FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT SKILL
"What do I need to do to glide longer and ski better?" I was recently asked this question by a long time skier who had felt he was wasting too much energy trying to keep up with the pack.
If you seriously want to improve your skiing the one thing you should invest 20 hours in learning to move your centre of mass!
Most people climb stairs by raising the leg, putting the foot down on the step and then bringing the body up over that forward foot. We call this movement "vaulting" because your centre of mass moves forward after the foot has planted in front of you. You wasted energy to lift the leg but you didn't actually move yourself forward!
In the picture below you can see how the body is in motion right from the start so that when the foot hits the step, the body's centre of mass is already up over that step. This is what separates novice skiers from great skiers - more efficient use of their energy expenditure and body motion!
What's the best way to re-program or re-train your body to move in the expert skier way and to stop vaulting? I suggest starting off with dryland drills before tackling this on skis.
Uphill ski striding with poles
Stair climbing (or Grouse Grind)
Box jumps or mini hurdle jumps
What's 20 hours got to do with it? According to Josh Kaufman, author of The First 20 Hours, by completing just 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice you’ll go from knowing absolutely nothing to performing noticeably well.
Deliberate mindful practice means you dissect and analyze your movement so that you can repeat it over and over again in a consistent fluid, rhythmic motion. Don't just climb stairs but think about how you are moving your body to climb the stairs. The focal point should be your body mass being in motion right from the start of the stride/step. (Watch his TedX youtube video at https://www.youtube.com/
You will not become a ski god in 20 hours but you will have laid the foundation for skiing excellence!
