Photo: Art Wilder Skiing steeper terrain requires many considerations. In the context of energy management, the athlete has to manage more energy in a smaller area in less time. While it may be tempting to work on things like being more dynamic, more aggressive, fitness, etc, it pays to take a look at time management. How we can we arrange the time frame to better fit the work. Or… how do we arrange the work to fit…
Elite level alpine ski racers rely on subtle articulation of the ankle joint as a means of affecting lean angle, thereby initiating and exiting turns without compromising the use of their legs as a suspension system. Hardboot snowboarding, a much younger sport, can benefit from the same principle. The ankle joint, in it’s articulation and relation to the lower leg, is remarkably similar to the steering axis on a motorcycle or bicycle. Learning the principles of countersteering…
Photo: Eric Buck When you spend a lot of time watching other people move about on snow, you begin to notice things. If you are equipment obsessed, you begin to associate patterns of movement, and specific types of footwear. For instance, how the majority of recreational skiers in a particular boot tend to stand and move in roughly the same manner. And how the majority of hard boot snowboarders tend to look alike as well. Then you…
Photo: Guy Laroche. You think you have a problem on snow, and you’re not sure how to proceed. New boots, new board, but there’s still something lurking in the shadows. Perspective matters. When we’re too close to a problem, it can be difficult to see what’s going on. I’ve spent nearly three decades working with countless athletes. This extensive experience has informed both my footbed manufacture, as well as my problem solving process. When I can see…
Photo: Ben Safryn. Footage of effective musculo-skeletal alignment. Posture is often overlooked in favor of style. When posture is neglected, a rider can easily stall in their development, encounter premature fatigue, and court injury. Filmed at Sugarloaf Maine on Sluice, Spillway, and Lower Narrow Gauge. Riding a first-generation metal Donek FC1 171.
A properly constructed and tuned footbed will do two things: The increased contact area between the sole of the foot and the interior of the boot will enhance proprioceptive feedback. Stabilizing the foot will reduce the amount of muscular activity required for balance in the lower extremities. As the footbed takes on more of the balancing task, those muscles can be used for pro-active, rather than re-active movements. Construction is the craft. Tuning is the art.…
