Drills to detect alignment issues

[Justin Meyer]

Over the past few years I have begun to understand just how critical proper boot balancing and alignment are to high level skiing.

The majority of bootfitters rarely do on hill analysis and instead rely solely on static shop analysis combined with skier feedback to determine whether they and the athlete are on the right path. I find this to be an inadequate methodology, but is unfortunately the nature of the beast in the ski industry currently. Compounding this problem is the fact that relatively few come from coaching backgrounds and consequently lack proper MA detection skills.

While I realize that HH and the folks at North East Ski Systems (Joe and Glen) are in the minority that have both the MA and alignment skills, it can be difficult for many of us to make it to their respective locations.

While I believe that my current set up is on the right path, I would like some validation that such is the case. What type of drills can be performed on snow to help a skier discern whether their alignment/balance is correct or out of whack? I'm hoping that Harald, Joe or Glen could comment on this, but all opinions are welcome.

Thanks,

Justin

[Ken]

Abstract from a paper presented by Harald, Diana, and Bob Hintermeister at the 2nd International Congress on Skiing and Science:

The dynamic on-snow balance assessment consists of exercises that isolate and test one-legged balance. High-performance skiing requires that a skier can balance comfortably on each leg, and engage and modulate the edge angle of each ski. Four exercises simulate these fundamental requirements. First is a straight run down the fall line on a gentle slope with the skier balancing on one ski. Second is a straight traverse with the skier balanced on the downhill ski. Next is a straight traverse with the skier balanced on the uphill ski. Last is a straight run down the fall line on a gentle slope, with inversion of the lifted foot. Each exercise is performed with each foot.

http://www.harbskisystems.com/icsshsas.htm

Info here about ramp angles, foot & ankle movement, binding location:
http://www.lous.ca/techarticles.htm


Ken

[Justin Meyer]

Ken,

Thanks for the info. Just to be clear, what exactly is inversion of the lifted foot?

Thanks

[dewdman42]

Ken, thanks for the articles at Lou's. Some great stuff it looks like, but it will take me a while to read it all..

I also wish I knew what the on-snow analysis for lateral alignment is more specifically. They checked me with it when I had Harald and chris build my boots, but rolling forward I would really like to be able to check myself out and I never really got the details of what they were looking for when they had me do several different flavors of traverses and straight runs on one ski.

[Max_501]

...what exactly is inversion of the lifted foot?

Tip to the little toe edge.

[Justin Meyer]

Max,

That is kind of what I figured. If I invert my lifted inside foot and my alignment is incorrect, what will happen....I'm going to turn? The other 3 exercises seem rather straightforward, but I want to be sure that I'm doing this last one correctly.

Thanks

[dewdman42]

The exercises are straightforward, but how to interpret the results is the real question. What I would like to know is, while doing them, what should we look for and how to interpret what it means for whether our alignment still needs work?

When I did these drills with Chris Brown, he commented to me that I was perhaps a bit more difficult to observe because with many people its bloody obvious when their alignment is off, they will wave their arms around or fall down. In my case, I've gotten good over the years at compensating for bad alignment and maintaining balance on one ski, using muscles in my feet and other things. However Chris mentioned a few subtle cues related to how my lifted ski twisted this way or that to compensate for balance. I didn't really absorb what he was saying at the time. But I'd really like to understand what things to look for when I do the drill and how to interpret those things into guidelines for fine turning my alignment in one direction or the other.

What signs would indicate that more canting is needed on the inside? Or what signs indicate more canting needed on the outside? What should a perfect alignment look like in each of these drills?

The one going straight down with lfted foot inverted, seems to me should either case the ski to turn or else some kind of body balancing compensation might take place...again...need to know what signs to look for and how to interpret those signs.

[Ken]

I think the keys are "straight" and "balanced," not compensated.


Ken

[dewdman42]

Obviously. But what are the subtle signals to indicate compensation and how do I interpret which direction the compensation is?