Left, right or center?

[MaineSkiLady]

Picture a run, your choice of comfortable grade.
Distinct perimeter at sides, whether trees, snow fence, whatever (let's take cliffs out of the equation).
Your preferred choice of conditions, same from side to side.
Lighting the same across entire run.

Where will you ski it? Left, right or center?
Over the years, I have noticed my own preference to a specific side (left). DH prefers right. Even if I'm just left of center, if I have a choice, it's left.

I theorized many years ago (in a galaxy far, far away ) as to the reason for this. Before I share it with you, I just wanted to know if anyone else has this tendency.

I try not to be a creature of habit, try to get to the right - conditions and traffic often make that decision for me.

But I think I kind of have an interesting theory as to why we gravitate toward one side of the run versus the other (I'm not a center-of-run skier in most cases).

Okay, maybe this is totally dumb, but just wondering about anyone else and what they think causes their preference, under the ideal conditions described above.

 

[mollmeister]

Given the conditions described above, I would say I gravitate toward the right. On an open run, or something with bumps or variable snow, I ski the best line, wherever it is. But on a tree-bordered groomer, It's always the right. Weird.

Could it have anything to do with the fact that I am *goofy* (right foot forward) on a wakeboard?

 

[MaineSkiLady]

G
Could it have anything to do with the fact that I am *goofy* (right foot forward) on a wakeboard?

No, I think my theory would explain WHY you are goofy on a wakeboard AND prefer to ski the skier's right.
Curiosity increasing?
I'll post my theory tonight.

 

[skigrl27]

Depends on if I've done all sides of that run before & if there are people in the way.

I think I'm a right-gravitator as well though. Weird.

 

[LadyLes]

Hmm...you know, I have noticed this...I usually end up on the left side. DH is all over the place..haha. Maybe because I'm left-handed and I just like stuff on my left??

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Should have stated more clearly: NO ONE ON THE RUN.
What will happen is that you probably WILL go to one side or the other.
As I said, not weird, it's a cool theory.
Presented tonight.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Hmm...you know, I have noticed this...I usually end up on the left side. DH is all over the place..haha. Maybe because I'm left-handed and I just like stuff on my left??

Nope.
Not according to my theory. Well, wait. Side dominance will factor into yours.

 

[Marigee]

I'm a left gravitator - all things being equal on the run (no traffic, etc.) My theory - I'm left-handed.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I'm a left gravitator - all things being equal on the run (no traffic, etc.) My theory - I'm left-handed.

You're getting luke warm. Think about your stronger turn direction.

 

[Severine]

I would pick the left. I'm right-handed. It's been so long since I've skied that I can't remember which side are my weaker turns, though. :( But my left side is, ironically, my weak side. That's where I sprained my knee... sprained that ankle at least a dozen times.. that's the foot I broke.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I would pick the left. I'm right-handed. It's been so long since I've skied that I can't remember which side are my weaker turns, though. :( But my left side is, ironically, my weak side. That's where I sprained my knee... sprained that ankle at least a dozen times.. that's the foot I broke.

Another interesting and telling confirmation of my theory.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Also, hopefully some of you will have fun testing this theory out once I explain it. I don't think I've shared this with anyone but DH in 25+ years! Not that it's a big deal or great revelation, but it seemed like something that would be food for thought here.

 

[vanhoskier]

I gravitate towards the left side (all things being equal) although I'm right-handed.

 

[MaryLou]

I sometimes feel like I must be a trained dog...my natural instinct (exceptions aside) is to go down the left, close to the trees. It originally started because there seems to be more soft stuff piled up on the left, now it's become a habitual thing. I was mentioning to this to a friend while skiing a month or so ago, and he theorized that most people are right-handed and somehow when they turn on skis they push the snow to the left...he found he did that and when I was paying attention, it seems to be true of me too. Luckily people must stay mostly in the middle of groomed trails, because they push it all to the sides for me

 

[jaydog]

I don't stick to one side over the other. I'll hit both sides but tend to stick to the center if I'm going to hurtle straight down. I'm right-handed/legged, ride regular, bat righty, but I'm left-eye dominant and wear my watch on my right hand. (apparently righties are supposed to wear a watch on their left hand?)

 

[Jilly]

Geez I really had to think this one through. Going down some favorite runs in my head, on a sunny afternoon midweek - neat fantasy that I needed today. I tend to stay right. Probably because I can turn left better/faster, away from harm (that fence there!).

 

[SkiNurse]

Best line, usually on the sides of the since that is where some of the better, softer snow is. I also, ski under the lift.

But, if it was a run, without any people and my own tracks, then the center.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I tend to stay right. Probably because I can turn left better/faster, away from harm (that fence there!).

BINGO! WINNER, WINNER! Think about this. That's the ticket. More later, gotta go out to dinner.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

The theory, FWIW

Dinner could run long, so I'm going to spill the theory now.

The side of the run that you prefer is directly related to your stronger turn. Think about it: we all have one. Even Bode Miller has one. (He just covers the weak turn better!) Transitioning from one turn to another is part of the equation here. Another factor is the strength of the new downhill inside edge, and the quickness with which your former downhill edge becomes your uphill edge.

SO- if you have a stronger, quicker turn to the right, you are going to gravitate toward skiing the left side of the run. Without even thinking about it, you'll choose the side from which you can more quickly and efficiently escape the edge.

But how does it relate to side dominance? Because you have an inherently stronger leg on one side as well. This may or not be related to your hand use. Some of us (me, for example) are totally brain-scrambled and are cross-dominant. I'm left eye, right hand, left leg, I'm a confused soul. Your stronger leg is probably going to be the one you favor for forward position on a slalom water ski (esp in a deep water hole shot) or wakeboard. Great favoritism for that stronger leg.

Like I said, nothing fancy or scientific - just something I thought about years ago when I started heavily favoring one side of a run over another. It's certainly not applied 100% - obviously other factors come fully into play with varying conditions of both snow and traffic. The ideal, deserted, perfect run is rare.

But if you get a chance to play with it sometime, go out and feel the difference in your turns and test the theory. I think you'll find that the side of the run you choose has a lot to do with how strong your turn is AWAY from that run edge - and how confident you are in that turn's strength and quickness.

 

[fatoots]

Nice!

Now, dear MSL, can we also apply your theory to trails with a double fall line? If I make stronger right hand turns, do I enjoy skiing Obsession, or Escapade more?

This has been a topic with a few of us recently.