How to Position Body for Skiing

Video Transcript

"I'm Ivan Madar. I'm a professional ski instructor and I'm here on behalf of Expert Village. Another example of why you need to flex your knees (which is a phrase that is used all the time in skiing but there's a lot of truth in it)...if you do not flex your knees you will not be able to accomplish most of the rotary movement and most of the weight transfer movement. I will give you an example: straighten out your knees and now try to jump. It's very difficult, you have no control. Now, flex your knees and jump. Obviously, it is much easier. So the knees, throughout skiing, work as shock absorbers through almost any movement and will help you whenever you have a skill you are going to learn on the snow. So, these are the basic biomechanical principles that are applied throughout the skiing progression and it's very good to do these skills on a dry land before you go; try it. Try to go. Skiing is done from your waste down. The upper body and the arms are really used for balance and for counteracting some of the forces that come in advanced skiing when you have to deal with a lot of speed. But, the upper body is not involved in rotations, not these movements in skiing. In skiing the movements go up and down or up and forward. Now, we learned all the basic principles and biomechanics and your basic stance and balance, now let's put it to use. Let's put on some gear, put on some boots, get skis, get poles, put on some hats and gloves and let's go out on the snow. "