Derin Day 2

Derin – after riding up the Funicular for the first time ever. (Mont Blanc to the right – Mont Pourri to the left)

Understandably Derin just want to ski and not to work on technique – but skiing is much better, more fun, safer and more interesting when technique is improved… so we have been working on a few things.

Dynamics

We did a very quick revision of dynamics – but Derin was clear on this subject so we didn’t have to take too much time. Dynamics can however be taken to completely different levels but we are not interested in that for the moment. I simply wanted to help Derin develop a narrower stance as she tends to ski with her legs wide apart as a substitute for moving her Centre of Mass.

In the video above Derin pulling her legs together with her adductor muscles while working on dynamics – actually pushing up from the uphill edge of the uphill ski just prior to the end of the existing turn. The job of a ski is to “bring you up” so it actually doesn’t matter too much which one is used! Getting Derin to modify things in this way encourages a narrower stance and this is clearly visible in the video.

Cold

Derin was asking to finish early but it wasn’t until we eventually were indoors that I saw her hands were freezing. She has been told now that she must let people know when this sort of thing is happening because it can be dangerous. It’s not “complaining” it’s just necessary! I’d made her put on a thick extra upper body layer before going out. When temperatures are as low as they are currently you can’t put on too much clothing.