U14

Challenge:

On a groomed intermediate slope, skis point down hill athlete takes off and arcs turn to completely face uphill till skis stall, as gravity takes over athlete starts to move backwards and then arcs out backwards across hill.

This challenge has dynamic balance, edging, pressure, and weight transfer blended in a progressive movement pattern. This challenge needs some room on crossing slope, so timing and awareness is a high priority.

Equipment:

GS or SL skis (easier to start on SL skis)

Look for:

CoM- balanced  athletic position 

Feet hip width apart

Lateral rolling of ankles and knees to create edge angles

Weight mostly on outside ski while carving turn to uphill stall

Creating and managing pressure through flexion and extension of ankles, knees, and hips

At stalled moment transfer of weight, and edging progressively increases to new carving ski as athlete starts moving backwards returning to a traverse.

Challenge - Skate to Shape

Equipment - SL or GS skis

Execution - On moderate groomed terrain have athletes start to skate straight down

the hill (fall-line).

COM moves forward and laterally between skis as they skate. As speed  develops the skis will start to react to the side cut. Athletes will start to have shape and go with the flow, as more shape is created the

movement is morphed into a medium radius turn

Feel - - Hips moving forward and laterally between skis with each skate

-Keep ankles and joints flexed

-Fluid motion of skate to skate

-Feel ski sidecut start to react with snow and speed

-Go with the flow and develop shape with ski and motion of skate

-Blend into parallel medium radius turn

Look for - -Extension of leg to skate to a flexed leg to initiate next skate

-100% weight transferred to new ski

Monday night we hosted a great discussion with Miguel Azacarte from Mud, Sweat, 'n Gears and Gary Higley from Sports Page. Click the link below for a recording of this meeting. 

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/Yj6i23td7UhmMSdjbuvcXAqrPUtknS1hnvkfiaeNlwNJxuGjfnjqsG4TSFYbQgqA.EtzHhUEm4SFWMEPg

Forward/backward leg swings 10 R/L

Inward/Outward leg swings 10 R/L

Knee hugs 10 R/L

Ankle cradles 10 R/L

Toe Touches 10 R/L

Forward Hip internal rotation 10 R/L

Backward Hip external rotation 10 R/L

Lunge twist to lead leg 10 R/L

Lateral Lunge 10 R/L

Mini band side/side walk 10 R/L

Mini band forward/backward 10 R/L

Mini band forward/backward low walk (monster walk) 10 R/L

Skipping 10 R/L

Carioca 10 R/L

Jackknife crawls 6x (push up position, walk feet up to hands, walk hands out to new position, repeat)

Spiderman Crawls 20x

Upper body facing downhill- The upper body is the pelvis and above. The lower body is the legs below the pelvis. While your lower body will be following the direction of the turn, your upper body will be facing mainly downhill. 

Equal ankle flexion- Both ankles are at the same level of flexion throughout the turn.

Turn connection/transition- The moment in time when the turn is not a left or right turn. Skis are basically flat against the snow. Sometimes called transition.

Inclination- At the start of the turn when the body is moving forward and into the new turn and has not yet formed any angles.

Angulation- The body is no longer straight but forming angles with the goal of tipping the skis up on edge.

Long leg / Short leg- As the turn develops, the outside leg extends and the inside leg and hip flex.

Goals define what you want to achieve and give you the motivation to say focused and disciplined

Process vs Outcome- An outcome goal is identifying what you want to accomplish. A process goal is breaking down the steps and efforts you need to get there! Both are important in this journey. .

An outcome goal is a great motivational force. The more crystal clear it is what you want to achieve, the more likely you are to achieve it. An outcome gaol could to be to move up a few places every race, placement in State championships, placement in regional championships, making the US Ski Team.

While outcomes are important, process goals are even more important. A process goal is what you need to be working on consistently in order to achieve you outcome. This could be long leg/Short leg, better starts. Maybe it's better gliding skills, where to tuck and turn. The process focuses on what you need to work on to get better.