Fall Line

Would calling it something different help us beginners? :mrgreen:

Do you mean fall line is too much like falling over line? Ass crash line? Facedive line?

Hamish,

It's a funny word isn't it?

Using the word “Fall” is probably not a great image for beginners!

I suspect that I am rather out of date with my terminology. However, my wife (a highly qualified ski instructor – cool hu?) tells me that the term “Flow Line” is now favored.

Whatever the term, the concept remains the same. Imagine a ball rolling down a hill. It will follow the most direct path to the bottom (If you allow the ball to have no mass and therefore not to display the effects of inertial).

We use this term in skiing because it’s helpful to understand where our skis most want to go. Now we know where they want to go we can divert them from this path and still end up at the bottom of the hill in a vaguely human state.

A flowing run down any given piste will tend to have its turns made symmetrically about the Flow Line. i.e. each turn will diverge roughly the same distance and angle from the flow line. Obviously this is a simplification but the concept remains roughly true.

For a hands on image of the Flow Line, imagine a beginner standing at the top of a piste, leaning way back and then pushing off. They are likely to follow the Flow Line down!

Please keep asking great questions,

Jan

Here is a concrete example of why very soon sites such as these will become multi-media sourced.
One video could answer all the doubts about fall line or flow line!

I really like the term flow line ( which I have never heard) since often I tell skiers that we should ski like a stream which flows down a mountain! It curves around rocks rather try to displace them!
It has no apparent beginning and end just one continuous motion very much like a great smooth skier.
It is part of nature and does not "attack" or try to change other settings! So it should be in skiing.

Notice also how a stream changes speeds based on terrain, just like a skier should flow with the terrain!

Notice how water finds the "flow of least resistance", just like an effective skier finds the very best skiing line! Thank you for that great term,,,,flow line! Will use it more now!

So I should become the river - very Eastern!

Hamish,

I think Pavel means the river Itchen!!

Happy brown sludge,

Jan

Hamish,
No, No, not a river a stream! A mountain stream!
Re-reading my message I do sound a bit too "eastern" Zen!
I am far from this!

All I wanted to say ( very poorly it seems) is that the concept of flow is an excellent "image" to have when skiing!

It evokes harmony, adjustment, fluidity,clean even motions and seem to "blend" into the nature!

I will end this Zen like message by pointing out that effective skiing is NOT forcing one's intentions but rather to let the skis flow with the terrain!