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I'm a speed-event
skier, competing in downhill and super G. We put the skis on such a high
edge, so early in the turn, that we create enormous pressures on our bodies.
You can't rely solely on muscle power to withstand these forces-you have to
align your bones. We ski from the edges
up, using gravity and centrifugal forces to generate speed, and we adjust the
skeleton as we go. Here's a full-body
analysis: · See how the
snow flies off both my skis? That's because my feet are apart, my boots are
at the same angle to the snow, and there's good weight distribution between
the feet and along the skis. · Even though my
outside leg is long and my inside leg short, my lower-leg bones are parallel
to each other. · I think about
driving my inside hip into and through the turn. The outside hip lags behind,
but that's just a byproduct of an aggressive, driving inside hip. · I don't always
keep my shoulders level. At 70 mph, it's more important to incline the whole
skeleton to the inside of the turn. · Arms should
flow with the body like a bird's wings. I start with a high, loose outside
arm. Later in the turn I drop it down to add more pressure to the outside
ski. My torso will tilt more toward the outside ski, leveling my shoulders
some. · My cheeks are
puffed out: That tells you I'm remembering to breathe, which is critical for
all skiers. Also, my eyes are looking way ahead. Never get caught focusing on
your tips. Half the battle at high
speed is being proactive, rather than reactive. When you anticipate what's
coming and stand in a strong position to deal with it, you will feel it in
your bones. Have an instruction
question for Stu Campbell? Email him at stucski@aol.com. |
From SkiMag.com.