Skiing Tips for Advanced. Part 2.

This is the last chapter in the series of working with SkyTechSport’s Ski Simulators and will include professional training tips and tools for advanced skiers. The world’s best skiers constantly challenge their skill level by using following methods that were developed by certified coaches for international championships. On and off season, our Ski Simulators are ready to take you to the top of a next mountain.

DRILLS AND EXERCISES.

We use drills to take a skier out of their normal movement pattern and allow him/her to isolate a single movement or skill for the purpose of development.

Posture and Stance

Fore/aft leaning from multiple joints
- Explore how the ankles, knees, and hips flex and extend in order to establish balance.
Squats and deep knee bends
- Lower your hips downward, even with your knees and then resume athlete stance.

Accuracy in Edging

Tipping with hands and feet symmetrically
- Hold your hands in front of your body, and while tipping your feet and lower legs from side to side, imitate that movement with your hands. This provides a visual reference and strengthens the neuro pathways between your feet and your brain.
Hands on knees
- Hold one hand on each knee while making foot and lower leg tipping movements.
Both hands on inside knee

Place both hands on the inside knee (switching with each edge change). The intent is to physically manipulate the inside knee, so it moves in unison with the outside knee, preventing a very common “A” frame.

Hands on inside of knees, pushing out

With one hand on each knee, push the knees outward. This exercise keeps the lower legs moving in symmetry for optimal body positioning.

Hand on outside of knees, pushing in
- Same as previous exercise.
Double fists inside of knees

Ski with your two fists side by side, with your knees holding them firmly on each side.

Ski pole behind knees
- Hold a ski pole behind your knees, grasp the pole with an overhand grip just outside your knees. With your closed fists, physically push/pull your knees to the desired edges. Repeat as your roll the edges and change direction. This drill helps to emphasize symmetry while insuring ankle flexion throughout the exercise.

Blending Edging and Weight Shifting

Edge change with Extension
- When changing edges, extend the new outside leg to move the center of mass vertically up and over the feet. This type of transition lengthens and oxygenates the muscles and recruits the skeleton for support.
Edge change with flexion
- When changing edges, focus on shortening the old outside (support) leg to allow the body to cross over the skis without moving vertically. This type of transition generally can happen more quickly, but it keeps the muscles in the upper legs contracted throughout.

Heisman Drill/parallel position drill

Also referred to as the "Super Man" or "Tea Pot" drill, this exercise reinforces the parallel position of skeletal alignment through a turn. While holding the inside hand/arm at shoulder height, drive the insider shoulder, pectoral, hip and knee forward. In conjunction, hold the outside hand on the outside hip, keeping the upper body stable and quiet. As you transition to the new edges, be sure to change edges BEFORE you change hand position.

Inside hand on hips, outside hand on outside knee

Similar to the Heisman drill above, but with adjusted hand positioning. This position draws the outside half of the upper body downward, insuring the shoulders remain level as the skis are tipped on edge.

Ski pole behind knees, pulling up on inside of knees

Hold a ski pole behind your knees, grasp the pole with an UNDERHAND grip outside of your knees. With your inside hand, physically pull the pole forward against the back of the knee, insuring that the inside ankle remains flexed, and the inside foot, knee, and hip move forward through the turn.

Approved by US Ski Team Head Coach, the exact match of all sensations and biomechanics of training on SkyTechSport Simulators helps world's top athletes practice Slalom, GS and Downhill all year round, right at the gym. Every session on this machine provides a wide range of professional training and comes with a variety of options depending on a goal. For example, additional equipment such as a vest connected to power kinematics works as speed training tool that suitably distributes the load through a body axis. Evidently, there is much more to the Simulator than we could put in these introductive series. The realism of the visuals, gravity and the mechanics of skiing have been appreciated by thousands of highly skilled users all around the globe. It’s time you try it for yourself and get the best out of it any season you please.