Carving

To demo that,Threncher, might you re-post the pic you put on a year or two back, showing a close-up of the ski bend.

Dave Mac wrote:To demo that,Threncher, might you re-post the pic you put on a year or two back, showing a close-up of the ski bend.

This one?



To think of it in snowboarding terms, the more pressure I put on the front foot, the tighter the turn.

To bend em like Trencher does you need to be well centred over your skis, so it's a good idea to get someone to check that the centre of your shoulders, hips and the backs of your knees are roughly in line with the mid sole mark on your boots.

SwingBeep wrote:To bend em like Trencher does you need to be well centred over your skis, so it's a good idea to get someone to check that the centre of your shoulders, hips and the backs of your knees are roughly in line with the mid sole mark on your boots.

Would that be with a tape measure or a spirit level, SB? :)

Rack o' t'ee should suffice, but if you want to be precise a plumb bob or one of those new fangled laser line generators. :wink:

Smokey Barr,

Learning to ski is as much a physical activity as a mental one !

Let me explain.

Your attitude, your psychological state of mind is very very important in skiing. Some would say it is the key element ( just read Dr. Taylor's blog on skiing) !

Try this on your next trip.

Promise yourself to slow down and enjoy sights 5 meters ahead and to side! Make a conscious effort to take in beautiful view. Great skiers ahead. Wonderful snow fields, beautiful valley ahead,,etc ( notice all positive elements)!
Practice to consciously forget skis ( your unconscious mind,,,it does exist will take over ) Do you think to breath, to walk, too sit ? No you do all those "activities" without thinking! Well most persons do !

That is what you want to learn. To let brain "feel" your skis then to adjust while you enjoy the sights! Trust me one day you will ski all day and at the end of the day, you will say to yourself, "amazing,,Pavel was right, I skied all day and did not look at skis,,just the beautiful sights " !

It will happen !

Then you will ski !

Pavel

But pav. Your bit about not thinking about it and letting your brain take over is not strictly true.

When a young child starts to walk it looks at its feet and concentrates on them. Exactly what skiers Di when they are not comfortable, takes a long time, pain, embarrassment to get past this stage

Iceman,
Yes you are right,,to a point!
A child does think about walking,,,then as motion becomes repeated all sensory inputs go into a "unconscious" mode for the rest of life !

In skiing, that is the beauty of following an "instructor" or good skier! No thinking is required since the "leader" ;
-picks speed
-picks path
-pick when to turn

The follower ( learner) imitates , role plays, mimics the leader. No thinking about, where do I turn, how do I turn, what is ahead,,,,oh oh steep section !!!

Then actions become ,like child "automatic" with no conscious "intellectual" processing !

I often hear this from in experienced instructors,
"now place your hands at 90 degrees to body, angle your knees while bending this way, keep head up, wiggle toes and keep smiling etc,,,,

Too much information to process,,,,,under stress !

Focus on one element. Do it right then do another element !

It will all come together soon ! Voilà !

Hope this clears up my explaination !