Messages posted by : pavelski
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Skiers take the time to get "fitted" for ski boots, but rarely do they then make the boots "better"! No two feet are alike. You must individualize the boots to make them even more comfortable and even better performing! All ski pros do it! Here are some of their secrets!
Boots are the vital link between your skis are you, take the time to learn how to "modify" boots for your needs. I will assume you have great boots and you were smart enough to buy orthotics for skiing. I will assume you know that ski boots are comfortable in the shop or not. You can not "break in" modern ski boots! However you can improve them! These are the five procedures you can do at home or with help to make ski boots your best friend. 1. Buy a boot warmer. May I recommend a ceramic heater unit not a electrical /fan model for two reasons. The element models heat up quickly but may damage liner. They also make noise. The ceramic models are silent and over night will make boots toasty warm. The goal of using heaters is not primarely due to heat for comfort but rather to make liner and "foam" more flexible thus making boot perform better. All modern boot liners have heat activated padding, by heating boot before skiing you are allowing boot to be more "giving"! If I have to drive more than 2 hours ( I am ski fanatic) I have a unit in the car which works very well. 2.Modify buckle placement. All modern ski boots have micro-adjustments which often are screws and slots, however in some cases you have a great boot but you are at limit of screw. That is you can not "open" more! This happens often with woment that race since they want a high level boot ( not wome'n soft boot) yet the top bucklet is too tight due to their longer gastronemius ( imagine you are getting biology classes also)! Bucklet can be moved! You can do it easily. Here is an example. I have a pair of Salomon boots that fit me like a glove, but the second buckle from toe is badly placed causing me too much top pressure at lowest setting! Do not touch buckle part of unit! Just drill out serrated unit, move it 5 mm in, drill hole in shell, set pop rivet! All is done in 15 minutes. The same is true for buckles that are set at a "poor" angle. Some boot companies set buckles in strange angles ( more for robot installation issues). The third buckle from toe often rubs on upper cuff when skier flexes forward too much! Just repeat same procedure! 3. A racer's secret Many top level boots have at rear a system for flex adjustment. That is the fore/aft travel you have while skiing. There is a set distance which is allowed! With modern skis, if you have mastered the correct technique you do not have to have "hard" or rigid boots! You may want just a little more flex travel if you are skiing out west ( Rockies, Lake Tahoe, Heli skiing), or in powder in glaciers , here is how some racers make their boots more flexible. Take out linner Spread top boot shell Look in the back of boot where top shell and bottom shell meet. At very center there is often a line or dots indicating where you can cut out lower shell into a inverted triangle! Start with small triangle, ski awhile and see effect! This cut allows boot shell to "flex" more. You will se effect in very cold weather. 4.Often you will have a boot that fits very well but at top of arch, it is ever soo tight! Not hurting but that pressure is there! Shops will tend to sell you a "larger boot" ! A real no no since you will feel great in store but while skiing you will begin to float inside the boot as foam compacts! Try this. Upper pressure just above your arch can be solved by you by doing the following; First take liner off Take sole platform inside the ski off Grind down this platform ( very slowly mm by mm) If you have orthotics, you also sand or grind down the external ( bottom section) part of sole. Also just do 1-2 mm. ! Do not touch the part that touches your sole!!!!! As last resort you can also grind down the inner part of the upper boot shell just above where the pressure point is. Again do just a little first! 4. Power Straps Those velcro straps at top of boot cuff are called power straps. Great inventions since they allow you to make boots snug on to Tibia! However there is on short coming to the way ski boot companies have installed these straps. Ski racers ( if you look very carefully at ski racing pictures or videos) have discovered a way to make boots even more responsive by using extra power straps that you can buy. Try this. Put on boots. Buckle them up to your skiing tension. Flex forward and back. If you look carefully while you flex, there is a "gap" between your Tibia ( leg) and the liner! This play is noticed by racers and top level skiers. It is like the play you feel while you drive an old car between the steering wheel and the tires ( or as spelled in UK tyres)! Expert skier want constant "feel" in their boots! The problem is that the power strap is inserted unto the boot's shell! The solution is to get "old" strap or buy power strap and have it only on the liner. That is,,,, now the boot tongue is hugging your tibia and rear boot linner is "hugging" the rear calf muscle! Any fore/aft pressure from you is transmitted DIRECTLY to the ski! No loss of time or pressure! You now have Porsche-like boot steering system! Just be careful on first run!!!! 5.The last modification has nothing to do with boots but rather with socks! Most skiers have no idea of the importance of socks in skiing! YOU DO NOT NEED thick socks for warmth! The foam lining in modern ski boots is the equivalent to three thick wollen or silk socks in terms of insulation! Feet warmth comes for your blood which comes from the body's core. If your torso is warm your feet will be warm! Use thinner rather than thick ski socks! Use socks that have thicker weaving in the sides -ankle area! Use socks that have a tight weave in the upper ankle area ( you know where socks flex upward). Never but never wear socks TO,,,, ski resort Never but never wear old ski socks (skied more than two days) Never but never wear cheap all purpose socks. Never but never wear street socks Always use baby powder in the socks and ski boots! What you do not know how to use this powder! Next message will discuss the correct use of Baby powder!!! You can always tell the skiers that took the time BEFORE skiing season to adjust their boots. They do not constantly adjust boots on lift. They do not take boots off at lunch! They do not loosen boots while sunning themselves on terasse. In fact they do not stop until lifts are closed. Take the time to get to know your boots. The time you take with them to soften them up, will be returned to you on the ski hill ten fold! Just like a man!!! They are your door to skiing heaven! Just like a man!!!! |
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Skiing has its rules of conduct and it is wise to learn to know these or else you will find yourseld "marked" as; the beginner, the dork, the unusual, etc.....
1. Never but never bring you skis in the chalet, in your hotel room or in your bed! 2. Never but never wear jeans while skiing! Worst is wearing tight jeans while skiing! If you do not why it is verboten then think,,,,,of your safety! 3. Never but never smoke while in a lift be it for two, four or 20. Worst is smoking "the weed" to be cool! 4. Never but never lean your skis against the windows of the chalet, the windows of a car, the windows of a store! 5. This last item is perhaps the most important for your ego and rebirth from rank beginner to at least intermediate skier. I have won many a beer because of this "clue" of the rank beginner! You see the moment you walk to the lifts you are "graded" by other skiers! Please at least learn how to carry your skis, at home. The rank beginner has hundreds of inappropriate ways to carry skis, boot and poles! There is no enough space here to list all postures. Watch pros,,,patrollers carry skis, poles, first aid kit, emergency oxygen tank AND lunch. ,,,,instructors carrying two pair of skis AND list of clients ,,,, ski racer carrying three pairs of skis, two sets of poles, extra jacket AND helmet! They all have the same technique! There is a proper way of carrying skis. Learnt it before you get to hill! |
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One of the worse medical problems to have is ligament tears since they last so long! If you have any symptoms of "pain" while walking I am sure you will get the following advice from any physician;
1. Rest and more rest 2.Swim a great deal 3. Elastic exercises ( low weight high rep) 4. Apply heat between periods of exercises and apply cold at end of session! Good luck! |
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1.Get fit to ski not ski to get fit.
2.Buy ski equipment at end of season or at end of Summer. 3.Find ski run for their level of competency.Not too easy so that they are constantly "working" to become more proficient 4.Take lessons with same instructor every month. 5.Learn to take care of own equipment |
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98% of skiers make the same basic mistakes. They are simple to get rid of if you know about them and work at NOT doing them!
1. Looking at skis. You ski with feet not eyes. Do you look at feet when you walk! 2.Rotate body to turn. Shoulders and torso "force" the skis to turn. 3. Lean back. There is a direct relationship between speed while skiing and pressure on tails for all beginner skiers! 4. Turn to stop or slow down. If you know anything about driving a car in winter, you NEVER brake at a turn! Before a turn or curve yes,,,,never during a turn. In skiing you must learn to use hill to help you set speed. 5. Go to top of ski resort right away. I have been skiing for some time and I always do 1 or 2 "easy" runs with boots not buckled, just to feel the snow.Allow skis to get to know the snow! 6. Let friends, "experts", just about anybody tell you how to ski!!! Two things a husband should never, but never do with wife; teach her how to drive and teach her how to ski! Get an instructor! Experts might ski well but do they know how to convey their skills without you feel like a moron? 7.This is a male promblem!!! 99% of male skiers "muscle" their skiing. They use their large ( and not so large) muscles to "tell" the ski where to go and do! The symptoms of this are; sore back, sore thights know as "burning thighs", knees barely able to go up stairs ( and this is only after 5 hours of skiing!!! 8. This is female problem. ( actually several ladies) - insisting to ski with husband boyfriend who is several competency levels above! Skiing holiday means enjoying yourself. There is no contract imposing you to ski with someone who is much better than you! If your husband ismuch better skier, he will not learn on beginner slopes and you will not enjoy the "expert'" runs. -insisting to use top level skis or boots Try driving a Porsche 911( I mean a 911 track) in traffic! -thinking that speed means loss of control -staying on beginner runs only -starting to ski at 10 AM ( the best skiing is at 8 AM) 9.Tightening ski boots too much. Many skiers feel that the lack of ski contol is due to "loose" boots so..... 10.Equating wax=speed, thus never waxing skis or sharpening edges. Only dull knives cause cuts,,,so it is with poorly tuned skis. A well tuned ski helps the beginner flow while skiing! A well sharpened ski edges helps skier set edges carefully, softly, easily ! Hope you enjoyed these few observations and errors that I made over the years! |
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Two issues.
My children all started to ski at 2.For a child the joy is to be with parents and share in activitie.Skiing with child means;walking up hill,hiding in trees, walking with skis, sliding with dad and oh yes,,taking that chocolate drink. 15 minutes per activity is maximum. Let us be honest , ski instruction at 3! It is baby sitting.The muscles have not yet deveoped enough. The bones and joints are still in the formative stages! In new and "tense" situation child needs mother or father not stranger! You introduce child to skiing activities ( I stress activities) not skiing techniques! Get someone who just loves playing with children ( in skiing context) rather than "teach" to ski!! The second issue is you and others. Will this be a "holiday" for you and others! A three year old needs attention in a strange place! My wife and I would share ski ticket. I would ski in morning while wife visited the chairs, the ski shop etc.... Then in the afternoon I would take care of "budding skier"! These are your holidays also. What the child will remember is the "feelings, attitude" you have on this trip. If you are tense or uneasy about " his/her presence" among all adults,,then consider other options! My children now thank me for their ski holidays but you must remember we centered our activities around their needs. Will you be able to do the same with a group of adults! |
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Many people have contacted me in order to obtain the Rossignol Tuning DVD. We are working on the first version.
However to motivate skiers to wax their own skis the following is an introductory text for the uninitiated. You must first understand that you wax, not to ski faster or win races but to get better "glide" and to protect your bases! Thus most wax booklets you get have to be adapted for your needs since they are oriented for ski racing. You are not racing so you do need the exotic powders, the very expensive molecular graphite wax etc.. What are the reasons you wax yourself? 1.Better overall result 2.Longer lasting protection 3.Personalized result 4 Yes, save money 5.You learn to "feel" ski. Once you have the correct wax, you will feel like gliding on a cloud. No resistance, pure silk!!! We will not go into the mechanics of waxing here yet! You must learn how to select correct waxes based on your needs. The common factors wax technicians consider before applying wax are; snow type ( books have been written about this) -Artificial (A) -new fallen -wind blown -rolled -crusty Temperature ( during skiing) Not exact temp but a range! Overall atmospheric conditions ( wind, sun,cloud etc...) Humidity I am not racing. I want my wax to work over a day thus I have found you must select the first two parameters as key elements in choosing wax types. I have found that I can divide the ski wax selection into three zones; Spring ( -5 to +10 ) Winter ( -8 to -20 ) Colder ( -15 to -30 ) In fact most wax companies have these three general wax zones. This last zone is not based only temperature but also on ski conditions. If it has been cold (-20) for several days and snow is "old" snow then the wax must be "harder" ( colder wax) since snow is in the snow/ice zone. Remember you are selecting wax for tomorrows ski conditions so you must be aware of your ski area.If in doubt always go for "colder" wax ( harder wax) or else you will experience the famous "syrop" feeling! Learn to observe ski centers and snow! Very quickly you will note that snow is a marvelous medium that has many identities. You will learn that in some conditions, for your area snow gets very "cold" due to wind or humidity. You will adjust for "colder"wax. That is why you wax, because to select specific waxes for specific conditions. Rarely do shops wax for variable conditions. They place a "universal" wax in their machines. How do you get started? Get a log. Observe snow in all its forms. Note the ski days with types of snow. Once you get log and note snow types, I will next time go into the ABCs of waxing in the next post! Only if you get log now! Only if you post at least three snow flake types! Till next time! If you find this is too time consumming,silly or a waste of time, then by all means let "others" do the waxing for you but just remember you will never experience "that feeling"! Just look at the smiles on skiers! |
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I assume you are from England and the British ski instructors teaching guide gets skiers off "flat" skiing as soon as possible!
I get beginner skiers to "set and edge" from the very first class, during the traverses phase of the skiing. To me it is essential to have skiers "ride" rails just to avoid the wandering of the skis.It also places skier in the forward positive position rather than "leaning" back due to fear. Could you eleborate on the "spinning" phase? |
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