are so non-over reactive, well done.

Valeria (Miami), Susie (Miami) – level 4, getting rid of the wedge. So warm today, afternoon like skiing in a snow cone globe, riding the chairlift was good just to get a breeze. All about balance: shuffle feet, push pull feet, walk uphill/downhill, balance on one set of edges and then the other, static hops, leg rotation (steering the feet), edge release, more movement in the lower legs, upper body quiet, hands out for balance, pressure on the shins to keep off the heels, lifting one ski (this a drill, not complete skiing), bigger turns, use skidding (friction) and turns for speed control, relax, position of strength (let feet and hips become separated), edge change then steer into the new turn, how to release the inside ski if stuck in a wedge (tip and steer), some pressure on both skis, never lift one off the snow (this will definitely effect balance). I know the snow this afternoon not easy, thx to sticking it out – good skiers are hardy!

John (Miami), Mariana (Miami), Christie (Jensen Beach) – the Florida invasion. So warm today, no wind down low, think we all overdressed a bit. What a roller coaster day as far as ‘I don’t get it’, ‘This is hard’, ‘Starting to get it a little’, Now it’s totally gone’, ‘wow, think I’m figuring this out’. How to get out of the hard edge wedge, tipping to the uphill edged, leg rotation (call if foot steering if you want), hands on knees, pole under arm, pole balance, bigger radius turns, more down hill then start to shape and skid, hockey slides, hop turns, staying balanced, position of strength, hips over feet, speed control with friction and shaping. Delightful day, thank you.