??Where Does it all Begin??

by Larry Murdoch

Each event held throughout the division, be it indoor or out, seems to call for information from membership and TDs in the arena of Movement Analysis.

 This is a good thing! It is good to know that we all recognize the importance of understanding what we are looking for in a person’s performance before we can determine what our action plan will be for their improvement.

 Scott Mathers of the PSIA Alpine Team first presented the following Matrix in the winter 1990 edition of The Professional Skier.

 The time in which we must make a determination of someone’s skills is often very short. It can occur in a series of 8 turns or continue over the entire lesson. It takes years to develop the observation skills necessary to make such a quick decision regarding a persons needs and then to determine the correct plan of action for the guest.

 “The foundation supporting well trained skiing and snowboard analysis skills is based upon studying some specific topics.” (Scott Mathers, 1990).

 These topics include the following:

 Anatomy; Specifically the Musculo-Skeletal system and the relationship to Cause and Effect movements.

 Physics: The relationship of Friction, Gravity and Centrifugal/Centripetal forces to Skier or Rider. The snow/equipment interaction.

 The Skills Concept; BERP:  Movements related to the Balancing, Edging, Rotary and Pressure Control Skills, and their relationship with efficient and inefficient movement patterns.

 It is necessary to have a basic understanding of all these areas in order to make an educated evaluation.

 Another step in the process is developing skills of Observation and Description.

When observing a student, you must be able to articulate your thoughts. When describing movements you must be able to describe them in a language that is easy to understand. The following are some phrases that provide descriptions in common language

 The physical body actions and their effect on the skis or board:

1-Ankle, Knee and/or Hip angles

2-Hip, Torso, Leg rotation, etc…

3-Leg extension, Ankle flexion, etc…

 The timing, placement, and duration of the movements:

1-During the turn initiation

2-Occurs throughout the turn

3-Carries through the completion, etc…

The intensity of the movements:

1-Fast, slow, abrupt, progressive, etc…

 The accuracy of the movements:

1-Consistency

2-Effectiveness

3-Efficiency

4-Coordination, Symmetry, etc…

 As Training Directors we need to find ways to provide the tools for development of good Movement Analysis.  First of all we can direct our instructors to the current ATS and Snowboard Manuals for some guidance in observation. Going beyond the Skills Concept and reading into the sections regarding Balance and Alignment will help. The section on Movement Principles and Mechanical Concepts provides some insight into how the body moves when skiing to control and manage the mountain. Further study opportunities into Kinesiology and simple physics, primarily Newton’s Laws will help to develop a persons understanding of why we require the mechanics in skiing and snowboarding that we do.

 Another tool is the Video Camera. Find the time to shoot footage at all levels of skier and snowboarder. When shooting footage be sure to get all levels of expertise. Look for the commonalities of movements and practice verbally describing what you see. Avoid the old habit of saying what is wrong and describe Physically what you see happening. Be specific with what body part is doing what and the effect that a specific movement may be having on the skier or rider. You may start out having a hard time avoiding the negative aspect in your analysis but with more practice and a small amount of experimentation the language of describing movements with body parts and the effect that those actions have on the performance will come easier.

 Key to taking Movement Analysis into the teaching segment is not only getting it right the first time but developing tasks, drills and exercises that develop the efficiencies that you are looking for. Finding ways to put your bag of tricks into a fun skiing or riding format is crucial to the learning segment. The value of tasks in isolating movements is the repetition of movement patterns and the good habits that are developed. Again the key is in understanding how the body works mechanically and what happens when the skier or rider achieves a centered, balanced stance from which to start.

 Stay tuned. This is only a start. There will be more to follow… next issue!