Top of boot colliding with opposite knee in bump skiing ?!

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Top of boot colliding with opposite knee in bump skiing ?!

Postby tommy » Wed Mar 10, 2004 9:22 am

When skiing bumps, my knees get really beaten up by the opposite boot's top hitting the inside of the knee. After some runs in bumps, the insides of my knees are full of bruises. I'm serously considering using some kind of knee pads when skiing bumps...!

I was wondering if anyone else has experienced a similar problem, and/or might be able to point out any potential problems in my bump skiing or alignment based on the problem described here.

Cheers,
Tommy
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Postby Pierre » Thu Mar 11, 2004 6:38 am

Well if no one else will answer this I guess I will take a stab at it. Tommy chance are you are in to wide a stance, showing a slight wedge and pulling the hips back and over the tail of the inside ski. In order to make the skis turn sharp enough, you rotate you're upper body slightly down the fall line. This causes the classic A frame appearence.

With the inside ski high on the bump and the outside ski (Stance ski) lower, the difference in height is enough that the A frame causes you're outside (Stance) knee to hit the top of you're inside boot.

Narrow up you're stance, stand tall and give that slight forward lean that starts at the ankle you were doing in a Phantom turn with the stance foot. That slight forward lean keeps you're hips over you're feet when bump skiing. Back off and ski easier wide open bumps near the side of the run for a while.
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Postby tommy » Thu Mar 11, 2004 10:57 am

Pierre,

thanks for the input! In fact, I've been suspecting for a while now that I have a tendency to a slight (?) wedge whenever I'm "rushing" my turns, i.e. whenever I try to make really quick & short turns, for instance in bumps. Particularly when making a short right turn, I'm sometimes able to notice that in transition, the dreaded wedge shows it's ugly head. I've been trying to understand why, but it's hard without the help of a knowledgeable observer of my skiing.

Just one question though: you say: In order to make the skis turn sharp enough, you rotate you're upper body slightly down the fall line.

Isn't this the (desired) "counter rotation" ? I thought the rotation problem occured when allowing the upper body turn *with* the turn, i.e. towards the hill...? In general, I'm trying very hard to counter rotate, e.g if I'm turning left, then I try to push my left shoulder down towards the fall line. Should I read you so that this move is counter productive in bumps ?

Cheers,
Tommy
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Postby Randy Brooks » Thu Mar 11, 2004 11:19 am

Tommy,

I think Pierre may be trying to describe your current turn and suggesting that perhaps you are currently rotating your upper body, not that you SHOULD be rotating.

Just my two cents (or krona, oops, euro) worth.

Randy
Randy Brooks
 

Postby Guest » Thu Mar 11, 2004 11:27 am

Tommy,

That little unintentional "wedge" that may occur during the turn transition is generally referred to as a "stem". A wedge is more of an intentional thing, whereas a stem is more of an unintentional result of an inefficient move.

It's usually attributed to something called rotary pushoff. But this rotary pushoff can happen for a number of reasons: Trying to finish the turn too strongly with only the outside (downhill) ski and being lazy with the uphill foot (going for that rebound feeling); too much rotation (upper body facing uphill of the direction the skis are pointed and pulls the ski with it) or; too much counter rotation (forcing counter rotation with the lower body). Someone would need to look at your skiing to say for sure. Another, and probably the most common reason underlying this is simply (but not so easy) not getting your body's mass across that downhill foot soon enough. If your weight is on the uphill side of that downhill foot as you try to transition to the new turn, you will be stuck on the uphill edge, and therefore be on opposing edges and a wedge/stem will result. You need to commit your body to move down the hill into the new turn earlier. Maybe try forcing that little toe side of your free foot down (and big toe side up) a bit harder. This will pull your knee down the hill and hopefully, pull your hips more into the turn.
Guest
 

Postby HH » Thu Mar 11, 2004 12:23 pm

Tommy, Weighted Release, Von Gruenegns
HH
 

Postby HH » Thu Mar 11, 2004 12:26 pm

If you are, "Pushing Off" , "Super Phantoms" will stop that immediately. Or your alignment needs to be more outboard. You do have some strong curve "Varum" in your tibias.
HH
 

Postby tommy » Thu Mar 11, 2004 1:17 pm

Harald and others,

great feedback, thanks!

Harald, in general, I always have to work on "remembering" (focusing on) to tilt the uphill ski; if I don't pay attention, it tends to go flat, or at least, have less edge angle than the downhill one. It also tends to carry too much weight.

Generally, I also focus a lot on counter rotation - reason being getting rid of my tendency to rotate with the turn, and getting enough edge angle.

On more gentle slopes, these problems tend to go away, but on steeper slopes, in short turns, I sometimes notice the tendency to "stem".

With respect to Harald's comment on Weighted release, Von Grunigen's and super phantom: I've spent some time thinking about releasing in general, with particularly Blueys recent post giving new insights, and the past few days experimenting with it, so I will start a new thread on this particular topic.

Harald, I'm (as well as is Minna!) counting the days until Hintertux to get under your/Rich's/Diana's critical eyes! 58 days to go....!

Cheers,
Tommy
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Postby tommy » Thu Mar 11, 2004 2:02 pm

Just my two cents (or krona, oops, euro) worth.


Randy,

we swedes, (in addition to being a kind of vegetables! ;-) ) are quite conservative, so we haven't transitioned to Euro's yet...! :-) One of the few bastions remaining, together with the Danish, Brittish and Norwegian!



--Tommy
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Postby Skiinginmymind » Thu Mar 11, 2004 2:42 pm

In particular the Norwegians. They are not even part of the European Union. They think that they are too few and will disappear in the mix of
people :lol:
Skiinginmymind
 


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