Introduction to One-Ski Activities

Activity Description:

These one foot/ski activities share common characteristics that create the ability to control and adjust both fore/aft and lateral Pressure control:
• 1-Ski Straight Run, Lift tail of one ski (for several ski lengths) maintaining straight track (L/R)
• 1-Ski Sideslip, lift tail of uphill ski and sideslip in a corridor down the falline (L/R)
• 1-Ski Traverse, lift tail of uphill ski and traverse on edged ski (minimal skidding) (L/R)

Why This Activity Will Be Useful:

The turn dynamics of advanced skiing creates a transfer of the skier’s weight and balance to the outside ski, requiring efficient and effective fore/aft and lateral, Pressure Control Skills. Skiing these different training activities on one ski builds a strong skeletally-stacked skiing stance that provides for an accurate fore/aft relationship over the center of the ski (and precludes a ‘back-seat’ stance). Additionally these activities separate the specific ‘roles’ of outside ski/leg and inside ski/leg. The resulting stance and pressure control skills are foundational to efficient skiing at all levels.

What the Skis Do (EFFECT):

• Lifted ski shows tip lightly on snow and remains parallel to other ski
• Lifted ski is slightly edged in traverse and sideslip
• In straight run, the ski remains flat and tracks straight
• In sideslip, the downhill ski slips smoothly and continuously down the fall line
• In traverse, the downhill ski track may show minimal skidding
• Weighted ski/downhill ski is bent along length of ski

How the Body Moves (CAUSE):

• Flexion/extension movements adjust center of mass fore/aft over ski(s)
• Flexion/extension and upper body angulation adjust pressure laterally over the ski
• Tail of ski is lifted by flexion of the leg joints
• Minimal weight is on tip of lifted ski
• 1-Ski Straight Run, use tipping/rolling of lifted foot to keep stance ski flat on the snow.
• 1-Ski sideslip, use tipping/rolling of lifted foot to manage edging (slip/grip) of downhill ski
• 1-Ski Traverse, use tipping/rolling of lifted foot to manage edging of downhill ski

Where: Green terrain, choose a safe low traffic area for these activities.

Learning/Teaching Cues:

• Practice straight run alternating lifting and lowering tail of each ski. Use slower tail lifts until you can keep the tail of a ski up and practice longer segments balancing and gliding on 1-ski
• Practice sideslipping while lightening the tail of uphill ski until you can sideslip with tail lifted
• Practice traversing while lightening the tail of uphill ski until you can traverse with tail lifted
• In each activity, once ski is lifted, experiment with tipping/rolling movements of the ankle/foot of the lifted ski to learn the effect of those movements on the stance foot/ski.