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Help Needed: Help Understanding Correct Stance/Posture

marzNC

Angel Diva
Thank you!! Such a great video. Any other recommended ones in the archives?
Maybe try asking a technique question in a new Ski Tips thread and someone will provide links to useful videos. There are plenty of videos out there but it can be hard to know which ones cover fundamentals well and which ones do not.
 

Powgirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I was just going to point out that stance should really start at the feet as that's truly where skiing actually happens. by getting the lower legs into efficient movements, the rest of the body should respond by merely remaining in balance. I find that much imbalance and stance issues are a result of ankles too open, with knees and hips over flexed to compensate.

I start every run by pressing my toes into the snow and really flexing my ankles. As downhill movement starts, these angles relax some, but balance remains because the lower body is correctly stacked.

I worked A LOT on this in PT this summer...without getting into full detail, my therapists didn't care for my stance much...they also pointed out my very long femur that throws me back, putting too much pressure on the knees...we worked on skiing more with my feet and ankles...and my posture...did we ever work on my posture, along with quads and glutes!

In two weeks, I will take what I learned to the slopes...I am a bit nervous about my knees...and, I have new boots, too ( went down a size and saw a bootfitter))...but am sooooo excited to get on the snow!
 

Skisailor

Angel Diva
I worked A LOT on this in PT this summer...without getting into full detail, my therapists didn't care for my stance much...they also pointed out my very long femur that throws me back, putting too much pressure on the knees...we worked on skiing more with my feet and ankles...and my posture...did we ever work on my posture, along with quads and glutes!

In two weeks, I will take what I learned to the slopes...I am a bit nervous about my knees...and, I have new boots, too ( went down a size and saw a bootfitter))...but am sooooo excited to get on the snow!

Good luck and please let us know how it goes! And to EVERYONE who enjoyed Ursula's video and this thread - please come back here and let us know how things are working out once you get on snow - whether you are trying this stuff and if you have questions or encounter problems or have a new breakthrough! :smile:

I like that Volklgirl mentioned the feet because that's how Ursula always starts - by getting people to become sensitive to the bottom of their feet so they can feel where along the foot their weight is centered. If you stand in your living room with knees and ankles slightly flexed and rock slowly forward and back, you can feel your weight move from heel to arch to ball of the foot to tippy toes. Play with it. Flex different joints in different amounts and see what that does to the location where your weight is centered. I like to call that ball of the foot area "home base". When skiing, I'm always readjusting my balance - using ankles, knees and hips - to try to keep my weight centered there - or to get back there if the terrain or snow knocks me around. Try not to be static in any of your joints, particularly those ankles!

A little off topic, but I was SO excited to see that in the most recent November issue of SKI Magazine, there is a ski tip article called "Crud Crusher" (p. 56) by Marcus Caston. One of his 6 crud skiing keys?? LOOSE ANKLES! Ursula is a huge advocate of loose ankles but I have not encountered other trainers and coaches who talk about this. When she skis crud, she absorbs most of the smaller shocks and bumps and lumps with her ankles which does not allow those shocks to travel up her torso and throw her around. It results in some smooth-looking skiing. :smile::smile: Loose ankles in chop and crud is one of the things I am continuing to work on this season. But I can tell you, it works!

To circle back - the ability to ski with loose ankles comes back to first being sensitive to the bottom of your feet so you can tell where your weight is centered. Then you - with your particular anatomy - can determine how much relative ankle, knee and hip flexion and extension to use while skiing to most efficiently stay "forward" over the balls of your feet.
 

kiki

Angel Diva
What I really liked about Ursula's video was the comparison to tennis and golf and demonstration of how to use that athletic stance and convert it to skiing.
I'm a golfer and this tied well for me
 

Skisailor

Angel Diva
What I really liked about Ursula's video was the comparison to tennis and golf and demonstration of how to use that athletic stance and convert it to skiing.
I'm a golfer and this tied well for me

Very cool!! :smile: It's probably clear in the video, but one common confusion about Ursula's "weight over the balls of the feet" mantra is that people think they have to lift their heels and balance up on that part of the foot. That would be hard! Especially in ski boots! So it's important to get the feeling of moving your upper body forward and back - with the whole foot firmly on the ground - and be able to "center" your weight over that "ball of the foot" area. The whole foot participates in balancing movements, but in her teaching scheme, there is a clear preference for where the weight should be focused.
 

Powgirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Great point, Skisailor...my perfect balance seems to be just behind the ball of the foot...I practice this every morning during my yoga routine.
 

echo_VT

Angel Diva
A little off topic, but I was SO excited to see that in the most recent November issue of SKI Magazine, there is a ski tip article called "Crud Crusher" (p. 56) by Marcus Caston. One of his 6 crud skiing keys?? LOOSE ANKLES! Ursula is a huge advocate of loose ankles but I have not encountered other trainers and coaches who talk about this. When she skis crud, she absorbs most of the smaller shocks and bumps and lumps with her ankles which does not allow those shocks to travel up her torso and throw her around. It results in some smooth-looking skiing. :smile::smile: Loose ankles in chop and crud is one of the things I am continuing to work on this season. But I can tell you, it works!

so interesting. we went out for the first time this season yesterday and my daughter was getting thrown around. i couldn't figure out what was happening. she's a good skiier but had a tough time with this. i thought she was edging too hard thru the crud but now i know it's too much flexion in the ankles and not enough looseness. i'm going to talk to her about it tonight. (she's 6 btw) :D
 

Skisailor

Angel Diva
so interesting. we went out for the first time this season yesterday and my daughter was getting thrown around. i couldn't figure out what was happening. she's a good skiier but had a tough time with this. i thought she was edging too hard thru the crud but now i know it's too much flexion in the ankles and not enough looseness. i'm going to talk to her about it tonight. (she's 6 btw) :D

That's starting her early! Awesome. Main thing is to at least get away from that "crush the grape" constant shin pressure concept . . .
 

AltaEgo

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Think Tits over tips! Make sure the girls and the relaxed knees are lined up with the toes of your bindings. Have a friend shoot a series of cell phone pics as you ski by each other.

I look far back in my photo, but it's the camera angle.
 

patoswiss

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
This is a great thread. I started with a Functional Patterns trainer a few years ago and what we work on is a lot of what is being discussed here. It has changed the way I stand, walk and ski. Last season my weight distribution had changed and is now even across my toes/mid/heel and I can easily shift it. And I realized how much I overuse my quads and don't spread the work to my hamstrings which has change my stance dramatically. The big change this season is my feet/ankles/calves are so active now that the top of my foot is higher when I stand/walk/ski. I think I will need to buy new ski boots because there isn't enough volume across the top of my foot. My toes go numb almost immediately. I skied with three open buckles this week to keep feeling in my toes. My arch hasn't changed as much as the position of my foot when I am in an athletic stance and the way I use the muscles. Maybe new/modified footbeds will help, I hope! I love my boots! Functional Patterns has made me a completely different skier and I am able to overcome the bad skiing habits that I have carried with me since I was a teen.
 

liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I think I will need to buy new ski boots because there isn't enough volume across the top of my foot. My toes go numb almost immediately. I skied with three open buckles this week to keep feeling in my toes. My arch hasn't changed as much as the position of my foot when I am in an athletic stance and the way I use the muscles. Maybe new/modified footbeds will help, I hope! I love my boots! Functional Patterns has made me a completely different skier and I am able to overcome the bad skiing habits that I have carried with me since I was a teen.
A good bootfitter can remove the boot board from the bottom of the boot shell. It's a stiff plastic thing that reaches all the way from the front to the back of your boot, and your foot sits on it. It's loosely sitting in the shell, and can be removed easily once the liner is out.

That bootboard can be shaved down to allow your foot to sit lower inside the boot. This will give you more room above your instep.

You mention new footbeds - that may also help.

Best of luck on getting this sorted.
 

patoswiss

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm hoping it can get sorted with the boot I have. I have always been comfortable in it. I had 3 out 4 buckles completely open to solve the problem, hoping the boot will still work. Super thrilled that I am getting results from my trainer. Since we don't ski all year, the first 1-2 times on skis each season for the past few years has been cool because there is always something different.
 

Little Lightning

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I also work with a functional movement trainer. My boots have always been in the 80-90 flex range. In the middle of the season 2 years ago my legs would get tired after a few hours of skiing. I've developed more muscle in my legs so I thought my CWX tights were too small so I quit wearing them. The tiredness didn't go away. Last season I felt my boots weren't supporting me. It seemed like my legs were holding me up. I bought new boots in a 95 flex and the soreness went away.

Since you've improved your body mechanics you may need new insoles. The old ones could be inhibiting your movement patterns. I know everyone says you need insoles in your ski boots but I don't use them. My arch barely gives when I put weight my foot. I don't have any foot or ankle pain so I just go without.
 

patoswiss

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Good point! I will try without insoles next time. I do want to have them to keep my feet warm and get rid of dead air space. I'll figure that out after I test ski without insoles.

I realized last week that my flex is too low. Us skiers, we are always obsessing about our boots, lol!
 

Little Lightning

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Good point! I will try without insoles next time. I do want to have them to keep my feet warm and get rid of dead air space. I'll figure that out after I test ski without insoles.

I realized last week that my flex is too low. Us skiers, we are always obsessing about our boots, lol!
You're right about "obsessing" about our boots. I worried all summer about what I should do. Then in late summer I found Tecnica made slight changes to the model I have. Around and around I went, 85 flex not stiff enough? 95 flex too stiff? My ever so wise boot fitter assured me that the 95 flex could be softened if need be. So I got the 95's and not only did I get a more sportive boot but the upgraded liner meant a better fitting boot.
 

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