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Downhill Skiing
A Primer on Downhill Skiing
Downhill skiing is an extreme recreational activity that is characterized by the sliding motion down slopes of snow-covered hills. This outdoor sport has been gaining much popularity and recognition worldwide as more and more people are becoming interested in it.
Downhill skiing is one extreme sport that is somehow risky. That way, downhill skiing requires people who are interested to make ample and tedious preparations.
As a recreational activity, downhill skiing can be pricey. This is because you need to invest in several expensive tools and apparel before you can do downhill skiing. Among these equipments are the skiing poles, the boots and the skis.
The skis are metal wedges that are attached to the feet of the downhill skier. In downhill skiing, the skis are essential because it facilitates the smooth gliding movement of the skier down the snow slope.
Things to take note when preparing to engage in downhill skiing
It would be helpful if you would first consider several important issues and information before you finally enlist in a downhill skiing class or before you go to a ski resort to do the sport.
The most important considerations would have to involve your physical fitness. Downhill skiing is an extreme and very physical activity, it is important that you possess great agility, flexibility and overall physical endurance.
The best and most expensive tools for downhill skiing would be useless if the downhill skier isn't physically capable and skilled to perform the highly demanding activity.
The aspiring downhill skier must be physically in good shape before he can get into the sport. Simple exercises taught by gym instructors, especially for the leg and thigh core muscles can be of great help to achieve that physical agility needed to perform safe and effective downhill skiing activity.
Stance and steering
The first physical condition you must take care of if you aim to get involved in downhill skiing would be your stance. Stance is everything since you can't do the downhill skiing activity sitting down.
Experts advise downhill skiing beginners to initially adopt a martial arts stance before and during the downhill gliding activity. That is because such stance would help make up for a balanced and relaxed body position, a great start for such a heavy and demanding physical activity.
Steering would be a secondary key to making you do the downhill skiing activity. Though downhill skiing principally involves gliding down slope, inevitable instances will always arise when you have to develop steering abilities when downhill skiing.
Steering is the ability to go to a slightly diverse direction when you are tracking down the normal course of the slope. You must develop steering ability so you can avoid small obstacles and holes along the way.
Edging and footwork
Downhill skiing aficionados would also surely recommend that you develop edging abilities, just like in hockey. Edging is the ability to slowly stop or hop to a stop. Downhill skiing makes use of gravity down the slope and you're not a machine with brakes, you have to develop edging abilities.
When you learn to get moving, you should logically also learn how to put your moving self to a stop or pause.
Downhill skiing involves much footwork. It is advisable that you learn the proper knee positions, the appropriate bending angles, how to move each foot and other footwork activities as these are essential when performing the sport.
Moving body mass and using the poles
Of course, not to be overlooked is the ability to move body mass between each foot. This is important because there will certainly be areas down the track where you have to balance well and doing so would mean you have to transfer weight from the right foot to the left.
Moving body mass ability is also significant in the steering and edging movements in downhill skiing.
When you know how to move your body mass properly, the last thing you will learn is using the poles.
Poles are important downhill skiing equipment because they serve not just as navigational tools but also as support, speed control and directional tools.
Using the downhill skiing poles is as important as learning all the abovementioned skills because poles are necessities when skiing. You can never ski without poles.
Overall, downhill skiing would surely be a fun activity. But before you get into it, consider the safety and physical issues. Otherwise, you won't enjoy the extreme sport and might endanger your life as well as the lives of other downhill skiers.
Downhill Skiing
Downhill Skiing in Powder Snow and Crud
Downhill skiing is rapidly gaining popularity as an exciting, and action-packed extreme sport and at the same time as a recreational activity.
Centuries ago, downhill skiing was considered an essential and practical mode of mobility and transportation in regions that are characterized by extreme cold conditions and snow.
Excessive snow makes infrastructure useless and prevents the mobility of people. That is why since automobiles and cars weren't widely used during those times, or if they were, didn't become useful in such regions, people learned and devised downhill skiing.
The popularity of downhill skiing is so huge that even people from countries where there isn't any snow are learning it by going to different ski resorts worldwide and going to artificially snowed domes.
However, before you finally decide to get into downhill skiing, you must first learn about the basic information and skills of the activity. First, you should begin by getting to know more about powder and crud snow.
Downhill skiing in powder snow
Powder snow is of course, snow that is made of powdery flakes. Thus, the snow covering the downhill slope for downhill skiing is powdery and the skier is more challenged.
It is also important to note that most downhill skiers are usually oriented at skiing over hard pack snow. That is why, when downhill skiing over powder snow, skiers more often tumble and fall, especially when edging, turning and carving.
Experts advise that downhill skiers must think and feel as if they are skiing or floating over snow, so they can move freely and more comfortably.
The downhill skier who is accustomed to skiing over powder snow logically possesses different and special skills that can be learned through constant skiing and expert learning. The most basic tip experts can advise wannabe powder skiers, is to ski as if you are skiing on water.
Downhill skiing in crud
Downhill skiing in crud is just as hard as downhill skiing over powdery snow. That is because crud isn't powder. Crud is something in between powder and hard snow.
People from snow-capped regions have many different terms to refer to crud. Among these are snow cones, sticky, grabby, mush, slush and crust.
One dangerous characteristic of the crud is its ability to change in texture with sun exposure, mountain altitude, moisture content and even time of the day. Thus, crud is different from powder snow because crud is basically many other different types of snow.
Downhill skiing in crud is actually different and harder. Experts advise that if you are aiming to downhill ski over crud surfaces, you should first invest in special and usually premium-cost, quality, and reliable skiing equipment.
Different sets of skiing tricks must also be learned basically because the downhill movement during downhill skiing in crud is truly challenging and risky.
Other basic downhill skiing skills
Of course, the downhill skier must orient himself into skiing on downhill slopes that aren't free from bumps, steeps and even trees.
Bumps, steeps and trees provide not just obstacles for downhill skiing but also significant dangers that can even threaten safety.
Here are some simple guidelines that will surely help downhill skiers get into the extreme snow sport without compromising their safety.
Make sure to know more about the recreational activity before finally getting into downhill skiing.
Invest in good and appropriate downhill skiing equipment because these are the tools that would primarily facilitate the accomplishment of the activity.
Prepare physically by being a health buff and conditioning the body through regular exercises and activities. Talk to your gym instructor to know more basic exercises that would condition the necessary muscles for skiing.
Enroll to a skiing school. There are a number of good skiing schools at skiing resorts across the globe.
Learn how to navigate using your poles and your ski. More importantly, also know the natural body reflexes and recommended movements to facilitate good skiing especially when there are steeps, bumps and trees ahead. Mastering such a skill would help prevent accidents.
Downhill skiing is truly exciting, but can also be dangerous if the skier is not properly oriented about this recreational activity.
Downhill Skiing
How to Ski Downhill with Style
There are many ways for skiers to go down. You can do it the professional way by executing fancy turns as you navigate your way down the slope. You can do it cautiously by taking things very slowly and virtually making what’s intended to be a ten-minute trip downhill into an hour-long journey. Or, you can do it in an extremely embarrassing way by neglecting to learn the basic downhill skiing techniques and resorting to screaming and dodging all the way to the edge.
If, however you wish to learn how to ski downhill properly, there are several methods that you can choose from:
Basic Downhill Technique – Let’s start with something simple. Assume the basic stance by keeping your skis approximately twelve inches apart from each other. Remember to keep your knees and ankles slightly bent. Keep your head up and back straight. Make sure to remove any snow clinging at the back of your skis because this could make you lose your grip and balance.
Now it’s time to move. With your hands slightly ahead of you and the poles back but slightly off ground, allow yourself to let go. As you go down the slopes, use your poles to give you a push only when necessary, and make sure that one of your skis is slightly in front the other. If you need to make a left turn, bend towards that direction while putting your right foot forward and vice versa.
This basic technique is best used for gentle slopes and easy terrains. As you find yourself getting nearer to the end, you’ll automatically find your body going lower. That’s normal, however remember to keep your arms outstretched in front you.
Snow Plow or the Wedge – If you’ve mastered the previous downhill technique, it’s time to move to something slightly more challenging: the snowplow technique. This technique will not only help you go downhill safely but also allow you to adjust your speed accordingly.
This technique is also called the wedge because your skis have to adapt a wedge-like position. Keep the edges of your skis just half a foot apart from each other. Besides the notable difference in your feet’s positioning, everything else remains the same. You still need to keep your head up, look straight ahead, and so forth.
To go downhill, you’ll have to turn your ankles inwards so that your skis will be able to dig down. This action is what allows you to control your speed.
Step Turn – If the snow plow allows you to control your speed, the next downhill skiing technique we’re about to discuss is what will allow you to make crucial turns or direction changes as you go downhill. To facilitate learning the step turn technique, find a slope that’s well packed, even, and with no steep curves. The starting position is still the same.
To make a right turn, put your left ski slightly in front. Then, lift up your other leg and afterwards push your left pole slightly nearer to the right. This will make your whole body turn to the right. As it does, make sure that your left ankle turns inward while your right leg pushes off. Only after this and when your right leg has gained enough distance should you put it down. Push your arms in front once more together with your left leg. Lastly, move until both your left and right skis are parallel with each other once more and both of your poles are ahead you.
Sideslipping – Thankfully, this technique is easier to achieve than sidestepping, although it will require you to execute a small trick. To sidestep, you’ll first need to place your feet sideways. While going down, you’ll have to make sure that your skis are still partly facing sideways. At the same time, they also have to be positioned in such a way that you can exert the necessary force to help you slow down.
Skiing downhill - albeit easier than skiing uphill - is definitely scarier because we have to contend with our fear of heights first. Still, as long as you make a conscious effort to trust in yourself and keep your control of your poles and skis relaxed but firm, there’s no way for you to fall flat on your face when you reach the end of your slope. Good luck on your way down!
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