dloveski
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
We've all had breakthrough moments on our ski journeys, that one moment when it all comes together, you get it at last, and it's really a thrill.
I had one yesterday after a host ski clinic. I ski the whole mountain, prefer powder and trees and fat boards. But in this year of little snow, I am committing to working on fundamental bad habits I've accrued. At this clinic, each of us was 'diagnosed' and given a prescription------just one thing tailored to each of us to work on--mine was to focus on earlier release of my downhill ski in the turn.
The Issue: My turns on bumps and crud are inconsistent. Clunky at times. I get down OK, but with some skid turns and the feeling that it seems harder than it should.
The Solution: My turn transition. Simply, I tend to hang on to the downhill ski (born of decades of survival skiing on steeps). I was told to drill on releasing (or unedging) my downhill ski slightly prior to the turn. Work on that transition in the bumps and ungroomed (the groomers don't seem to be an issue).
The result: This seemed so trivial. But, I took it to the mountain. First run on my own, down big steep bumps. BAM, I fell hard. What the ?????. All day long I kept at it, bumps, steeps, only thinking of that ONE thing, forgeting all else (like arms, hips). All day, release, commit turn, release, commit, turn. Voila. I did not want to end the day. Took it out on a steep bowl, mostly nailed it. My other ski sins seemed to vanish, my turns were crisper in terrain that I usually call on my survival ski technique to navigate down with. Could this little subtle thing have been the key all along?
The next question---how do I carry this breakthrough onward after a break of a week or so? Will I revert to my tried and true bad habits?
Probably, but it helps to concentrate on ONE thing---and this awesome women instructor (the best around here) nailed that ONE thing for me to work on, to fix what's been broken.
It really struck me how subtle skiing really is. All this time I've tried aggressive tactics, thinking it was some power formula. When it's really a ballet, with subtle feet and weight shifts.
I'd love to hear other Diva breakthrough stories. I think that is what engages us in this sport called skiing---that quest for improvement no matter where we are in the journey.
Thanks for indulging me. I had to share.
Can such a small thing be hindering my skiing? But this year, there's no powder, off piste eventually leads to bumps, so I've been drilling to overcome my lazy skidding soft snow habits.
I had one yesterday after a host ski clinic. I ski the whole mountain, prefer powder and trees and fat boards. But in this year of little snow, I am committing to working on fundamental bad habits I've accrued. At this clinic, each of us was 'diagnosed' and given a prescription------just one thing tailored to each of us to work on--mine was to focus on earlier release of my downhill ski in the turn.
The Issue: My turns on bumps and crud are inconsistent. Clunky at times. I get down OK, but with some skid turns and the feeling that it seems harder than it should.
The Solution: My turn transition. Simply, I tend to hang on to the downhill ski (born of decades of survival skiing on steeps). I was told to drill on releasing (or unedging) my downhill ski slightly prior to the turn. Work on that transition in the bumps and ungroomed (the groomers don't seem to be an issue).
The result: This seemed so trivial. But, I took it to the mountain. First run on my own, down big steep bumps. BAM, I fell hard. What the ?????. All day long I kept at it, bumps, steeps, only thinking of that ONE thing, forgeting all else (like arms, hips). All day, release, commit turn, release, commit, turn. Voila. I did not want to end the day. Took it out on a steep bowl, mostly nailed it. My other ski sins seemed to vanish, my turns were crisper in terrain that I usually call on my survival ski technique to navigate down with. Could this little subtle thing have been the key all along?
The next question---how do I carry this breakthrough onward after a break of a week or so? Will I revert to my tried and true bad habits?
Probably, but it helps to concentrate on ONE thing---and this awesome women instructor (the best around here) nailed that ONE thing for me to work on, to fix what's been broken.
It really struck me how subtle skiing really is. All this time I've tried aggressive tactics, thinking it was some power formula. When it's really a ballet, with subtle feet and weight shifts.
I'd love to hear other Diva breakthrough stories. I think that is what engages us in this sport called skiing---that quest for improvement no matter where we are in the journey.
Thanks for indulging me. I had to share.
Can such a small thing be hindering my skiing? But this year, there's no powder, off piste eventually leads to bumps, so I've been drilling to overcome my lazy skidding soft snow habits.
