Over the course of the summer, fall, and winter I did a lot of rethinking of my skiing, and when I hit the snow completely worked everything in my skiing. Some of the old habbits are there, but I am working to get rid of them. Most of the changes in my skiing have come from collective comments on my skiing from here and elsewhere, as well as a high level race coach that I converse with on a regular basis. Most of the aspects of my skiing that I am working on movements that are common to racing and PMTS, so finding similarities between the two will not be difficult. My goal is to take information that I gather here and at Epic (if anyone responds) and hopefully implement the advice during a trip that I am taking to Colorado in a few weeks. I hope to come back with video footage that shows some progress. If anyone is on dial-up and wishes to have me upload some smaller sized files for easier viewing, just shoot me a PM and I will try to get them together. Below you will see my what I have been watching for in my own skiing - so I would be happy to hear if you think I am on the right track or not. Thanks in advance for the replies.
Later
GREG
On giant slalom skis (186 Nordica Dobie GSR):
GS Skiing 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF1kuBMuNIE
GS Skiing 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymLfOaUnC7E
On slalom skis (165 Nordica Dobie SLR):
SL Skiing 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA1CWo0ROEE
SL Skiing 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpxRF0lZvYs
Well, I have been working on my skiing a lot this year. GS1, GS2, and SL2 were all taken on the same day. SL1 was taken several weeks earlier. So... what have I been working on?
This season I completely re-worked my skiing. I narrowed my stance considerably, and worked heavily on my upper body position through the turn. I also worked extensively on transitions, and ridding myself of the up move that I had last year. Toward the end of this season (based on the SL1 video) I was able to see that in nearly all terrain I was dropping my inside hand on every turn (watch the video and you can see it clear as day). After that I worked on bringing that hand up in order to positively effect my upper body position through the turn (not lean in).
Since these videos were taken I have worked on quickening my slalom turns by speeding up the transition and release of the old turn, while focusing strictly on vertical separation of my stance. I also have been working on pivot entry turns in both slalom and giant slalom as a way to maintain speed control on steep groomers where clean carves are not always possible (think courses). Overall the goal has been balance, and not forcing anything to happen (angles, stance, etc). The turns are getting better, but are not what I'd like them to be, so any constructive advice anyone can offer would be very helpful.
In my opinion the transition still needs work, and the upper body position needs work because I drop inside the turn and follow the skis still. I have been skiing a lot of bumps and crud to focus on the transition and not standing up too much, and working on bringing my inside hand up and forward in all carved turns - hopefully getting into angluation versus banking so I stop getting 'stuck' inside the turn at the transition.
One more thing that I worked on... bringing my hips forward. I actually pulled the spoilers up in my Dobie 150 boots and that helped a lot. I think that the hips being back was a result of banking and then hunching to create pressure on the outside ski. Once I started angulating better and standing straighter my hips came forward more. Again, still not perfect though.
Let me know what you all think. As always, thanks for your responses.
Later
GREG