So What Is My Ideal Free Foot Position?

Last month I talked about free foot positioning and how it makes you a better skier.

I mentioned that at Harb Ski Camps, most skiers turn up skiing with their free foot to far forward.

That is, until we show them how rapidly they can improve their skiing, by making some subtle changes, in their free foot positioning.

For those of you who don't know. The free foot is the foot that is inside of the ski turn. The stance foot is on the outside of the ski turn.

This month, we'll ask and answer the question: Why do skiers ski with their free foot to far forward?

Then I'll give you some on snow free foot checks.

So you can work on your free foot positioning.

Why do skiers ski with their free foot to far forward?

The simple answer is, there are countless reasons why skiers ski with their free foot to far forward, here are two of the most common –

Reason 1 - Misalignment.

When your natural alignment robs you of a stable skiing platform it throws out your free foot positioning.

Reason 2 - It began as a habit when learning to ski.

If you learned to ski in a snow plough, often skiers develop a comfort zone of bracing against their big toe edges.

To achieve this, skiers allow their hips to drop back behind their feet. This creates a backseat brace position. This habit is hard to shake, without expert help, and is one of the most common reasons why skiers are held back.

And here is what happens when you try to make a parallel turn with a free foot that's to far forward, or hips in back seat.

Imagine standing by balancing on one foot on a banana peel that is directly under your hip. It would be slippery, uncomfortable but manageable.

Now imagine standing by balancing on a banana peel on one foot.

This time your foot is positioned two centimeters (one inch) ahead of your hip. How long do you think you can remain balanced? It would be difficult, very slippery, but by engaging extra muscles you could manage it for quite a while.

Now imagine positioning your foot 10 centimeters (four inches) ahead of your hip. Very difficult to do this. Why? Because lots of extra muscle work is required. And I suspect it wouldn't take long before your foot shoots forward and you would end up on your butt. So please don't try this at home!

So how does this relate to making a parallel turn in skiing?

I hear you ask.

Well, imagine skiing down a ski hill with your free foot too far forward. Let's say it's seven centimeters (aprox three inches) ahead of your ideal position. Your ideal position for this exercise is under your free foot hip.

Now, with your free foot to far forward what do you think will happen when it is time to make a new turn?

When you make a new turn, you transfer your balance from your stance ski to your free foot.

A switch of balance from stance to free foot when you switch turns from one way to the other.

But remember, your free foot is in the wrong spot. It is too far forward. So what will happen when you try to balance on it?

Just like the banana peel example, when you move to stand and balance on your free foot that is too far forward and in the wrong spot, it will want to slip away and forward of you.

Why?

Because your free foot side isn't stacked skeletally due to incorrect free foot positioning, so you will need to engage additional muscles to manage the transfer of balance, to make sure you foot and ski doesn't run out from under you, and you don't end up falling on your ski butt.

Have you every wondered why you pick up too much speed when making turns, or short radius turns, or in the bumps, or while making powder turns?

If you do, there is a good chance it's because your free foot isn't where it needs to be!

In Summary:

If your free foot is in the wrong position (too far forward or too wide), your turn transition will be delayed due to your brain over riding your desire to turn at the desired time.

Why?

Because the brain's primary job is to ensure your balance at all times.

So your brain will delay things until it is confident that you won't fall.

This delay, causes your ski turn to accelerate unnecessarily, because there is now a dead spot in your turn.

Plus you will also need to recruit extra muscles to maintain balance to prevent the ski running away from you. This also leads to unnecessary fatigue and sets up a chain reaction turn after turn until you are forced to break, bail out or pull your free foot back and in to the correct position!

Now the reverse is also true.

Have you ever wondered why on a particular run you had all the time in the world?

Chances are it's because your free foot is where it needs to be!

Here are two on snow free foot checks –

So where is your ideal free foot position?

Well the ‘simple' answer is your ideal free foot position is where at any moment in time, in any part of the turn, you could transfer your balance over to your free foot and it would continue the turn from a skeletally strong position, seamlessly.

Now, a quick word of caution here. Skiing on your inside or free foot requires building up muscle, joint and ligament strength. Also if your alignment is out, chances are you'll be putting additional stress on your body. So take it easy with these exercises and if you have any doubts about your alignment, get it checked.

On snow free foot check 1 – Downhill ski traverse...

While traversing across a groomed green/blue slope balance on your downhill foot / ski and pick up your uphill foot. Then try -

1) Pulling your lifted foot in / out back and forward until it is back in balance under your hip.

2) Relaxing your downhill leg muscles so you transfer your balance onto your uphill foot / ski. Hold and ski on your uphill ski, then transfer your balance back to your downhill ski. Repeat.

On snow free foot check 1 – Uphill ski traverse...

This time rather than start your traverse on your downhill foot / ski, start it on your uphill ski. The try -

1) Begin your traverse on your uphill ski, then relax those leg muscles and transfer balance to your downhill ski, then transfer balance back up to your uphill ski

2) Begin your traverse on your uphill ski and maintain your balance all the way across the hill.

Training your body to balance and stand on your what is normally your free foot (uphill ski) helps you identify where your free foot needs to be at the end of the turn, so when you transfer to it. It is right there under you, where it needs to be.

Advanced free foot training includes. Banana turns. Weighted releases. Inside ski turns. One footed skiing. But that's for another time.

Article brought to you by ex-ski coach now peak performance life coach Peter Stone from www.peak-performance-coaching.com.au. Visit us for free resources on how to live a rich and fulfilling life with all the energy, time and money you need to do what you want!