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Building better balance.

Olesya Chornoguz

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I take ballet 3 times a week and starting dancing on pointe recently so I think that probably takes a good care of my balance training, both static and dynamic. It will be interesting to see how this impacts my skiing this year. One-legged balances are relatively easy for me now, but can't quite balance on one leg while being on my toes yet (called demi pointe in ballet). I legged balance on demi pointe is crucial for pirouettes and lots of other intermediate ballet steps so I am working hard on it.

I think even beginner ballet classes help with balance, probably other dance classes do too, at least somewhat, though ballet may be the most intense balance training amongst dance classes. Yoga is great for improving balance. In my ballet classes there is a woman wo is a yoga instructor and she has a fantastic balance.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
I think even beginner ballet classes help with balance, probably other dance classes do too, at least somewhat, though ballet may be the most intense balance training amongst dance classes. Yoga is great for improving balance. In my ballet classes there is a woman wo is a yoga instructor and she has a fantastic balance.
For sure ballet helps with balance for skiing. Develops flexibility too. Both my nieces took a lot of ballet. They were still actively participating in performances in their 20s after college. They learned to ski with very little effort before high school even though they only skied a few days for a few years.

I took enough ballet as a kid to do an intense point class in 6th grade. But didn't keep it up after that. I learned to ski (straight skis) in 7th grade pretty quickly when I was in school in the mountains.

People who are good dancers probably also learn to skate, ice or roller blade, relatively easily. Skating is good cross-training for skiers.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
This simple 1-leg balance exercise popped up on my YouTube "recommendations" when I was looking at another ski conditioning video. The first variation is one I recognize from the final stages of knee PT back in 2012.

 

snoWYmonkey

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I am a huge fan of dynamic balance exercises, pre season especially. My ski fitness 8 week course has almost no exercises that don't encompass some balance challenge. Lots of one legged squats, bends, 1 legged versions of everything. Tons of 1 legged bosu ball based movements. Heavy off balanced upper body work to strengthen core. Skiing is so much core on off piste steeps where core balance allows for dynamic flowing recovery mid run or mid turn.

Training with a super form conscious trainer is key. Quality not just quantity. No point getting hurt getting ready for ski season!

One legged ladder (flat ladder) work is good too. But always back to coreand stable ankles for me, all g with efficient glute use and proper knee alignment while training.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Was looking for an old BOSU video (didn't find it), but found a relatively new one by Deb Armstrong about dynamic balance. She was a World Cup alpine racer won an Olympic gold medal in 1984. She was on the PSIA Demo Team for a few years. What she demonstrates is mostly somewhat beyond what I'm willing to do on the BOSU, but she makes some interesting general points at the beginning and end about working on balance as part of ski conditioning.

 

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