Releasing on steeps

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Re: Releasing on steeps

Postby Robert0325 » Thu Aug 20, 2015 5:49 am

rwd wrote:I'm curious; when you do the releasing exercises on the slantboard can you identify a difference between releasing to the right and to the left? I would think flexing and holding counter through the release might be areas to look at.

Interesting you should ask that question because I was experimenting a couple of days ago with this. If I view myself in a mirror after tipping on the slant board (i.e. after tipping into the upside down position) both left and right version look identical, but what I do notice is I find it harder to lift and tilt my left leg than I do my right leg. What I mean is I have to concentrate more with my left leg lift and tilt than I do my right although once in position all looks ok (at least to my untrained eye). Strange really as I am naturally left footed and left handed.

geoffda - many thanks for your very detailed reply. That's really helpful. For me the idea of the slow release makes a great deal of sense as, if I understand correctly, you're not going straight to the upside-down position but allowing the skis to move someway to the fall line after the release before engaging the new edges, therefore less scary!
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Re: Releasing on steeps

Postby h.harb » Thu Aug 20, 2015 10:11 am

You cannot directly apply the slant board to steep skiing. The slant board gives you the opportunity to rehearse the movements. The biggest limitations of the slant board are fore//aft movements. Lateral movement, no problem. The bottom line is you have to ski the steeps and learn to pull up on your legs up, as you release and then pull back. During this action it's almost impossible to fall downhill with your upper body. Waiting to let the skis go down hill first only serves to get you into the back seat. This method can be used in the bumps because the next bump will slow your skis, for your body to catch up. However on groomed slopes you can't let this happen.
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Re: Releasing on steeps

Postby Max_501 » Thu Aug 20, 2015 12:48 pm

Harald has covered this topic in detail in previous posts. Here's one example from 2007.

h.harb wrote:One of my observations is that when skiing steeps, skiers use flexing as a separate movement, subconsciously we are delaying the release. When this happens, tipping happens later, as a separate movement. Remember on steeps flexing and tipping, with foot pull back have to happen together, at the same time, as combined movements.

If you can't make it happen fast enough, at first, use a brushed carve. A brushed carve is, rather then having just your big toe on the out side ski engaged early and holding, don't tip so quickly to such a high ski angle, go for instead, a big toe, second, and third toe angle. This means feel the ski more flat with more toes on the ball of the foot holding pressure to the snow in the high C.

Everything else must be the same, release and counter balancing. This less aggressive angle (with the three toe hold, allows the ski to engage but not run forward as quickly. A high edge with pressure will make a ski accelerate forward. With a brushed arc the ski changes direction and produces an arc with a slight brushing, you have more time to get forward and stay in a more flexed lower position. The more flexed lower position provides more swing of the legs, as tipping angles of the skis increase through the rest of the arc. Tipping with flexed legs in a brushed carve, allows for a shorter radius to develop, therefore more speed control.

The other factor that often impedes speed control is extension of the outside leg too early in the arc. Even if you are trying your hardest to keep both legs bent longer into the arc, often skiers extend without realizing it. Extension near or just after the High C, pressures the ski which makes it lock on an edge and accelerate forward without decreasing the arc radius. Try to avoid pressuring the ski too early, go for angles instead.

So the advice is:
    -Flex and tip together
    -Pull the feet back, and hold them back through the radius
    -Stay compact and keep legs bent longer into the arc.
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Re: Releasing on steeps

Postby h.harb » Thu Aug 20, 2015 1:27 pm

Go to You Tube and watch the slow round turns on the steep, west wall A-Basin where it's groomed.

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Re: Releasing on steeps

Postby Robert0325 » Thu Aug 20, 2015 3:05 pm

h.harb wrote:The bottom line is you have to ski the steeps and learn to pull up on your legs up, as you release and then pull back.

I'm certain I'm not doing this enough so will practise the relevant drills.

h.harb wrote: During this action it's almost impossible to fall downhill with your upper body.

This is what I needed to hear. The fear is basically in my head. I shall be telling myself that next time I'm on steeps. :)
Thanks for the YouTube link

Max - thanks as always for finding Harald's relevant articles

Thanks all for the great advice - Happy now because I have a load of good stuff to work with in the coming season
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