Coach | GOT BALANCE?

“If you don’t have balance, you don’t have anything,” says Kristi Robertson, longtime Stowe pro and Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) Eastern Region Examiner. “Before you think of any other skills, you have to be in balance.” Forget edge angles, rotation, carving, skidding, timing, or rhythm. Instead, ask yourself: Am I balanced over my skis?

Coaches in many sports talk about an athletic stance or “ready” position. In skiing, however, balance is not about a single position you stand in. Rather, because skiers are in constant motion over always-changing terrain, balance becomes a series of adjustments –some significant, others subtle. Skiers are always on the move; therefore, in order to stay in balance, they continually adjust.

A pro once asked me: “Did you pay full price for your skis?” Answer: “I earned every penny I paid for my skis, and I assume you did too.” He responded: “Then use your whole ski!” Fore and aft balance affects the part of the skis on which a skier applies pressure. If you lean too far back, you apply pressure to just the tails of your skis; if you lean forward, you apply pressure only to your ski tips.

You want to take advantage of the skis’ full value, using everything you paid for – the entire length of your skis and not just the tips or tails. Therefore, your goal when it comes to balance should be to position your center of mass (located around your navel) over your base of support (the feet).

Skis are designed to distribute your weight throughout their entire length, but you have to help them by centering yourself over your feet. Then, you’ll get what you paid for.

Of the three joints in your lower body that flex and extend – your ankle, knees, and hips – the ankle joint is smallest. But when it comes to balance, subtle ankle

A

B

These two easy excercises that you can do with a rubber excercise band will help give you the flexibility and strength to stay balanced over your skis. movements have the greatest impact of the three (isn’t it great when the little guy packs the biggest punch?). If you flex (or close) your ankle joint, your body moves forward. If you extend (or open) your ankle, your body moves back. These very small movements – opening and closing your ankle joints – impact your balance on skis in a major way. Here are some tips to help train your ankle joint:

Drills for home. Using a rubber exercise band, practice flexing and extending your ankle joint. For flexion, wrap the band around a stable table leg in your home. Sitting, wrap the band over your toes and pull your toes towards your shin (as shown at left, Photo A). For extension, hold the band in your hands, wrap it under your foot and point your toes away from you (Photo B). “I try to keep my ankles flexible and strong,” says Robertson. “The muscle in front of the shin – the anterior tibialis – can get sore skiing (in the early season particularly) because there just isn’t as much pressure on it in running or walking as there is in skiing.”

A drill for on the hill: Simply shuffle your skis back and forth as you slide across the snow. As you make these movements, in your mind shine a spotlight on your ankle joints. As you shuffle, the ankle joint, your back leg flexes. On your front leg, the joint opens. “This can help you become more kinesthetically aware,” says Robertson. For advanced skiers, ratchet up the difficulty in the drill by continuing to shuffle as you ski through a series of turns.

What to watch on video. Here’s your assignment: hand your smartphone to your friend and have them shoot a video of you skiing. Be sure to ski past your videographer so they get a side view. Later, at your favorite après-ski spot or in front of your fireplace, watch your video. Here’s what to watch for: in the side view, how does your body line up with the trees along the side of the trail?

Even on a steep slope, as trees grow, their leaves, branches, and trunk stretch skyward toward the sun. In other words, trees grow straight up. You, on the other hand, should be standing directly over your base of support (your feet) and your body should form a 90-degree angle with the pitch of the slope.

Compare your body to the trees in your video’s side view — the moment when you ski past your videographer. While the trees grow straight up, your body should lean well downhill from them. Your body should form a right angle to the pitch of the slope. If it does not — if your body is parallel to the trees – you are leaning back; therefore you are using just the rear end of your skis. In this case, your ankle joint is open, and you should be thinking about firing the anterior tibialis muscle to close your ankle and move your center of mass forward.

In the early days of ski season, ahead of all else, think about balance. And don’t stop as the season progresses. Being in (or out of) balance affects everything you do on skis. “Balance is your foundation,” says Robertson. “It allows you to build on and utilize all of the other skills you need in order to perform.” u

Mark Aiken is an award-winning freelance writer, a ski pro at Stowe and a member of the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) eastern region educational staff. He co-authored the PSIA manual Teaching Children Snowsports. He lives in Richmond with his wife, kids, dog, cats, and nine chickens, all of whom ski except the cats and chickens.