Ted Ligety Birds of Prey Photograph: GEPA Photos
The Far West Growth Initiative (FWDI), supported by Melissa and Martin Huml, created The Younger Skier’s Information: Fundamentals of Ski Racing to assist the event of U14 racers, however thankfully, it advantages all ages. Ron LeMaster’s beautiful images and movies lead the instructing, with Ron Kipp’s textual content providing beneficial assist. Ski Racing Media is happy to publish 9 articles highlighting the e book’s key ideas. The idea coated on this article is “Lengthy Leg/ Brief Leg,” the sixth within the collection.
The Function of Pictures and Photomontages
The wonderful Ron LeMaster images intention to immerse athletes within the photographs of ski racers, serving to them internalize the method by means of their neuromuscular system. Athletes then replicate the “method” their coaches educate, aligned with these ideas.
The 9 Important Ideas
Higher Physique Dealing with Downhill
Equal Ankle Flexion
Flip Connection/Transition
Inclination
Angulation
Lengthy Leg/Brief Leg
Stress within the Fall-Line
Edge Angle
Steadiness Towards the Exterior Ski
Click on on photographs to enlarge
Lengthy leg/Brief leg
Clarification:
To create an out of doors ski edge angle, the skier shortens the within leg by flexing the hip and knee, creating the area to permit the surface leg and ski to maneuver laterally.
Lengthy/brief description:
A protracted leg is a typical time period for a leg that’s extra prolonged than a flexed or brief leg.
Why an extended prolonged exterior leg?:
The straighter leg is biomechanically stronger as a result of femur (higher leg) stacking on or extra consistent with the tibia/fibula (decrease leg). Additionally, the center-of-mass strikes towards the flip’s geometric axis of rotation as a result of exterior leg extension or lengthening. In accordance with the regulation of conservation of angular rotation, the skier maintains velocity or might even improve velocity by extending the leg.
Why a brief flexed inside leg?:
Throughout high-edge angles, the altering leg size is most obvious. A limiting issue of those high-edge angles is when the within leg restricts the lateral motion of the surface leg. Nevertheless, the “shortening” of the within leg permits lateral exterior leg motion. Flexion of the hip, together with concurrent knee flexing, creates this motion. It’s additionally vital to notice that the idea of equal ankle flexion might break down on the highest edge angles. The within foot should transfer ahead to accommodate the surface ski and boot stress. Nevertheless, stress in each ankles is crucial. Because the hip flexes rather more within the fore/aft (sagittal) aircraft than within the lateral (frontal) aircraft, the idea of “higher physique going through downhill” is crucial.
Caveat to a straightening leg:
If the skier pushes the skis with an excessive amount of vigor, the skis penetrate the snow floor greater than wanted, growing friction and slowing the skier. Overpushing may also trigger the skis to shift from the supposed radius, resulting in a brand new, unintended radius, which slows the skier additional.
When to elongate the surface and shorten the within leg:
Coinciding with growing angulation.
Exceptions:
Straighter turns like a flush.
What to search for:
A straight or straightening exterior leg coinciding with flexing the within leg’s hip and knee because the flip develops from inclination to gate passage (fall line).
Why an extended exterior leg/brief inside leg:
A protracted, robust (straighter) exterior leg creates very robust “skeletal stacking,” creating room for the surface ski to tip as much as the specified edge angle.
The way it will look if the within leg is just not retracted:
Stress on the within ski and banking.
What occurs if not executed correctly:
A decreased edge angle outcomes
Synonyms of lengthy leg/brief leg:
Pedaling.
Drills:
White Move flip, Javelin, Snowboarding moguls. Present you bases. Knee as well.
Speaking factors or cues:
“Really feel like you might be pedaling a bicycle” (reportedly heard from Ted Ligety), “Steadiness a glass of water in your inside thigh.”
