Skiing tips for Advanced. Part 1.

The SkyTechSport Ski Simulator was created to replicate the physical forces encountered while skiing. Over a decade these Ski Simulators were training professional athletes and Olympic medalists all year round. The benefits vary from strengthening one’s stamina, polishing technique, training for an upcoming championship with the visuals of the same competition’s slopes and much more. It is important to recognize your, as an experienced skier’s, existing skills, as well as any new skill you are currently developing. It is strongly encouraged to train under your coach’s or instructor’s supervision to have an expert eye on your every movement.

For experienced skiers, this device creates an environment that can:

Identify deficiencies in a skier’s existing movements.
Highlight and challenge a skier’s already effective movements.
Develop physical strength, agility, endurance, and tactics.

IDENTIFYING DEFICIENCIES IN A SKIER’S EXISTING MOVEMENTS

After your initial exposure and use of the simulator, a trained instructor can implement a development plan for you. The simulator is designed to enhance the 3 fundamentals identified earlier in the series. For each fundamental below, become familiar with the visual cues that identify a skill deficiency while using the simulator.

FUNDAMENTAL #1. Control the relationship of the center of mass to the base of support to direct pressure along the length of the skis

The skier lacks outside ankle dorsiflexion when the skis are edged
The skier is unable to maintain athletic stance throughout
Excessive fore/aft adjustment in the upper body or the need to use guardrail for balance

Visual cues that indicate fundamental skill deficiency

*Exercises: Posture and Stance.

FUNDAMENTAL #2. Control the pressure from ski to ski and direct pressure to the outside ski

The skier’s upper body is tilted to the inside of the turn.
- Instead, the upper body should remain level to the ground.
Spine flexes laterally to direct pressure towards the outside ski.
- Replace this movement with angulation in the hip joint.
- Keep the spine neutral while adjusting pressure from foot to foot.
Large vertical movements are required to adjust pressure foot to foot.
- Vertical movements should be minimal and complimentary to foot to foot pressure control movements

Visual cues that indicate fundamental skill deficiency

*Exercises: Blending edging and Weight shifting.

FUNDAMENTAL #3. Control edge angles through a combination of inclination and angulation

Whole body tips from side to side instead of movements originating in the feet and legs.
Outside ski tips more than the inside ski causing asymmetrical edge angels (A-Frame may be present).
- The lower legs should edge simultaneously and symmetrically.
Large vertical movements are required to flatten the skis and change edges.
- Vertical movements should be minimal and complimentary to edging movements.

Visual cues that indicate fundamental skill deficiency

*Exercises: Blending edging and Weight shifting, or Accuracy in Edging

EDGE CHANGE WITH EXTENION. This involves an extension of both legs at edge change. This type of edge change releases tension on the muscles and increases the transition time of the edge change. This type of transition is often used for long turns (using the entire length of the simulator). This type of edge change is often used at a slower speed with less dynamics.

EDGE CHANGE WITH FLEXION (ABSORPTION TURNS).

With the simulator in “Power Mode” try next.

• Extend legs from a flexed position while edged. This creates lateral movement of the legs and increases edge angle

• Flex legs with muscular tension at a slow rate. This will cause the skis to flatten and move back under the body.

• After practicing this several times on one side, repeat on the other side

Switch the device to “Normal mode,” try next

• Perform Absorption short turns

• Perform Absorption short turns, gradually increasing to Long turns that use the entire length of the simulator

DEVELOP PHYSICAL STRENGTH, AGILITY, ENDURANCE, AND TACTICS

The simulator can be utilized as a very effective exercise tool placing physical demands on the body. Experiment with turn size and speed, changes in rhythm, increasing the length of time of each use, and exploring the assortment of terrain and snow conditions pre-loaded in the simulator’s software. Here are just a few sample progressions that can be utilized:

Long turns - Long turns using the entire length of the simulator, gradually increasing their speed.
Short Turns - Many short turns gradually increasing speed and intensity.
Funnel Turns: Long – Medium – Short - Start with long turns using the entire simulator and gradually shorten the turn size until the skier is making short quick turns in the center of the simulator. This can also be done in opposite order (Short – Medium – Long)
5-1-5 – Start on one side of the simulator making a series of five (5) short turns, then make one (1) long turn that sends the body to the other end of the simulator and complete another series of five (5) short turns - that’s one set. Complete a series of sets.
3-5-3 – Starting in the center of the simulator, make 3 short, quick Absorption-style turns followed by 5 Long extension turns, followed by 3 Short, quick turns - hat’s one set. Complete multiple sets.

Create Your own combinations of rhythm and timing to challenge your fitness level.

The SkyTechSport Ski Simulator has several different modes that create challenges to develop versatility, adaptability, and accuracy. Adjusting the snow conditions will create increased level of difficulty and develop your reactive skills. The options for snow conditions are:

Normal
Icy
Heavy
Gentle slope
Crud
Heavy crud
Small bumps
Large bumps

As you become more skilled, alter the snow conditions to create greater challenge. User exercises from the Drills and Exercises section (presented next) to develop your style in various snow conditions.

Racing and learning to ski different gate combinations develops adaptability, versatility, and athleticism. The SkyTechSport Ski Simulator has a number of different options that should be explored when developing advanced skiers.

The following progression is a starting point for using gate training as a tactical way to develop skiers.

Developing versatility and adaptability in short turns:

Start with a rhythmical slalom course.
Progress to a course with a predictable rhythm change.
Use the various competition courses to challenge yourself and measure your progress.

Developing versatility and adaptability in long turns: