Advanced One-Ski Activities

Advanced One-Ski Activities

Advanced Zone/Highlighted Skills

Activity Description:

These one foot/ski activities share common characteristics that create a balanced stance over the middle of the uphill or inside ski

·  Uphill Ski Traverse, lift downhill ski and traverse on edged uphill ski (no slippage) (L/R)

·  Uphill Ski Forward Sideslip, lift downhill ski and sideslip approximately 450 to falline (L/R)

·  Uphill Ski Drifted Arc, lift downhill ski and shape a rounded, drifted arc on uphill ski (L/R)

Why This Activity Will Be Useful:

The turn dynamics of advanced skiing often require a skier to be able to ski in balance on either foot at any point in a turn. We traditionally develop as skier with a gap from higher skill levels on our inside or big toe edges and to being less skilled on our outside or little toe edges. Learning and practicing these activities will help close that gap and create an expansive and adaptable skill set that provides more tactical options for skiing variable terrain and snow conditions.

How the Body Moves (CAUSE):

·  Stand with a strong leg keeping the hip over stance foot/ski

·  Flexion/extension movements are used to adjust fore/aft balance

·  Adjust upper body angulation to balance weight laterally over the stance foot/ski

·  Align upper body to direction of travel with adjustment for the angulation being used

·  Lift the other (downhill/outside) ski by flexing the leg (not by lifting the hip)

·  Carry lifted ski so that it remains parallel to stance ski and slope

·  Traverse, tipping/rolling movements of lifted downhill foot, manage edging of stance ski

·  Forward Sideslip, tipping/rolling movements of lifted foot, manage edging of stance ski

·  Drifted Arc, tipping/rolling movements of lifted foot, manage edging to shape the turn

What the Skis Do (EFFECT):

·  Lifted ski remains parallel to stance ski and slope

·  Lifted ski shows appropriate tipping/rolling activity of that foot

·  In traverse, stance ski tracks cleanly on edge (no slippage)

·  In Forward Sideslip, stance ski slips smoothly and continuously approximately 450 to the falline

·  In Drifted Arc, stance ski shows centered stance by full engagement

Where: Groomed blue terrain, choose a safe low traffic area for these activities.

Learning/Teaching Cues:

·  Practice traverse in strong equally weighted stance and gradually lighten tail of downhill ski by flexing leg, without lifting at the hip. Adjust stance until downhill ski can be lifted

·  Practice sideslipping, using same equal weight starting point and tail lift strategy

·  Practice drifted arcs using same equal weight starting point and tail lift strategy

·  In each activity, once ski is lifted, experiment with active tipping/rolling movements of the ankle/foot of the lifted ski to learn the effect of those movements on the stance foot/ski