Would you like to progress on the slopes this winter? Good news, I met Lydie, ski instructor and coach, who showed us some exercises to do to help you progress easily.
According to you, is it possible to assess your own level? If yes, how?
Of course, it is possible to assess your own level. To do this, you have to define the 4 different levels that exist to be able to situate yourselfObviously, this is only an approximate scale, the level is to be assessed on a case-by-case basis by ski and snowboard professionals.
Ski
Beginner:
Your turn includes at least one phase of snow-ploughing on a gentle slope.
Intermediate:
You are able to string together skid turns keeping the skis parallel on a medium slope.
Advanced:
You are able to chain turns with very little skid on steep slopes and on all types of snow, as well as chaining carved turns on gentle slopes.
Expert:
You are able to evolve on all types of snow (powder, tracked snow, hard snow, etc ...) with fluidity and control, while mastering the technical specificities related to skiing all snow, piste, freestyle, and / or competition.
Snowboards
Beginner:
You're happy making toe/heel sideslips and falling leaf, skid turns on a gentle slope keeping the body in one block, you are able to do short straight jumps with your board facing the slope.
Intermediate:
You do a series of skid turns on a medium slope, you make your first fakie turns (your back foot steers the board instead of the front foot), and a few flat figures like 180°.
Advanced:
You are able to string together driven turns of varying radius, including very short ones. You follow the turns in fakie and already master the flat figures and some jump figures like the 360°.
Expert:
You are able to evolve on all types of snow and slopes using the technical specificities related to the practices you prefer: Freestyle, Freeride and/or boardercross.
And what about those who do not wish to take lessons?
If you ski with friends, choose to go with those who have a similar level to yours, this will prevent you from finding yourself in situations where your technical background is not sufficient.The goal is to have fun, not to be sick of skiing at the end of the day!
As a ski coach, do you know exercises that help improve technique and gain self-confidence? Can you give us a few, easy exercises to do on our own?
To improve your technique and gain self-confidence, whatever your skiing or snowboarding level, there's nothing like working on a gentle slope at a reduced speed. When skiing, you can do this little exercise to work on your lateral balance: when turning, raise the inside ski on the turn so that it is no longer in contact with the snow. This helps to control the trajectory that is less and less skidded and more and more carved. You can vary the time you pick up the ski, do it with or without poles ...
What is the advantage of such an exercise?
The idea is to be able to feel all the different steps of the turn and especially when our body weight is on the right ski, on the left ski, on both skis, in which position you lose your balance and why. This exercise is really excellent for understanding your sensations, learning to find the right balance at the right time, and thus improve your technique.
Do you know a similar exercise for snowboarders?
In snowboarding, the gentle slopes allow you to work on the movements on the flat, like the 180 ° and 360 ° for example… which can later be reused on the modules in the park. To learn the 180 ° slides, you can try the wreath exercise: we start from the edge of the slope (making sure that no one is arriving from above you) in the direction we want, say backside, that is to say, resting on the heels , and we do a rounding (like the end of a turn) to go up the slope until the board is flat.Once the board is flat, it will naturally follow the slope line and you will just as naturally start again on a frontside rounding, i.e. resting on your toes.And so on...You can change this exercise with more or less carve or by jumping at the time you flatten depending on your level. It's about breaking down the movement of the rotation while feeling the edge changes.
What kind of results can we expect from these exercises (technique, confidence, physique)?
These exercises help your body to have a spatial feeling and you understand how your actions affect the way you ski or snowboard.They allow you to gain confidence. However, these are exercises that allow you to work on fairly broad themes. For more targeted exercises, do not hesitate to call on an instructor, who will help you progress in a fun and efficient way.
Do you have a final tip for those who want to go even further?
Make sure you have the right equipment for your level and your discipline. Do not get into situations out of your reach so as not to endanger yourself which can then put you off these great skiing and snowboarding sports.
For more advice, do not hesitate to contact ski professionals who will be able to take you where you can have fun. Happy Gliding!
