What's The Biggest Thing Holding Skiers Back?

One of the reasons skiing is so much fun is because you can learn and improve every day, hour, minute you ski.

There are literally thousands of opportunities to experience the thrill of ski improvement.

So what is ski improvement, I hear you ask?

Well I think of ski improvement as the art of closing performance gaps.

To improve means to move from one level to another.

Different levels create gaps between the levels.

Rarely does someone ski with us who is 100% happy with every aspect of their skiing.

In fact, I encourage you to start thinking about where do you want your skiing to be.

What is the next standard you are committed to reaching?

And in doing so let's create some gaps together!!!!!!

So as ski coach I am in the business of helping you close the gaps.

It's my job to help you get to the next level.

The cool thing is that watching someone close a gap, even if its a small step, is so rewarding.

Watching skiers eyes light up is what it's all about for me and I am privileged to share the experience with them.

So today I am going to talk about the biggest gap in skiing!

And how to close it!!!!

But first let me share with you a few turns I had with Harald Harb this season.

Talk about a gap!

It has been a couple of years since I skied with Harald.

So I couldn't wait to ski with him again.

I know he is one of the best skiers going around.

After watching two turns, from the great one, I was quickly reminded how good he truly is.

The benefit for me was an instant wake up call. Harald's brilliant ability to make to difficult look ridiculously easy is firstly a little earth shattering, and then when you watch him do it again, and again and again becomes easier to accept.

I was already working on closing my gaps, but after watching Harald perform, my gaps quickly doubled and tripled as I set much higher standards for my own skiing.

It's easy to get a little complacent from time to time and I thank Harald for those two turns.

Two turns that showed me I can be more.

Harald has a simple philosophy.

He is never satisfied with his performance.

So he sets a new level. That is he creates a gap. Then he does what ever it takes to fill the gap.

Once he reaches the level he set, guess what, he sets another level, then he does what ever it takes to fill the gap. And so on.

Harald has a wining formula.

And fortunately he generously shares what he does, so I can share it with you so you can become the skier you deserve to be. So here goes what is the biggest gap in our clients skiing when they turn up to camp?

Skiers turn up to camp, skiing with their free foot (inside foot) too far forward!

Yes, that's it. Now I know if I had of said this way earlier you would have said – Oh is that it?

I already know that!

Well skiers just don't seem to get this fact, even the ones who have read all the books, watched the videos etc.

If you want to improve your skiing levels in a session.

Learn how to pull your free foot back. Then learn how to pull it back further. The learn how to pull it back some more.

How far back is ideal?

A good guide is so that your free foot is resting under your free foot hip.

A more accurate guide is that if you stopped skiing on your outside ski and lifted it off the snow your free foot ski could carry on carving seamlessly and be in the ideal position to balance your weight.

99% of all skiers ski with their free foot (their inside foot) too far forward.

If you remember this next time you go skiing

Pull your free foot back.

Pull your free foot back as far as you can.

Now pull your free foot back even further until it is in the ‘ideal' carving position if you chose to ski on it.

Now If you say, I ski with my free foot back already! Ask yourself is it in the right place all the time? In the powder, on the steeps, in the bumps? The more you push the more effort required to manage your free foot in the right position.

Next time, before the snow falls, I'll give you some on snow exercises to test your free foot position, to determine if there are any gaps that need to be filled.

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!