1-10 Ski Practice Review

Hi all - just getting used to all this blog stuff...my wife informed me that should write a new 'post'...so maybe this makes sense to you all now! Anyways...we have been adding technique elements with several drills that we began the year with. The new elements are listed below.

Joe Q. is uploading video from the love joy race...Videos will be located here: SkiCoachPete channel

Additionally, we working on racing 'tactics' - which for the most part amount to 'line' through the course and adjusting to steeper and flatter terrain.

Here are the updates to the technique areas:

Skating - strong pushes with rolling the ski on to an edge to push from. I was an ok ski racer, but truly no one ever could beat me to the first two gates, that's where we can shave nearly a second off our times!...we'll aim to have superior starts by the end of the year. My parents would have to call me in at night as a kid because i used to build a start in the back yard and practice starts on my non-training nights...i guess i really liked ski racing! Right now the kids are doing great...and we've only just begun on this area! We are doing lots of skating contests!

Athletic position We used the phrase 'Hugs & Bugs' - it means pretend they are hugging a big tree so their arms are up and also pretending they are squishing a bug between their shin and boot. We want the kids on the balls of their feet the whole time!
Drills - hopping over the pink straps

Parallel position - draw lines...from ankle to ankle, knee to knee, across the hips, across the shoulders. All those lines should be parallel. I am also working witht he kids to keep all those lines parallel as they move through the turn. NEW DISCUSSION points...'uphill hand up' and 'downhill hand down'. Ultimately we are roughly shooting for that the kids can have those lines ALSO parallel with the slope of the hill TOO! Hence, the more the skier goes across the hill, the more pronounced the uphill shoulder, hip and knee will be. If we can get them to keep the uphill hand up, most all of the rest of the elements will naturally fall into place.
Drills - holding poles palm down, downhill hand should be slightly lower...it's that simple!

Hip Angulation
In addition to rolling the ankle and knees...we are really working on the 'C' shape. Ask your kids to demonstrate it to you! in essence, we are trying to get the hip into the hill. It is the 3rd element to angulation.
Drills - Schlopy (Dn hill hand on hip/behind hip, uphill hand up and forward), 'C' or as the kids called it 'Banana' shaped drill

Dynamic Hips Hips moving forward and over the downhill ski.
Drills - Schlopy drill with clap behind back. We incorporated a clapping of the hands behind the hips right as we complete the turn. This forces the hips forward and helps us move weight into the direction of the next turn. This is really advanced stuff for the kids, but they mastered this drill the first time! Very impressive!

Pole Planting - We are working on this, they are getting it...I am asking them to 'reach' and make a solid pole plant. We have more work to do in this area. All the kids should have this on their short list of things to work on. Many years ago, Dan Strip was sent home from the US ski team for a month to work on technique. He came to lake placid, where i was at. i had the chance to spend literally most of that month as his pesty little shadow...we worked on pole plants every day, it was incredible!

TACTICSLine through the courses. we are focusing on the 'high line'. The kids are doing great at it. On steep terrain, they have to master it and i really saw some great execution this weekend!