Hints & Tips

Ski

#1 Pull your socks up!

The smallest wrinkle or seam inside your ski boot can wreak havoc on your comfort level. To make your day on the slopes as enjoyable as possible ensure you are wearing long socks that are not too thick and make sure you pull them right up past the top of your boots.

Your socks should be the only thing inside your boots, do not tuck in long-johns or trousers, instead have them sitting above or over your boots.

#2 Keep on your toes

As with most athletic sports, skiing requires good balance. To help maintain good balance while sliding downhill we can simply focus on where under our feet we are standing.

By focusing on the pressure under our feet just behind the toes and maintaining it throughout the turn (behind big toe of your outside foot) we will be able to improve our balance as our weight will naturally be delivered toward the middle and front of the ski.

Stand and deliver

In order to maintain pressure under the front of the feet we must stand up and move our hips forward and over the feet. Our natural tendency is to not go forward enough as we stand up or to sink back as the turn develops. Resist these temptations as you deliver your hips and upper body forward over your feet and you will experience more controlled , smoother skiing regardless of terrain.

D.I.Y

Try plenty of straight runs on an easy slope to practice standing up. Focus on where under your feet you feel the most weight (pressure). Gradually move your hips and upperbody forward until you maintain pressure under the front of the feet. As you gain confidence repeat this on progressively steeper sections.

Hint: keep your ankle joints mobile

- Simon Grove, Ski instructor and ski trainer

Snowboard

#1 These boots weren't made for walking

Before arriving on the slopes you can help yourself (and your family) make snowboarding a lot easier. Loose boots may be comfortable, but will not allow you to utilize the design of your boots. If you find yourself struggling with your toeside then check your laces. The tongue of our boots is designed to support our body weight to give you a larger platform to balance on rather than the ends of your toes. If your laces are too loose you will find that your ankles will flex fully and strain hard. Worst of all you're still trying to find ballet balance while your feet slide around under you. However if you can get your inner lace tight you'll find your feet staying on your board. If your outer laces are tight then enjoy toe side comfort as you allow your shins to rest on the tongues of your boots whilst standing up to enjoy the ride.

– Lucien Gordon, Snowboard instructor and Instructor Trainer

#2 Take it easy!

By being relaxed and avoiding unecessary movements, you'll make your riding smoother and more efficient!

- Pierre Marasti, Snowboard instructor and coach

#3 Heelside horrors?

If you've been in any snowboard lesson then you will have been told to sit in a chair to balance on your heelside. If you're a strong person then this will work well, however if the thought of doing squats makes your legs shake you may have found yourself sliding out and sitting down while riding on your heels. Don't let this put you off snowboarding just yet as there are a lot more muscles in your body to support you than your thighs. While riding across the hill on your heels try lifting your knees up in front of you slightly. As your hips and knees flex you will find your balance change and your feet will stop sliding out from under you. But most importantly your feet will lighten in the snow for a smooth, soft ride.

– Lucien Gordon, Snowboard instructor and Instructor Trainer

Kids Tips

#1 Do your children's boots really fit?

As with adults, kids boots need to fit appropriately in order for them to ski well and progress. A good fit will be smaller than you think; street shoe size or one size smaller will usually do it, others may come down two sizes.

The trick is to have them put their foot into theconfined space of the boot and have them understand the benefits. Fortunately, with the right guidance, most kids will go along with it without too much complaint.

A good boot will not feel like a normal street shoe when trying it on at the rental shop - because it isn't. However when you are skiing down a hill in good dynamic balance it will be there for you in full support.

Renting/Fitting boots

Step 1: Establish your kid's street shoe size. If you are handed a boot larger than this ask for their shoe size and also one size down.

Step 2: Remove the foot support (the boots should have at least an insole as a minimum). Once this is removed place it on the floor and have your child stand on it with their heel flush with the heel end of the insole. Toes should be over or under the insole length by a millimetre or two.

Step 3: Put boot on. They should be wearing only one thin sock on each foot (the liner is designed to keep your foot warm, thick or extra socks equal pain). It will take some effort to get the boot on and once the foot is in the boot it should feel very snug.

Step 4: Have them stand up. At this stage their toes will possibly be firmly touching the front of the boot. this is probably ok.

Step 5: Have them flex their legs so that their knees bend and move towards the toes while the feet remain flat. The pressure of the toes against the front of the boots should ease, toes may even come off the front a small amount. This is what we will feel with good skiing movement.

Step 6: Go skiing!

Common errors

1. Using adult boots on younger children (pre-adolescent). The boot cuff usually comes up too high on the legs which can lead to indue stress on legs and knees.
2. Asking your child how the boot fits. Instead guide them so they understand what they will feel. Be specific, for example "When you stand up are your toes touchng the front? Are they pressing hard? When you bend your knees what are you feeling against the end of your toes?"
3. Too many othe things in the boot. For example; extra socks, long underwear, bottom of trousers.
4. Boot is too large.

~Simon Grove - Ski instructor and trainer

#2 FAQs

"Why are my kids sitting back and skiing in a big wedge?"
Without getting too technical, (and generalising) kids do not possess the physical strength until around puberty to ski with the traditional adult skiing stance. However, don't panic - it's not terminal - they grow out of this phase. Think of the wedge turn as a "Pacific Island Parallel Turn", a big Waka with an outrigger. It allows young skiers to take some of the pressure off muscle groups and still maintain a healthy amount of edge grip throughout the entire turn. They are learning to instinctively deal with a loaded ski and carve their turns in a variety of snow and terrain. Try this; ski behind them and only look at what their outside ski is doing. You should see a similar picture to your own outside ski when you are pelting down a run. Adults can often take longer to acquire this feeling for their skis - leading to the other question of "why are my kids faster than me?" My advice is simple. Have fun skiing with your kids, don't bother asking them to "lean forward" and keep encouraging them to turn!

"When do I give my kids ski poles?"
There are a few simple reasons why most children will go without ski poles until they are all mountain skiers and around seven or eight years old. Young bodies are wired differently, or in other words they have very similar amounts of receptors in both their hands and feet. Something in their hands can block the feelings that their instructors ask from young feet. Another point is that kids' pole grips are often still too large for little hands, making it difficult to hold onto them and little hands get colder too.
I occasionally let my daughter use one of my poles on flatter runs but I carry the poles on lift rides. My son needed some help at first, but is now confident with his poles on chairlifts. Kids will
of course only drop one pole off the chairlift. Either on your last run of the day or on the steepest, nastiest most visible part of the hill for Dad to show off his unique ski pole rescue techniques.

"The kids love their skiing, where should we go skiing together after the lessons?"
There is something special about skiing as a family. My kids take ski lessons at Cardrona and I enjoy watching them practice their new skills afterwards. As a parent it is all too easy to unintentionally "over do" the practice. The best thing is to ask your child's instructor where they were skiing and what was the lesson today. Your child's instructor may also mention that they may go to a new area during the next lesson. Let them take your child there! All too often we see small children skiing on terrain that is far too steep for them. The result usually is a backward step in development and fear. Your skis make bigger turns than your child's. Watch your turn size and your speed when you ski them around the mountain. Let them lead you down a familiar run, you will soon get the feeling of their turn size and speed. One phrase that has stuck with me over the years is "ski at their maximum speed with your kids on minimum terrain".

~ Bob Irwin, Ski Trainer, Cardrona Instructor Training Centre