Adapting What We Know To Where We Are

BY KARIN HARJO PSIA-NW TECHNICAL TEAM  

So, are you ready for the latest news to revolutionize our sport as we know it?? Well here it is. Ready?

I have often heard of the ‘straight ski’ era referred to as, “My bad habit.” Many of the skiing techniques, concepts and ideas from this era have been called old and outdated because they are thought to be less applicable to the modern shaped skis.

However, I would like to suggest that much of what is referred to as old and outdated are the stylistic impressions from that era rather than the functional mechanics used to achieve a desired outcome. The biggest difference is that stylistic impressions put limitations on range of movement and functional mechanics do not. This coupled with the tendency to stress only what is ideal rather than what actually needs to be done to achieve any desired outcome, become some of the major limiting factors in one’s pursuit of skiing effectively.

Regardless of how you choose to package it, skiing has not changed in the fundamental sense. The human body has not changed. We still adhere the Skills Concept (Edging, Rotary, Pressure Control, Balance) There are still only four ways to change the direction of a ski; sliding, skidding, carving and arcing. (Yes, you can arc a straight ski…you just need all the width Palmer snow field to do it). Stepping Stones is basically just centerline tipped over” (Lane McLaughlin) And yes, braquage when appropriate, is still effective way to turn a ski.

Functional mechanics are the movements done (i.e. how the body has to ‘move’) to achieve a skill or skill blend in order to attain the desired skiing outcome. Depending on the desired outcome, the timing, intensity, duration and direction of the movements applied to achieve any one of the skills may and will change. But how we as human beings move to achieve the skill of edging or any of the others is no different now than before.

So what has changed? I believe what has changed is our equipment’s design which now allows us to achieve more with less effort. Advances and changes in equipment have made specific skills and skill blends much easier to attain, improving the overall proficiency of recreational skiers. For example, the effect side cut has meant to edging a ski. The attitude and capability of the ski on the snow has also changed as a direct result of design. We now have fat skis, mid-fat skis, carving, all mountain, GS and slalom skis; all designed to give the skier a slightly different feel on the snow depending on the type of skiing they are more inclined to do. However, even with all that help in ski design it still requires the blending of the four skills to make them work right. The reality is, the Skills Concept as a basis for functional mechanics is still just as relevant today as the day it was developed in 1980.

Stylistic Impressions: Throughout the years there have been countless drills, final forms, and ‘exaggerated’ movements that have been taught to help a skier develop, master and blend one or all of the four skills. Many of those are still relevant and have not lost their significance. The danger arises when the search for that feeling or doing that ‘maneuver’ is tried everywhere. This can become misconstrued into a style of skiing that one must do in order to achieve the desired outcome or skill. Here are a few examples of that;

A common stylistic impression that is often misunderstood is stance width. It was generally thought that ‘conventional’ skis promoted a narrower stance than what is desired on shaped skis. The following is a list of definitions for a balanced stance starting in 1980:

Open stance: “Skiing with the skis apart to increase the base of support, to free the legs and to make adjustments of edging and turning. Although publications usually refer to an open stance as being one where the skis are at approximately hip width, the actual separation depends upon the build of the skiers’ legs and what they wish to accomplish.” -1980 ATM

Basic Skiing Stance: “Skiing with the skis apart to increase the base of support, to free the legs and to make adjustments of edging and turning.” - 1987 ATS

Stance and Balance: “Ski in an open stance with symmetry in width of the feet and knees.” -1995 Demo Team Training (Shawn Smith)

Versatile/adaptable stance: “...relates to the functionality of the feet and the desired outcome rather than a specific measured distance of separation.” -2005 Skiing Concepts

The reality is that regardless of what time period you began to ski, there is no specific stance width that works better all the time. There is a time and a place for any stance width. Narrow or wide stances are not ineffective in and of themselves, however when one is set up to be the only ‘ideal’ way to ski regardless of turn, terrain, snow and speed, they can become limiting or ineffective.

Another popular stylistic impression or goal of many in today’s skiing is arcing. Thanks to evolving ski design and technology, this has become a reality for the masses and not just one for a few elite athletes. However, is the goal to arc the ski all the time, in any turn size, on any pitch and terrain realistic? Not necessarily. Is it the most effective? That depends. I would have to ask why would you want to limit yourself, when there are so many other options available to you as a skier? (That and good luck arcing your skis down a 45 degree rock shoot just wide enough to fit your skis sideways.)

The key is understanding that what is effective in one scenario is not necessarily always going to be the most effective, all the time, everywhere on the hill. What constitutes effectiveness is solely dependent on what outcome we are trying to attain and the cards we are dealt (i.e.; turn size, snow, terrain, speed).

One could also say that we fall victim to stylistic impressions in how we describe skiing. How about what I call the ‘funky’ terms that describe movement from the old manuals? Do we still down-unweight to control pressure (ATM)? Yes. Do we still use rotary push-off as a means of rotary (ATM)? Yes. Do we still use twisting angulation as a form of edging (ATM)? Yes. I could go on. Although ‘funky’, given the right scenario, each of these examples and many more like them have their place and the fundamental mechanics will be the same.

I was hiking last spring and skied a pitch where the only way to make it down alive, given the snow condition, was to whip out the trusty ‘ down-updown stem/step’ wedge Christie. After a couple of face plant/yard sales, I was willing to adapt and try anything to get down in one piece, and the stem/step worked like a charm.

Some of you reading this article may think it is a license to never change. You may ask, “Why bother when what I was doing back then is still applicable today?” Or you could be on the other side of that fence and think, “Why should I learn and know about avalement?” The answer is simple and fundamental. There is a time and a place for every skill or technique on skis. The trick as a skier and teacher is to explore them all regardless of when or what time period they come from, not limiting ourselves to one or the other! Again, this thought process is not new, as proven by what I believe is one of the best quotes in skiing;

“First of all, you must be very careful not to ski with a one track mind, with only one particular image on your mind. When you ski, never get locked into any kind of firm position. Constant adaptation to the immediate situation by using the right technical mechanics is the high art of skiing.” Pianta su Ruedi Bear, 1976

New ski design and equipment technology has made it easier for more of us to achieve more from our skiing. Our bodies are still the same; the skills are still the same. We just need to open our minds and adapt what we know to where we are!!!