The Unofficial Guide to Good Skiing

Visual Cues and Body Movements

Flex and extend the ankles, knees, hips and spine to balance over the whole foot as you flow with terrain and control pressure on the skis.

• The outside ski bends from the middle.
• The shins maintain contact with both boot tongues.
• The body flows continuously with the skis.
• The skis flow over the terrain.
• All of the joints work together evenly.

Use diagonal (forward and lateral) movements of the feet, legs and hips to engage and release the edges of the skis.

• The skis tip on edge early in a turn.
• The shins contact both boot shafts forward and laterally.
• The edges are released and engaged with one smooth movement.
• Ski lead change occurs prior to the fall line.

Direct your balance to the outside ski in a turn.

• The outside ski bends more than the inside ski in a turn.
• The shoulders stay level to the horizon or they level out through a turn.
• The inside half of the body leads the outside half through a turn.
• The inside leg is flexed more than the outside leg in a turn.

Turn your legs under your body to assist in guiding the skis through a turn.

• The legs turn more than the upper body.
• Turning movements originate in the feet and legs.
• The upper body is stable and quiet.

Direct your upper body and swing your pole to flow with the skis through turns.

• The hands are forward.
• The inside hand, shoulder and hip lead through a turn.
• The shoulders are forward of the hips.
• The pole swings smoothly in the intended direction of travel.
• Vision is forward and the eyes look to the intended direction of travel.

• Pole touch or pole plant compliment the desired turning outcome.

These (mechanical elements) do not in themselves make a great skier. They merely create a foundation for that intangible quality called "touch": the profound connection of the skier with the skis, the snow, momentum and the mountain.

The Official Guide to Bad Skiing

Visual Cues and Body Movements

Balance and Pressure Control Movements

• The knees and hips flex without ankle flex. The hips are continuously behind the feet.
• The ankles are over flexed with the mass continuously in front of the

feet.

• The legs are continuously flexed with no lengthening of the legs during turns.
• Extension is primarily vertical leading to late edge engagement.

Edging Movements

• Upper body tips to engage the edges.
• Edging primarily from the knee without involving the whole leg.
• Edge released with a vertical movement instead of a lateral movement.
• Edge is released with a continuous lifting of the downhill ski.
• Hips too far inside a turn too soon, lack of progressive edging movements because skier is over committed early in a turn.
• Edge set that interrupts the gliding and guiding of the skis.

Lateral Balance

• The inside ski bends as much or more than the outside ski in a turn.
• The inside hand is continuously lower than the outside hand in a turn.
• Inside hand is back.
• Outside ski runs straighter than inside ski, the outside ski does not "come around".
• The shoulders are always tipped in and never level out relative to the horizon.

Rotary Movements

• The shoulders and torso initiate turning of the skis.
• The hips initiate turning of the skis.
• The outside hand crosses the body.
• Pivoting of the skis is uncontrolled.

Balance and Pressure Control Movements

• Late, non-existent or erratic pole swing.
• The body does not flow down the hill but continuously moves rearwards and/or clings to the hill and the previous turn.
• The hands are low and/or behind the shoulders.
• Vision is down and/or not in the desired direction of travel.

• Pole touch or plant interfere with the desired turning actions

11/11/98

From: Scott Mathers

To: Certification/Education Committee

Alpine Team

Steering Committee

Board of Directors

Nordic Team

Brian Spear

Allison Clayton

Gwen Allerd

Dear Friends,

Enclosed is the latest and greatest version of what is now titled the Unofficial Guide to Good Skiing and the Official Guide to Bad Skiing. The Alpine Team is well versed in this information and the team is capable of working with this information in division training events and at the Examiner and Trainer College in May.

I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this document over the past year. For the first time in history (at least that I am aware of), the Ed/Cert Committee and the Alpine Team have together created a valuable educational piece for the PSIA membership. I would especially like to thank Rodger Renstrom, Rob Sogard, Megan Harvey and Mermer Blakeslee for contributing their ideas, time and writing skills to this document. I also thank Dave Merriam and Shawn Smith for supporting this project and for stimulating the development of the core technical information of this document.

I am sure that this information will evolve over time but I am confident that you can use this document in conjunction with the Skills Concept, the Centerline and lateral learning to paint a thorough picture of skiing for instructors. I hope that in the near future we will produce a video that communicates this information visually so that it may become a valuable training tool for movement analysis of alpine skiing.

Thanks,

Inefficient Body Movements in Skiing

F. Balance is not maintained over the whole foot and flow over terrain is lacking.

1. The knees and hips flex without ankle flex. The hips are continuously behind the feet.

2. The ankles are over-flexed with the mass continuously in front of the feet.

3. The legs are continuously flexed with no lengthening of the legs during turns.

4. Extension is primarily vertical, leading the late edge engagement.

G. The skis’ edges are not engaged and released efficiently.

1. The upper body tips to engage the edges.

2. Edging is primarily from the knee without involving the whole leg.

3. Edges are released with a vertical movement instead of a lateral movement.

4. The edge is released with a continuous lifting of the downhill ski.

5. The hips are too far inside a turn too soon, causing a lack of progressive edging movements because the skier is over-committed early in a turn.

6. The edge set interrupts the gliding and guiding of the skis.

H. Balance is not directed over the outside ski.

1. The inside ski bends as much or more than the outside ski in a turn.

2. The inside hand is continuously lower than the outside hand in a turn.

3. The inside hand is back.

4. The outside ski runs straighter than inside ski, the outside ski does not "come around."

5. The shoulders are always tipped in and never level out relative to the horizon.

I. The legs are not moving under the body to guide the skis through a turn.

1. The shoulders and torso initiate turning of the skis.

2. The hips initiate turning of the skis.

3. The outside hand crosses the body.

4. Pivoting of the skis is uncontrolled.

J. Balance is not being directed throughout the turn.

1. The pole swing is late, non-existent, or erratic.

2. The body does not flow down the hill but continuously hangs back or clings to the hill and the previous turn.

3. The hands are low or behind the shoulders.

4. The line of vision is downward and/or not in the desired direction of travel.

5. The pole touch/plant interfere with the desired turning actions.

Great skiers may pass through any of these movements or characteristics in isolated instances, especially to recover their balance while pushing the envelope of speed and intensity. Consistent use of any of the above actions should lead us to look for reasons why a skier is making inefficient and ineffective movements.

 3/2/99

Inefficient Body Movements in Skiing

F. Balance is not maintained over the whole foot and flow over terrain is lacking.

1. The knees and hips flex without ankle flex. The hips are continuously behind the feet.

2. The ankles are over-flexed with the mass continuously in front of the feet.

3. The legs are continuously flexed with no lengthening of the legs during turns.

4. Extension is primarily vertical, leading the late edge engagement.

G. The skis’ edges are not engaged and released efficiently.

1. The upper body tips to engage the edges.

2. Edging is primarily from the knee without involving the whole leg.

3. Edges are released with a vertical movement instead of a lateral movement.

4. The edge is released with a continuous lifting of the downhill ski.

5. The hips are too far inside a turn too soon, causing a lack of progressive edging movements because the skier is over-committed early in a turn.

6. The edge set interrupts the gliding and guiding of the skis.

H. Balance is not directed over the outside ski.

1. The inside ski bends as much or more than the outside ski in a turn.

2. The inside hand is continuously lower than the outside hand in a turn.

3. The inside hand is back.

4. The outside ski runs straighter than inside ski, the outside ski does not "come around."

5. The shoulders are always tipped in and never level out relative to the horizon.

I. The legs are not moving under the body to guide the skis through a turn.

1. The shoulders and torso initiate turning of the skis.

2. The hips initiate turning of the skis.

3. The outside hand crosses the body.

4. Pivoting of the skis is uncontrolled.

J. Balance is not being directed throughout the turn.

1. The pole swing is late, non-existent, or erratic.

2. The body does not flow down the hill but continuously hangs back or clings to the hill and the previous turn.

3. The hands are low or behind the shoulders.

4. The line of vision is downward and/or not in the desired direction of travel.

5. The pole touch/plant interfere with the desired turning actions.

Great skiers may pass through any of these movements or characteristics in isolated instances, especially to recover their balance while pushing the envelope of speed and intensity. Consistent use of any of the above actions should lead us to look for reasons why a skier is making inefficient and ineffective movements.