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Ski Techniques and Tips for Steeps - 2 More Leverage

Snow Mail

More Leverage, More Steering Power on the Steeps

Many skiers suffer and get caught out when trying to turn their skis on the steeps because of a general lack of steering power. If you look closer at the main reason why, it stems back to their skiing technique and shows up an area that may have been neglected as they were developing to become a parallel skier.

Many skiers suffer in steep slope situations because they don’t really know how to flex all of their joints and because of it lack leverage to steer. Many skiers think they are flexing correctly because they feel a nice up and down movement when they turn. The reality for most is that their knees and hips flex but their ankles either don’t flex as much or they don’t flex at all. This type of problem, which you can get away with on piste and in situations you are comfortable on, shows up and will catch you out on the steeps.

Common problems inhibiting flex

-From day one we ski usually in rigid boots that are too stiff for most skiers to flex and get a sensitive feeling in.

-Skiing can be intimidating as a sport for some people and an instinct is to drop your hips back making it impossible to flex the ankles

-Misconceptions in many peoples minds from watching skiers they aspire to or from seeing a poster of a dynamic skier, gives the impression that a lower dynamic posture is good. Skiers at an early stage try to adopt a lower stance and rather than lateral leaning of the legs at the level of the pro skier due to the speed they are travelling at, the lesser experienced skier usually bends down lower and sticks their backside out, not always a pretty sight!

Developing better flex

Once you understand this point which is perhaps the most important thing for succeeding here, you can start to work on exercises to develop good flex throughout the ankles, knees and hips together.

To start off try making a few turns with the clips around the middle or ankle area of your boot undone. Leave your bottom and top clips done up. Ski on a gentle gradient and see if you can feel more flex in the ankle joint than there was before. Also look at what angle your thigh is. Skiers that have this problem of a lack of ankle flex in relation to the knee and hip flex usually have their thigh at an angle that actually puts the hips way behind the balls of your feet. Ideally you want your hips to be on top of the balls of your feet so think ‘Thigh High’. With the hips over the balls of your feet you should find it even easier to feel the ankle flex more.

Another good point to focus on is driving your knees forwards. Try it standing still just flexing through from your hips down through to the balls of your feet with the knees driving over the front binding.

Continual practice in a comfortable environment of these exercise will help you find more flex in your ankle joint and an equal flex through the three joints combined.

Take your new found flex pattern and extra turn leverage onto the steep terrain and check out the difference. If you practice the exercises fully it’s usually a massive difference and you will have a much greater power at the initiation phase of the turn.

Discuss Ski Technique with Warren Smith

If you would like to ask Warren any questions about the ski techniques or exercises described above, or otherwise discuss them, please write in to our Ski Technique Forum.