An unusual day... and an unusual balance.

[RicHard]

I started snowboarding more than 13 years ago, when I couldn't ski better than a very low level.
After 8 years of snowboard, I tried a couple of carving ski for a day: I enjoyed them a lot, carving with them even if I left skis at the skidding level.
After other 7 years of snowboarding, last sunday I rent a couple of carving skis again and...
...I found them really easy to carve with.
This is a simple picture that show me with orange jacket...


Just to say that snowboarding dramatically improve balance of persons.
I think that also skiers should have session of snowboards to improve their balance. Having all the weight on a single line makes you gain a lot of balance.

Then... I skied with a friend of mine, a fan of extremecarving... with skis...


Then I decided to move back to snowboard and to classic-standard-carving style..


End of the story.

[fivat]

Thank you for the story and the pictures!

Indeed, all the alpine snowboarders who try skiing again are excellent at ski carving. Riding the edge is learned for the best on a snowboard!

Patrice Fivat

[trp7]

ecco, così mi viene voglia di riprovare questi sci moderni!

[RicHard]

ecco, così mi viene voglia di riprovare questi sci moderni!

I'm sure that, if you test them,you will find them much more comfortable than your board!
It's so easy to carve with them, since you've got a whole leg more than what you need to carve!
You couldn't believe it: you are perfectly in balance on one edge (on one ski) that you find unuseful the second leg!

[trp7]

ricca' don't say this to me! i'm always always looking for maximum stability and control... and all know that ski is superior to alpine snowboard in this... so for me could be dangerous to try modern skis!

[H2O]

ecco, così mi viene voglia di riprovare questi sci moderni!

I'm sure that, if you test them,you will find them much more comfortable than your board!
It's so easy to carve with them, since you've got a whole leg more than what you need to carve!
You couldn't believe it: you are perfectly in balance on one edge (on one ski) that you find unuseful the second leg!

.....BUT..... to feel the best performances in ski-carving, you must stay perfectly balanced (weight 50%-50%) on both skis.....and.....try to put your weight 60% on the inside ski, making push-pull movements!.....ANOTHER WORLD!

Pietro

[RicHard]

.....BUT..... to feel the best performances in ski-carving, you must stay perfectly balanced (weight 50%-50%) on both skis.....and.....try to put your weight 60% on the inside ski, making push-pull movements!.....ANOTHER WORLD!

Pietro

If you want to extremecarve with skis, you CAN'T be 50% on both ski.
You are close to be 100% on the internal one.

[H2O]

Of course, partially! 70/30 may be ok!.....BUT.....in the photo your weight is more on the outside ski.....

"The top racers have on average 80:20 ratio of outside to inside ski pressure in Slalom and 70:30 in GS. This ratio is constantly changing throughout the turn. Normally the turn is started above the fall line with 90% of pressure on the outside ski. Upon entering the fall line inside ski is starting to carry more load while it is not only assisting in maintaining lateral balance but is actively contributing to carving. It is normal to see a ratio of 60:40 in the second part of a turn. It could even be 50:50 throughout the most of a turn, but only on the flat less turny sections of a course. Loading of inside ski works and produces speed advantage only if skis are kept parallel throughout the entire turn. "

.....and.....don't tell me that extremecarve with ski is another thing!

[RicHard]

.....and.....don't tell me that extremecarve with ski is another thing!

Why not? It's ABSOLUTELY another thing.
When you lean into the turn with an angle of 85°, I would like to know how you can keep your weight on the external ski?
You're not on a snowboard... your joint has some rules!

[István]

I tend do differ a bit regardin the distribution of weight. I have to point out that I have never learned to ski, and actually only skied a few hours altogether in my life.

I also find fun in clicking on a friends carving ski (and also to give him one of my boards to have a good laugh... ). Compared to the fact that I am not familiar with the basic skiing techniques I can carve on moderate slopes pretty well. At least I have fun.

Now what I feel then is that most of my weight is on my outer ski and because of that I get tired pretty soon. My ski carver friends tell me that I should use a more even distribution of weight, not necessarily 50-50, but surely not what I do....

It is also fun to see my ski carver friend on my Zylon. He cannot even stand straight or manouver at low speeds, but he can lay nice trenches at easy slopes both sides. And his total snowboarding experience can be calculated in hours.... Of course the issue comes when he has to stop or when there are other people on the slope....



Cheers

[H2O]

.....and.....don't tell me that extremecarve with ski is another thing!

Why not? It's ABSOLUTELY another thing.
When you lean into the turn with an angle of 85°, I would like to know how you can keep your weight on the external ski?
You're not on a snowboard... your joint has some rules!

Don't tell me you've invented the extremecarving with ski? Try to look Herman Maier, Bode Miller...or Max Blardone during a turn...the lean, the weight...
I would like to know how you can keep your weight on the external ski?...I don't keep my weight on the external ski! 70 internal!
I Know I am not on 1 snowboard (total weight on the inside edge!), in fact I am on 2 Skis, 2 edges, 2 feet in 2 different supports!.....your joint has some rules! for this reason the EC in snowboards is so effective and allows extremer leans than skis.....

[RicHard]

Don't tell me you've invented the extremecarving with ski? Try to look Herman Maier, Bode Miller...or Max Blardone during a turn...the lean, the weight...
I would like to know how you can keep your weight on the external ski?...I don't keep my weight on the external ski! 70 internal!
I Know I am not on 1 snowboard (total weight on the inside edge!), in fact I am on 2 Skis, 2 edges, 2 feet in 2 different supports!.....your joint has some rules! for this reason the EC in snowboards is so effective and allows extremer leans than skis.....

Is this at 70%?...


As far as I know, you can never put 30% of the pressure on the external ski if you are really inclined (the internal knee crash on your stomach while the external ski go to touch the snow metres away from the other one with the straight leg that, at that inclination, doesn't allow you to put any pressure.
We are talking about extreme turn. A little bit less than extreme, you can put some pressure.

[fivat]

Good picture! But arrrrgh for the knees!

All pressure on one knee at each turn... I have heard that many carving skiers have knees problems after a few seasons. After 15 years of intense extremecarving on snowboards (20 years in general), I still have no pain fortunately!

Note that the snow conditions have a great importance. I'm afraid that one gets injured more easily with skis than with a snowboard when extreme carving...

Patrice Fivat

[pokkis]

Me understand slightly less than zero about sking, and care even less, but why he must bend inside foot? why not keep it more straight caus ewith proper carve outside ski is anyway in air

[SuperHik]

Hi all,

I also ski, and I must admit that i'm better with skies than with snowboard.

H2O, is talking about 50%-50% weight distribution, and he is only partial right. When you're doing quick and short turns in upright possition , it's necessary to have 50-50 weight distribution.

But when you're doing long carves, with extensive lean on turn, the weight distribution is more like 90-10 towards the lower ski. If you put just a little more pressure on top ski, you'll end up in snow.

I also agree, that snowboarding will improve your body position in carving with skies. As when your snowboarding your balance hang on a single edge and you have no room for errors, if you got it wrong you'll end up in snow. When you're skiing, you can correct your position with poles or you can step out of the turn, by stepping to the other ski.


About that last picture, skiers body position is totally wrong. It's center of gravity is way back.

Word of advice: move your arms forward, it'll push your center of gravity towards the center.

cheers.