Dynamic skiing...

[Tryin2Ski]

This is my third year skiing and finally now feel in control and not fearful anymore. I am making round turns and am at a decent speed and for once don't feel out of control anymore. I am able to do blacks now (mid-Atlantic) and feel comfortable about it.

During our clinic, our instructor took videos of us skiing. I would like to learn how to give my skiing some oomph or pizazz or something, lol. I am making turns and staying in control but my skiing doesn't seem too exciting, lol, as evidenced by the video.

Is this just a matter of having more upper and lower body separation? Or something else?
I see skiers whose torso is in one location and their legs out to the side somewhat and would like to learn something like that (but not too extreme).

Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[volklgirl]

Dynamic skiing requires upper and lower body separation and retraction and extension of the legs as well as projection of your Center of Mass (belly button) down the hill and into the center of the turn.

Single legged skiing, 1,000 steps, hop turns and pivot slips, step-up and White Pass turns, and the boot touch and Schlopy drills are all steps in the progression to get there. It's also very difficult to really learn while moving slowly, as the pressure changes during the phases of the turn are easier to feel and manage while moving with some speed.

On VERY gentle terrain, start by making some medium radius turns at speed, then begin reaching down to the bottom of the outside boot with the outside hand while reaching straight up with the other hand, then switch early between each turn. You should feel a huge pinch between your ribs and your hip bone. Make sure you're not "breaking at the waist" (bending forward) while doing this...it needs to be a directly sideways move. Done correctly, you should feel the skis really hook up and carve in the middle of the turn while building pressure near the bottom of the turn. As the turn finishes, you have to extend upright to switch hands, releasing that end-of-the-turn pressure. That should really give you the feel for more dynamic turns.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[litterbug]

So, what did the instructor have to say about the video? Were you able to see and understand what he/she was talking about? What skills in particular have you been working on? Did he give you something to work on? Or is he going to work with whatever he thinks you need in the course of the clinic?

When I take a lesson--which I don't do nearly enough--I rely on the instructor to identify the next thing that's going to make a difference in my skiing, and work on that. Even in a recent lesson that I didn't much enjoy, the instructor had us working on rotary and balance, and that revealed a big fat gap in my skills. For the moment I'm working alone on things like falling leaf and, just to try the impossible, 360s on the snow, that instructors on another ski forum have recommended. Even though the drills aren't easy for me and I can't do any of them really well, every little thing I do that works to make the drill better translates to more balanced and less rough-feeling turns. I'm still an advanced intermediate with tons of flaws, but IME the more you learn, the more dynamic and fluid you can get.

Good luck with those lessons--I think being willing to work on the skills that let us be fluid and dynamic is what will keep you from getting stuck on that dreaded perpetual intermediate plateau.

Oops--volklgirl got in before I posted, and because I have to make dinner I'll just recommend doing what she said, because she's smart--but leave my rambling post as it is.

 

[maggie198]

I've been consciously working to ski more dynamically the last three seasons, after, like you, seeing a video of myself skiing. Only mine was on the local tv channel, lol. I'm into the 4th season working on this. Volkl girl gives some good advice, but it's a progression and you have to learn to walk before you can run. Certain skills are built off of the ones learned below them. When you take lessons let your instructor know that you want to learn to ski more dynamically, and she/he will more than likely accomodate you with some drills to help.

 

[Nic Nic]

Any chance that you could post the video? Im also trying to work on more dynamic skiing and the same drills that have been recommended to you. Would love to see where youre at??

 

[Skier31]

It sounds like you are doing great! All good suggestions above.

Mileage and lots of it will help you be more confident and to explore more movements, faster pace and steeper terrain and will lead to more dynamic skiing.

 

[Serafina]

More lessons will help. I suspect that any "dynamic" you get before you get the upper/lower separation will just have to be something that you need to unlearn, so I'd work on the separation first. It's not easy. I have decent separation and respectably dynamic skiing most of the time, but occasionally I fall apart and wind up with my upper body in some weird position, so it's not as easy as it sounds.

FWIW, I didn't start working on "dynamic" skiing in lessons until after I was already linking turns and controlling my speed with turn shape on black diamonds - it's a great thing to aspire towards, but don't worry that you don't have it already.

 

[litterbug]

More lessons will help. I suspect that any "dynamic" you get before you get the upper/lower separation will just have to be something that you need to unlearn, so I'd work on the separation first. It's not easy. I have decent separation and respectably dynamic skiing most of the time, but occasionally I fall apart and wind up with my upper body in some weird position, so it's not as easy as it sounds.

FWIW, I didn't start working on "dynamic" skiing in lessons until after I was already linking turns and controlling my speed with turn shape on black diamonds - it's a great thing to aspire towards, but don't worry that you don't have it already.

I very much agree with Serafina. I don't know how dynamic I am, but my experience is that it just takes a while to grok what separation even is, to say nothing of actually doing it well. Same thing with articulation, which I think is what you're seeing when someone's skis look like they're way far away from where their body is; it really doesn't make sense until you start to practice it, and no matter how much you practice, your instructor will smile and say "you're not moving nearly as much as you think you are."

I'd add balance, too. I'm shocked at how little balance I've had as I've seen my skiing change since I started building a little bit of balance awareness.

Anyway, it's a good move to tell your instructor that you yearn to be dynamic. Chances are he'll start working on something that seems completely unrelated, but IMO it's totally fair to ask him to explain how that will move you toward your goal.

 

[Tryin2Ski]

I had a 2 hour private with her and then a mini group clinic 2 weeks later which is when the video was taken. It was after she sent the video to me and I really started thinking about it is when I realized I am undynamic. I am just meandering down the slope without any pizzaz.

She said I should work on getting more forward, not backseat, during transition my body is going up instead of diving forward, and to pretend there is a string connecting my hip to my hand. I think I said all that right. Most of this was said during the private lesson but it wasnt until later when I saw the video that it sunk in. Also that I should practice one foot skiing with inside tip down.

But at the time I didnt ask if all this was going to contribute to me becoming more dynamic because I hadnt seen myself on video. But based on your input, I believe it will. Thank you all for your advice. I am not ready to post my video, lol.

 

[snow addict]

What the VG said. Great drill. A tip I was given was to avoid having tense upper body as it somewhat restricts separation.

 

[geargrrl]

One thing that has really helped me improve is to exaggerate. and I mean really exaggerate, any movements "required" for skiing. The old "what you think you are doing" vs the "what you really are doing" thing really applies to skiing.

 

[SkiBam]

One thing that has really helped me improve is to exaggerate. and I mean really exaggerate, any movements "required" for skiing. The old "what you think you are doing" vs the "what you really are doing" thing really applies to skiing.

Which is why, for me at least, video is such a great learning tool.

 

[litterbug]

I should warn all the Divas coming to Utah this week--at some point I'm going to force someone to take video of me--or at least some pictures. Of course I'd love video of the times when I feel I'm skiing my best, but at this point I'd be happy to see what anything I do looks like, even if I'm stiff as a board and completely flaking out!!

 

[KatyPerrey]

Just keep skiing!

IMO - Dynamic skiing comes with mileage and confidence. The more you ski the more confident you are and that dynamic skiing you are looking for will happen.

 

[mustski]

I should warn all the Divas coming to Utah this week--at some point I'm going to force someone to take video of me--or at least some pictures. Of course I'd love video of the times when I feel I'm skiing my best, but at this point I'd be happy to see what anything I do looks like, even if I'm stiff as a board and completely flaking out!!

I have a great HD camera and you just gave me motivation to bring it!

 

[gardenmary]

I have a great HD camera and you just gave me motivation to bring it!

What a great idea! Wouldn't it be great if we could all get some video or stills. I did a clinic some years ago where videos were a part of it, and we all watched each other's to learn from each other (and encourage each other). I would LOVE to get an updated video.

 

[mustski]

What a great idea! Wouldn't it be great if we could all get some video or stills. I did a clinic some years ago where videos were a part of it, and we all watched each other's to learn from each other (and encourage each other). I would LOVE to get an updated video.

OK then, I will bring it!

 

[SkiBam]

It's pretty easy to get video of yourself with an iPhone or other smart phone. Just get a friend to stand below you, then make a few turns straight toward them. Pass enough to their side so they can film you from the side and ask them to get a few turns from the back. Sure, the quality won't be anyway near as good as with a proper video camera, but you should be able to get an idea of your skiing. Transfer the video to your computer, then you can watch it in full speed and slo motion, and stop it wherever you like.

 

[Tryin2Ski]

My instructor used an app called Coach's Eye and with it, she was able to flip through the video frame by frame to slow down our movements so we could better analyze it.

 

[litterbug]

Thanks, @mustski, I'll try to be ready for my cameo. In my case, I'm prepared to be quite amused at what I see. I guess I can always claim that the camera made me nervous.