"quiet feet" may fix my turns!

[deannatoby]

This has been a good year. I finally am getting out of the backseat, turning better. For some reason my turns to the left have been a real bear this season. My feet are too far apart so my outside leg goes straight and I can't flex ankles/knees well and control my turn shape. I have struggled to fix it and in my turns I can feel my stance is too far apart. My turns to the right feel great--stance good, learning to get some flex, and I feel my weight moving over that inside foot and down the hill. The other side though is all wrong.

At this week's lesson the instructor taught us about "quiet feet" and how they should stay about the same width all through turns and transition. We watched some skiers as they went by us and saw that many tended to widen their feet in transition and then bring them together again in the turn. THAT WAS IT! On my good side I could concentrate on my feet and keep them in a more consistent stance, but once I went to my bad side I could feel my feet widening in transition so I was entering the turn poorly. I worked a little on my own trying to keep my feet together and it was hard on my bad side, but when I did my turns were so much better, and I could tell that my balance/stance on that side was better.

So, I think "quiet feet" and focusing on transition is the way to fix my turn!

 

[2ski2moro]

Breakthrough moments are wonderful! Just curious. What do your instructors say as to how far apart your feet should be?

 

[litterbug]

What do your instructors say as to how far apart your feet should be?

I'd really like to hear too! I decided to try skiing with a wider stance yesterday but couldn't really tell when or if they were too far apart.

 

[deannatoby]

Hip/shoulder width. On me there isn't much difference between the two. Not too close like the old straight ski technique but my bad stance on that side was wider than my shoulders.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

Personally, I like a slightly wider stance for carving on groomers and slightly narrower for powder and moguls.

Remember, that if it is really steep the feet may appear to be far from each (one much higher than the other) though the width may actually be minimal!

 

[Jilly]

Personally, I like a slightly wider stance for carving on groomers and slightly narrower for powder and moguls.

I agree, but that said, I'm a boot banger, so its too narrower most of the time. eh Mountainxtc??

What you're describing is very typical of people that learned on the straight skis. It's the only way they can compensate for their narrow stance.

 

[mountainxtc]

LOL @ Jilly

Here's my $0.02 on stance width:

What we get from a wide stance is STAbility
What we get from a narrow stance is MObility.

We need to find the right balance between the two, and this can vary depending on a bunch of variables e.g. speed, pitch, snow conditions etc.

There is a big range and the width of your stance is only a problem if it is so extreme that it is preventing some mechanics of the turn from happening. For example, if your stance is so wide that it is impossible (or very difficult) to turn both legs simultaneously. Yes you are stable but you are not mobile. On the other hand, if your stance is too narrow you block your ability to turn with the lower body, instead having to compensate by pushing the feet from side to side (and out from underneath you, never good), wiggling from the hips or using a lot of upper body rotation. Plus you are wobbly and unstable.

As long as you do not have any of these symptoms you can play within the range.

As for ways to change your stance width. There is no magic "how". Obviously it seems easy to say "just put your feet closer together" but that is easier said than done. The most effective way I have found is to experience the extremes. Get the feeling of what it feels like to be restricted by exaggerating a wide stance, ski a third of the run with your feet as wide as you can physically get them. Note the feelings re stability and ease (or lack) of turning. Ski the second third with your feet as close as you can. I'm talking boots banging and knees knocking. Note the feelings and pay attention to the shape of the turn you are forced to make (Z shaped or abrupt). Then ski the last third as close as you can to exactly half way between the two. Note the improvements in mobility to make smooth C shaped turns using the lower body and also the adequate stability. Once you become aware of and experience the feelings involved, it becomes much easier to self correct.

Once you know the limits and can stay away from them, play within the range. Higher speeds, steeper runs, firmer snow all warrant slightly wider stances while the reverse is true for slower speeds, softer snow and gentler slopes.

My buddy Josh articulates and demonstrates this quite well in this youtube clip:

[YOUTUBE]HksUKdwdT4Y[/YOUTUBE]

Hope this helps

 

[litterbug]

Hope this helps

It does!

 

[deannatoby]

Very good little video. I also showed it to my daughter, who is on race team and working on narrowing her stance, too. We both liked seeing his demonstrations and explanations of the different situations and stances. Thanks!

 

[volklgirl]

Have you had your boot fit and stance evaluated?

Sometimes width issues are a function of technique, but often, particularly with a glaring dissimilarity between sides, it's a stance/canting or fit issue.

Lately I've been experiencing a problem with my left ski wandering wide and locking on edge during right turns as my boots have packed out....after going to the fitter yesterday and getting a bit of ankle/heel padding and an in-boot wedge and cuff alignment, I'm back to carving my usual clean turns on that side :D

Obviously, keep working on your technique (xtc's exercises are awesome), but have your boots and alignment looked at soon, too!

 

[deannatoby]

I went last year to have my boots looked at and he put those thin hard plastic things in the bottom of my boots. I knew they were loose and he said raising my foot a bit would help tighten the ankle area. But, you're right, I do need another session. I know my boots need improvement. I'm already buckling them just one up from the tightest setting, and I can still feel ankle movement, especially on my left ankle which is the inside leg for those bad turns. I've actually thought about wrapping an ace bandage one layer thick around my ankle and seeing if that would help. And, I wear thick wool socks to tighten them too (and get warmth). Next time I get boots I'm going to make sure I go to a top-notch place. The guy who fit these boots did a pretty decent job, but I was looking at the end-of-season 50% off sales so the selection, which was small to begin with, was poor. (The person who looked at them last year was at a different shop, also.)

If I learn with these bad boots I'll be unstoppable once I get the right boots, for sure, right?!

 

[litterbug]

If I learn with these bad boots I'll be unstoppable once I get the right boots, for sure, right?!

Even with my odd issues on Friday I was skiing very nicely when things worked. At least it felt that way! And even though all we fixed was meant to be room in my toes, something happened that made me balance better. I mean, for the first time since last March I could skate!! Yay!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

What we get from a wide stance is STAbility
What we get from a narrow stance is MObility.

We need to find the right balance between the two, and this can vary depending on a bunch of variables e.g. speed, pitch, snow conditions etc.

Nothing more to add other than that I love this advice and the video - beautiful demo.