@teleskichica
Great question. I stand on my bosu ball and dance through range of motions that include squats. That really works my lower leg strength. Basically a lot of varied movements sometimes I stand behind the center point of the bosu ball to mimick the front ankle flex.
Last week, for the very first time, it occurred to me that I "wall sit" when skiing because that is where I am really strong. I can do squats for days. But when I am forward it fires up all kinds of other muscles and I get very fatigued if I haven't been skiing regularly and I fall into the backseat to take a break. Thoughts?
I find my core strength to be most important.
Lol. I agree. Although my husband likes my "new" wobblier/softer center of mass relative to the former brick wall core I'm trying to rebuild.Don't want a wobbly center of mass!
Are you making tele turns or parallel turns on tele skis?I am looking forward to reading through this entire thread but do have a question: what leg exercises do you do to train for not skiing in the backseat?
Last week, for the very first time, it occurred to me that I "wall sit" when skiing because that is where I am really strong. I can do squats for days. But when I am forward it fires up all kinds of other muscles and I get very fatigued if I haven't been skiing regularly and I fall into the backseat to take a break. Thoughts?
I've mentioned the names of the instructors I work with the most, but usually in a trip report or in a thread where someone is asking for a recommendation in a particular region or ski area/resort.I mostly making tele turns but I had an amazing tele lesson session a few years back -- am I allowed to say names? She was incredible and I am hoping to return -- and was advised I really needed to learn some fixed hill parallel ski techniques as building blocks.
Alpine turns on tele or Alpine gear? It is trickier on tele doing Alpine. Feet being under versus spread out means more precarious balance and more likely to ski a bit aft to minimize the risk of doing a flying superwoman maneuver!
The last time my daughter was at Alta, she had her tele gear. But hadn't skied for a while being too busy with high school. She was skiing pretty advanced terrain doing parallel turns . . . not with me because I wasn't up for it yet . . . including High Rustler. So she didn't lose any downhill turn ability switching to tele. She really appreciates having more comfortable boots.I ski with some guys in my seasonal program who can do every type of terrain and conditions with alpine turns on tele gear.. It totally blows my mind!!
The last time my daughter was at Alta, she had her tele gear. But hadn't skied for a while being too busy with high school. She was skiing pretty advanced terrain doing parallel turns . . . not with me because I wasn't up for it yet . . . including High Rustler. So she didn't lose any downhill turn ability switching to tele. She really appreciates having more comfortable boots.
My understanding that learning tele turns can help someone's alpine technique and vice-versa. Note that I'm not thinking about tele turns with deep knee bends where the knees are almost at snow level. That's amazing to watch in deep powder.
The muscles at the front of your lower leg are the ones that bring your whole body forward. The movement in question is "dorsiflexion." It's also known as "closing the ankle." ... or bending forward at the ankle. The skier closest to us is dorsiflexing; the skier beyond isn't. You can tell by looking at the tilt of the lower leg.....what leg exercises do you do to train for not skiing in the backseat?
True! But do be careful running downhill. You must, must must keep your feet under/behind your center of mass, or downhill running brings with it knee-destroying repetitive impact problems. Ask me how I know.@teleskichica , it seems counterintuitive, but walking/running downhill can help strengthen the muscles at the front of the shin as well. It’s an eccentric contraction, where your muscles are lengthening (in this case plantar flexing) while also load bearing (your body weight). Coincidentally, downhill walking/running is also an eccentric contraction in the quads and another way of strengthening those muscles.
What are the muscles you’re finding that get fatigued when you’re forward? Maybe the issue is more flexibility than strength.
Timely considering my thread on SkiTalk. For me, I have to take a more active role in activating the tibialis anterior vs. just letting my body weight rest against the tongue of the boot. I think it has something to do with my hyperflexibility--I can maintain shin contact with the boot tongue and still sit my butt in the back seat, especially after a summer of rigorous mountain biking. I got injured on my bike and had to take nearly 6 weeks off heading into ski season, and have had to work on being a much more efficient skier as a result. This is a good thing and silver lining to my injuries, even though my knee still gets cranky while skiing and my index finger is still stiff and sore, oh and I have a scar under my left eye. (For those who don't know, I got hit while I was out riding uphill by a descending rider. He launched me right off my bike. 1 star, do not recommend!)The muscles at the front of your lower leg are the ones that bring your whole body forward. The movement in question is "dorsiflexion." It's also known as "closing the ankle." ... or bending forward at the ankle. The skier closest to us is dorsiflexing; the skier beyond isn't. You can tell by looking at the tilt of the lower leg.
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Doing this movement brings the whole body from the ankle up forward by tilting the lower leg forward. Some people find raising the toes and front of the foot inside the boot to do the trick; they don't actually rise up since you're standing and your feet are trapped in your boots, but attempting to raise them dorsiflexes the ankle.
A common mantra to say to yourself to remind you to dorsiflex is "Tongue-Shin". Put your shin against the tongue of the boot and keep it there as you ski.
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Here are the muscles that dorsiflex the ankle:
Here are two exercises for strengthening those muscles indoors.
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These words describe my experience exactly.Timely considering my thread on SkiTalk. For me, I have to take a more active role in activating the tibialis anterior vs. just letting my body weight rest against the tongue of the boot. I think it has something to do with my hyperflexibility...