Hey Deb, I can confidently say that your videos have single-handedly improved my skiing over the past 3 years by 10x (also providing some entertaining content along the way). Now, instead of only looking for powder days, I genuinely freaking love hitting the groomers, getting my skis on edge, and arcing turns. Return of the turn, as they say. Thank you!!
I like the emphasis on the dorsiflexion of the inside ankle in addition to stacking. The feeling when it all comes together with a tighter arc is the best! (Nice eggs too :)
This single video has changed the way I look at carved short turns. Been trying to figure out the level of intensity needed with the inside leg and now beginning to understand when looking at others apply it on snow 🎉🎉🎉
So glad you followed up on driving the inside knee. I drilled on that on my last two days at Loon Mtn. New Hampshire. WOW did I finally find what's been missing?? Background: Getting ready for two "beer league" series each week in Jan. I'm 72 but still athletic ( I hit the gene pool!). I taught for 10 years and have focused on long leg short leg, an active inside half etc and so on. I've also been around many terrific racers and love watching the local ski prep schools train. My skiing continues to improve and at times I have it "almost" together. But my edge angle is inconsistent and a real problem on ice and hard surfaces ( even on a 3 degree bevel Masters ski). SOooo there's been more than a little frustration. But the last two days tied so much together. We all want to be stacked correctly so we can get big muscles involved -- but over seventy you really can't afford to waste ANYTHING that's "free" as you put it. My last two days were on a typically nasty New England ice and hard pack base. So I tested and tested and tested my new breakthrough. There is zero doubt that I was getting the edge angles I've been seeking. As the turns mounted up I was feeling my edges bite. As soon as vacation week is over I'll be back in the White Mountains getting ready to race and PSYCHED! Thank you! this really is good stuff.
After a lesson, and conversation with my instructor on your videos, I came back and rewatched the 4 that had focus on driving the inside knee. (an advantage not replicated by in person lesson). The tips performed on the stairs, the rail, and by the U11 skier, provided the clarification I sought from my lesson. These are great, and good viewing on the chair ride up.
This is the best tip I've seen. I'm an older skier; I have a lot of fun and I'm not looking to change a lot or work too much harder, but this tip has completely changed the feeling of my turns. I feel much more active and "sporty" on my skis and all it takes is a bit of flexion of the inside knee. Cheers!
This is the only RUclips video that tells you how to make shorter carved turns. All the rest say to shorten you inside ski but dont tell you how to do it. Thanks Deb 😄 ps I'm 85 still skiing and teaching
Your series of videos on the inside knee for carving have made a huge difference after only one day (yes, one day). I still have a way to go, but today after trying this, my turns were more confident, faster and more stable than yesterday. I'm 53 so it's good to know I can still improve. 👍💯
Thank you so much Deb! This is the best ski channel ever! I finally understood this, you explain things so well! I hadn't skied for a decade and now have the bug again, can't wait to try all these great exercises on the mountain!
A big thanks for this tip of remembering to activate the inside leg shin muscle and keep the angle strong. It really, really helped getting me into the right position for carving better. And equally importantly it taught me that what can be a massively useful tip for one may not necessarily be the game changer for everyone. You just have to keep patiently searching for the personal holy grail tips. Still have lots to find for myself so will certainly be coming back here to your videos.
Hi Deb, I just want to say thank you! I have been struggling on my turns because most often I don’t know how to bend my inside leg and it makes my turn very awkward and not smooth, and it’s easy to lose control. With the you tip you shared here (magic tip), I am able to make smooth turns and even I skied some moguls today without losing control! It also makes it easier to control the speed! And what’s more, I found this way, my legs won’t get tired fast and I can ski longer (which I started to feel my thighs burning after only a few steep runs). So thank you sooooooo much!!!!! 😍😍😍😍😍😍
This is great Deb. I saw a video of myself making gs size turns and found that my legs (especially my inside leg) were way more underneath my torso than I thought they were when I ski - in other words I wasn’t getting my legs out from under my body as much as I need them to be. I feel like what you are saying here will be helpful to focus on. Man I sure wish I had you as a coach in person!
Great video as always! Simple but so full of priceless tips. Driving inside knee towards the turn helped me to get rid of aframe, hip-dump and park&ride. I drive my knee progressively likewise rythym (1-2-3), more, more and more. Arcs become tight and c-shaped. Thank you for all your advices. Ps. My mom, who did start skiing in the age of 60, loves your channel too. :)
I just discovered your channel and I love your energy. I just started skiing last year at the age of 43. I love it so far and your tips come in handy. Happy skiing!
Perfect breakdown. I really need to put more focus on this. I have had bad habits I am trying to overcome as being a primarily recreational skier who is trying to advance their technique. Time to put it to practice tomorrow. Thanks for all you do!!
this techniques work great. ive been combining it, driving the inside knee, while steering using the extended outside leg. and ive been achieving some really snappy quick dynamic turns. while skiing an old pair of 184 cm kastle skis that are full camber with a 20 meter turn radius. love it
Cathy, our PSIA L2: "how do you increase your edge angle?" Me: "push my inside knee forward." Her: "and?" Me: "and.....what?" Her: "using the pressure you're already applying to your outside ski, push your inside hip as far away from that outside foot as you can." I'm really old and can't get my butt down as low as I'd like, so it really helps me to think of that body dynamic.
That feeling of getting the shovel on the inside ski to really push into the snow is what I feel most strongly when doing this. If I am trying to shorten my radius, that’s what I am thinking about - really bending that tip into the snow. (Note that this is how it feels - I’m not actually sure it IS bending….but I guess so) Another big tip I was taught long ago: to get this angled, you’ve got to have your legs shoulder width apart at first, and it feels like you’re doing a split as you drop, and angle your skis more. Most decent skiers are often too narrow in the stance, and get hung up in the turn because they don’t allow the outside leg to extend while pulling the inside one up. (PS - it absolutely does require pulling up!)
Recently started following you Deb, priceless instructional videos. I had a 25yr hiatus from skiing and just got back on it during Covid. I gotta say my learning curve has definitely shortened watching you teach. One thing in particular I’ve been working on is the dreaded A frame. In terms of technique, I really make it a point observe what I’m doing and have even videotaped my progress. Is there any dry land training I can do to fix the issue? Thx in advance. 👍🏼🎿⛷️♥️❄️
It’s not a major strength issue, the a-frame. It’s more of an awareness issue, intention, new muscle memory. This takes repetition with intention. Not always easy but many of us have done it. With desire you will get there within a winter season.
Follow up on my comment from a month ago. My racing times have fallen -- a lot. And they are consistent. So I'd have to say this has been a Success. Thanks Deb!
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrong Thank you for your great vids. I race at Loonatics on Thursdays ( today in fact) at Loon Mtn NH. On Monday I race at Waterville Valley where Nastar started by the way. It's team racing on longer than normal NASTAR courses. The series is called Team Waterville.A lot of racers here are aware of your vids. Great people and great fun.
I think I really understood this last video last time I went and focused on this concept. I still have a bad habit of sticking my butt out, but when I focused on stacking the upper body, I instinctively got it by initiating the inside leg while standing up just a bit more. I felt the edges bite more and felt that nice pressure on my boots as I was rounding my turns. It doesn’t happen every turn, but it’s like magic when you’re stacked and balanced. Great tip Deb, you’re an amazing teacher with a heart of gold.
Hi, in my experience if you tell a student to drive the knee forward, they twist at the hips and generate a lot of inside ski tip lead... Twisting at the hips to generate edge angle is no bueno... I think that shortening the inside leg is the key. The knee is going to drive a bit forward naturally, but that's way different than actually trying to move the inside knee forward. That's my 5 cents and my humble opinion. I love your videos by the way!
Thanks Deb. My first day on skis since rupturing my patellar tendon will be January 3rd. I am using this opportunity to re learn how to ski better. Thanks
Hi Deb, I think (and according to the Carv tool/app) I am holding the forward pressure from the start of the turn too long into apex and completion. 1. do you think the forward pressure should move aft throughout the turn? 2. If so, when and how do you suggest backing off that forward pressure? Apologies if you have specifically addressed this in another video.
Deb, I wish I could have chickens but I live in a condo association. Bummer! However, I know hens don't lay as many eggs in the winter time since it is colder and they go into "rest mode" until it gets warm out. I have some friends that keep them nice and toasty in the winter so that they keep producing eggs. I see you have a nice little set up for them :) 3 eggs for breakfast, I don't mind at all!
thank you for the awesome video. First question. I seem to loose traction when my left foot is outside and the left ski seems stubborn. it wont turn as easy as the right one. My ski rig is rented is there any possibility that the left ski razor needs sharpening, or is it just me needing practice. I can feel the outside of my left ski a little bit rough the right one feels smoother. Second question, whats your opinion on Solomon S pro hv 100 ski boots?
Happy new year! Thanks for the great video! Finally I understand what is the motion to drive the inside knee. Would love to see your take on early edge engagement through "toppling" (as some call it). Keep your great videos coming! 🙏
Edge engagement as a matter of technique occurs from the ground up. Are there situations where edge change occurs through inclination, sure, but not for a basis of everyday technique. From the foot up is the most effective technique, the most precise technique, the technique that offers the most control at the top of the turn.
Deb. You’re such a rockstar. Thanks for all the solid instruction. My daily driver is a WCup SL 65 underfoot. Love the sort turns but can drive great larger radius turns as well but they def need refinement. So regarding driving the inside knee, is this almost all done via progressive dorsal flexion where the hip follows (vs actively brought forward) and ski lead remains unchanged? Is the inside knee being driven to the outside as well to facilitate early transfer and initiation of the next turn?
Hi Deb, I have watched so many of your videos that I even dreamed about you today😄😄😄I am currently on ski vacation in Val di sole and am trying to put your advice into practice. Greetings and thank you.
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrong Thank you. I like well groomed slopes. And I love carving, but I want my skiing to be more versatile. And in all conditions, even the difficult ones. I look forward to the next videos. Cheers
After watching and reading thru comments, Im still confused by the meaning of driving inside ski. I understand that the goal is to shorten inside leg to increase angulation, but what direction do you drive the knee? Do you mean foreward or do you mean inside (or both)
Deb, Thank you for addressing my previous inquiry about how to drive the inside knee. Is it accurate to say that there are at least 2 things happening thru turn initiation germane to this discussion ? 1) The vertical axis of the body should move to stay ahead of perpendicular to the skis as the ski tip drops (relative to the ski tail) between turn transition and fall line ? And 2) The ankle flexion (and ski shovel pressure) should increase as the skis edge angle increases thru turn initiation ? Seems like those 2 goals are achieved by "driving the inside knee". Thank you. John Barnhart.
Thank you for the very helpful tips! I love the last portion of the video with the warm fire and the chicken sound. How do you keep other animals from snatching up your chickens? ❤️
Thanks Deb! Do you have any drills to train your inside knee? for example, I use one-leg skiing to train my outside leg - maybe I should do the same for my inside leg?
A very good video since I haven't seen anyone mentioning driving the inside ski but I'am having trouble understanding one thing; we are all thaught to reduce the inside ski pressure and to have most of our weight on the outside ski so there is like a 20% vs 80% pressure on skis. My question is how is it going to help me using my inside ski while it has very low pressure on it. Hardly ever touching the snow, how is it going to make a difference?
Wow. I've almost never focused on my inside leg, and certainly do not hear anyone else teaching that, but I can feel it helping. So as you drive the inside leg forward you engage the muscles in your shin and create tension. Do you hold that tension through the whole turn? Or is there another perfect moment to release?
I am not sure what level skier you are. One drill is to be on a easy green run. Make your stance wide. Bend over and place yiur hands on your knees. Tip your skis to carve and yiu will notice that your inside leg is more bent than your outside leg. Maybe do this drill a lot. Eatch this video more at home, practice the moves at home. A lot is going on here and this is an advanced maneuver. Take care
Hi Deb, thanks for this. One area that I still don’t get right is the upper and lower separation whilst driving in. I stay too straight (like a pencil) and therefore out of balance when in that angle. Young Wilson said something about using the lead but staying stacked. Could you get into that.
Lots to go into here. Watch my separation video. Watch my how to carve video, watch my inside leg video. Then get back to me with further questions. Good luck! Take care.
While we wait for Deb to comment - in my experience newer skis don’t want us to “load the tips” on boiler plate. Decades ago would have to load tips on ice to turn - Not so much today on wider skis . Also most skis sold today are really for soft snow?
My 2019 Brahmas with a sheet of titanium tend to chatter on steep hardback, I delay the edge set to give it more of a “stivet” which tends to lesson the chatter.
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrong i am in canada so a long way from you. I hope to do some womens camps next year. I have skied most of my life but never really learned proper technique. I am determined to become a better skier even at my age. 60. I really appreciate your videos. Thank you
Hey Deb - big fan here. I'm an ex-racer from old school (knee angulation, primarily on inside edge downhill ski, flatten uphill ski w/little weight on little toe edge, follow arm around) that is "trying" to change over. I get most of it and I understand what you are saying (also, the young racer you had on in another vid - saying "pressing the advantage" - that was great). But what is the weight distribution on the little toe side vs. big toe side? 50/50? 30/70?
Hi Charles. Glad you are benefiting from the videos! Thanks for the comment. Weight distribution between the feet. This is situational. The outside leg, foot, is the power leg for sure if you are on groomers and carving. You are an ex racer so you want to carve im thinking. 95% weight on the outside may not be too much. However you may need to give 60% of your attention to your inside leg making sure it is moving and positioning properly. This does not equate to weight. Good luck!!!!!! Have fun
Thanks Deb! I see you have a lot of skis! Do you have recommendations for someone who's lighter weight but looking to do more in carving/racing space? I was looking at Head super joy 148 - not sure if you have experience with that one before?
Look for a performance ski, carving ski, that is not wider than 76 under foot. Or a junior racing ski may work really well for you. Lots of kids race, they are small and light but good skiers, racers, carvers.
Thanks for the video. I find that it's tricky to ask people to focus on the inside knee, because they often then move their weight to the inside ski, and the outside ski becomes like an anchor slowing them down. So instead I focus on the ankle. The knee accompanies the ankle movement (especially with ski boots) and they can maintain pressure on the outside ski. Does that make sense to you?
Tried it yesterday. Works like a charm. Managed to get couple clean edge changes. Feels like propper skiing now. Still a lot to do but great start. Thank you for your Fantastic job
Thank you for this. I'm approaching my mid 30s and my one goal on the mountain is to perfect my technique and be good at it for a while before age sets in and lose the youth in my knees lol
Hi, I'm CSIA Level 2 and have been following your videos for quite some time. I'm also age 60 and I've been trying to do this raising the inside knee for the past two seasons with some success but not entirely happy yet. I'm able to achieve some vertical separate of the legs to get increased edge angle for sure but I feel that I can only raise my inside leg only so much before the turn is over. So in effect I'm not able to raise it up enough to get the big edge angles I would want even though I am carving my turns. Do you think this limitation is based on my age or maybe I'm not going fast enough? Might it also be my turn shape because with CSIA we have very round turns so the maybe the middle section of my big turns just not giving me enough time to raise my inside leg as high as I would like (compared to a racer turn which is more fall line)? I think at my age if I can even do half the edge angles as those racers and high end skiers, I would be really happy. I estimate that I can only do about 1/4 of what they do with edge angles right now.
Its possible that more speed would help create forces to balance against the outside ski. A couple problems that limit edge angle are 1.) inadequate dorsiflexion of the outside ankle at the top of the turn and 2 ) using anticipation, unintended steering the skis into the fall line which trims off the full arc of the turn.
There is something important missing from this explanation, or maybe I just missed it. For younger well trained skiers, it may not be an issue, but for most of us it causes a problem. The reality is you can not just "drive your knee", or directly "shorten your leg by bending your knee and/or using hip flexor pull". The proper way to "drive the inside knee" is to USE THE INSIDE SKI EDGE TO DO THE WORK. In other words, you shorten your inside leg by inclining the inside ski such that it pulls a tighter arc. If your inside ski pulls a tighter arc, what happens? the inside ski track away from the outside, early in the turn and you smoothly generate vertical separation, and you do it not by directly pulling your leg up, but by having the inside ski PUSH YOUR LEG UP (vertical separation) as it pulls a tighter arc. Then, you will smoothly incline your body more. If you get really aggressive, your will really feel your outside ski tighten its radius, then the inside ski will come back to the outside ski as you let the turn go and move into transition. You see this all the time in advanced/FIS skiers. The inside ski arcs away (more to the inside), then the outside ski cranks harder, then the inside ski comes back to the outside ski as you move into transition. This is where ankle dorsiflexion and foot pressure comes in. To get that inside ski to crank a tighter arc, you must have forward pressure and good foot feel. I think that skiers coached after 2000 just automatically do this because they develop a more "similar" edge angle generation from a young age. So when you tell them to drive the knee, they do it the way that is easy for them...they use the ski to push the knee up. Those of us from a prior era do not have the same inside ski awareness. So when you instruct us to shorten the inside leg, we pull up the leg and it just makes us A-frame and lose the outside edge badly. It can be a real mess and really screw up your skiing. If you do not have good inside ski awareness and control, you are not ready to shorten the inside leg. You must use the ski to do the work, not your leg. So, if you are having a hard time getting this technique to work, you, like me, probably need to develop better inside ski awareness and control Garlands, one ski skiing, and carving on easy slopes with a special focus on FEELING the inside ski edge more so that it arcs tighter and PUSHES your inside leg into that shortened position. Do not "pull up" you leg and try to "fall over" into a more inclined position. It wont work. Manipulate your inside ski edge angle so that it pushes you into that "shortened inside leg" position. Think of the inside ski as a tool to manipulate your overall body position. Think of the outside ski as the tool to do most of the hard work. But its ability to do that hard work is controlled by overall position, which is heavily influenced by the inside ski. The inside ski is like the control lever or steering wheel for your turn.
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrong OK....I'll bite. I know I am missing something...but the problem is we dont know what we dont know, otherwise we would know it. My guess is I was trying to learn something I was not yet fully ready to learn.....right?
Powerfull , pyjama, pedagogy and poules ( poules is french for chickens). Deb’s 4P teaching method. No body ever explain to me this way. I will expériment this on the slope this afternoon. Tanks 55 yo guy wanabe racer
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrong I experiment one day with GS ski and today with SL ski. Very good feeling, improve confidence to carve tighter arc at higher speed on icy slope. Still working on consolidation of this new skill. On good day i was driving my inside knee intuitively. Now i can do it all the time but the most important for me is the shin flexion and/or the dorsiflexion give me very good feeling of fore and aft balance by keeping my forward commitment all along the arc.Also that shin angle give me more range of motion for rolling the inside ankle to produce more edge angle. Tanks Deb Happy new year Tight your arc and slalom around the virus. Claude Tremblant, Quėbec
Ignorant statement "it's not enough to tip the skis on edge, anyone can do that" actually teaching people to roll the skis on edge is not easy, especially when a skier has been twisting something, hips shoulders, or ankles to turns skis to start each turn. Telling them to put the skis on edge and let the ski's side cut is incredibly hard to change...but I love all of your videos thanks for all the great content!
Thats true Robin. Very true. Tipping the skis and carving is not easy if someone has never had the experience with it. However, once felt and experienced its like riding a bike. It actually is quite easy. However at that point to do it skillfully and accurately is a whole other ballgame. Life long learning😉😉😉
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrong it’s with people like my parents that have been skiing for 74 years, they have some serious ingrained habits. Breaking these habits the body has ingrained without conscious awareness of opposing philosophies.. in other words getting them to not shuffle the old outside ski forward followed by putting tails closer causing divergence, all in an effort to initiate the turn by turning and then finishing the turn by turning more like steering the steering wheel. Which as you know is the opposite of driving the inside knee especially in the second half of the turn.. most of these are literally the opposite of what is useful for “rolling the inside ski on edge to initiate the carve.. the problem is to high of edge angle at the bottom of turn with old outside ski or as Lefler calls the dominant side. Teaching them to flatten the outside ski to finish turn will get them to have a chance to role the new one on edge.. in a nutshell it’s hard to battle thick myelin sheath.. sorry for venting here, thanks for all this great info super useful to have some perspective to not go crazy solving this stuff..
Is this "inside-knee-thing" a matter in its own right or more a matter of "where it puts your brain, therefore your pelvis and your bodyweight" through your outside ski, as well as simply getting the inside leg out of the road so you can drop sideways? i.e. Are you using the grip of the inside ski in any way? My reasoning is that a one-legged skier could surely achieve the same angle with no inside-knee action. My current personal situation is that after quite a few years out of skiing, I find this modern instruction to ski-with-your-legs-apart a difficult step backward, and argue that with the ski edges, say, twice as far apart you simply create a need for twice the knee lift to achieve the same angle (leaving pelvis movement out of the arithmetic for simplicity). And in any case, looking at racers on television, when heavily angulated their inside ski appears to be almost touching the inside of the outside knee - not "legs apart" after all. Not helping, of course, that my legs only want to do about 5% of what they used to!! I appreciate the effort you put into your clear, simple and straight-to-the-point videos.
This is the beginning. The knee does not bend up hill. The edge angle increases when you rotate the up hill femur. This rotation increases edge angle. Then experiment with pulling the knee back. This happens with the hip. Feel that grab!😎
Hey Deb, I can confidently say that your videos have single-handedly improved my skiing over the past 3 years by 10x (also providing some entertaining content along the way). Now, instead of only looking for powder days, I genuinely freaking love hitting the groomers, getting my skis on edge, and arcing turns. Return of the turn, as they say. Thank you!!
Huge!! Thank you👍👍👍
I like the emphasis on the dorsiflexion of the inside ankle in addition to stacking. The feeling when it all comes together with a tighter arc is the best! (Nice eggs too :)
This is eggsactly what I need to hear! I wasn't sure if I wanted to post this - I almost chickened out...
Ha!!!!!!!!! You are good❤❤👍
Setting up the cameras and ski discussion prior to breakfast = True commitment to the craft
Thanks Steve!! Happy new year
This single video has changed the way I look at carved short turns. Been trying to figure out the level of intensity needed with the inside leg and now beginning to understand when looking at others apply it on snow 🎉🎉🎉
So glad you followed up on driving the inside knee. I drilled on that on my last two days at Loon Mtn. New Hampshire. WOW did I finally find what's been missing?? Background: Getting ready for two "beer league" series each week in Jan. I'm 72 but still athletic ( I hit the gene pool!). I taught for 10 years and have focused on long leg short leg, an active inside half etc and so on. I've also been around many terrific racers and love watching the local ski prep schools train. My skiing continues to improve and at times I have it "almost" together. But my edge angle is inconsistent and a real problem on ice and hard surfaces ( even on a 3 degree bevel Masters ski). SOooo there's been more than a little frustration. But the last two days tied so much together. We all want to be stacked correctly so we can get big muscles involved -- but over seventy you really can't afford to waste ANYTHING that's "free" as you put it. My last two days were on a typically nasty New England ice and hard pack base. So I tested and tested and tested my new breakthrough. There is zero doubt that I was getting the edge angles I've been seeking. As the turns mounted up I was feeling my edges bite. As soon as vacation week is over I'll be back in the White Mountains getting ready to race and PSYCHED! Thank you! this really is good stuff.
Master racers too, just I am 40ish years younger than you .. wish I can ski 40 more years just like you ... or even 50 ...
I met the same problem when on ice, later I saw a video and solved it. Now I even enjoy the feeling carving on ice. Keep ski well for more years😊
Great!!!!!!
yes, agreed. super helpful.
After a lesson, and conversation with my instructor on your videos, I came back and rewatched the 4 that had focus on driving the inside knee. (an advantage not replicated by in person lesson). The tips performed on the stairs, the rail, and by the U11 skier, provided the clarification I sought from my lesson. These are great, and good viewing on the chair ride up.
This is the best tip I've seen. I'm an older skier; I have a lot of fun and I'm not looking to change a lot or work too much harder, but this tip has completely changed the feeling of my turns. I feel much more active and "sporty" on my skis and all it takes is a bit of flexion of the inside knee. Cheers!
This is the only RUclips video that tells you how to make shorter carved turns.
All the rest say to shorten you inside ski but dont tell you how to do it.
Thanks Deb 😄
ps I'm 85 still skiing and teaching
Great. Keep going, keep going💪💪
Your series of videos on the inside knee for carving have made a huge difference after only one day (yes, one day). I still have a way to go, but today after trying this, my turns were more confident, faster and more stable than yesterday. I'm 53 so it's good to know I can still improve. 👍💯
Awesome
Went up to winter park and tried it........you just changed this park skier's whole skiing career, my carving look so different now.
Thank you so much Deb! This is the best ski channel ever! I finally understood this, you explain things so well! I hadn't skied for a decade and now have the bug again, can't wait to try all these great exercises on the mountain!
A big thanks for this tip of remembering to activate the inside leg shin muscle and keep the angle strong. It really, really helped getting me into the right position for carving better. And equally importantly it taught me that what can be a massively useful tip for one may not necessarily be the game changer for everyone. You just have to keep patiently searching for the personal holy grail tips. Still have lots to find for myself so will certainly be coming back here to your videos.
Hi Deb, I just want to say thank you! I have been struggling on my turns because most often I don’t know how to bend my inside leg and it makes my turn very awkward and not smooth, and it’s easy to lose control. With the you tip you shared here (magic tip), I am able to make smooth turns and even I skied some moguls today without losing control! It also makes it easier to control the speed! And what’s more, I found this way, my legs won’t get tired fast and I can ski longer (which I started to feel my thighs burning after only a few steep runs). So thank you sooooooo much!!!!! 😍😍😍😍😍😍
Deb you're living the dream there in that backyard!
Great insight into driving the inside knee! Also a great insight into keeping chickens in winter.
“That comes for free, we can’t mess that up.” 😁
Another super useful video, thank you.
Deb, you know what imitates skiing off season better than anything- forward facing electric unicycle!
Wow!!!!!! Cool.
This is great Deb. I saw a video of myself making gs size turns and found that my legs (especially my inside leg) were way more underneath my torso than I thought they were when I ski - in other words I wasn’t getting my legs out from under my body as much as I need them to be. I feel like what you are saying here will be helpful to focus on. Man I sure wish I had you as a coach in person!
😉 you can. Skistrong in Taos or Steamboat
Great video as always! Simple but so full of priceless tips. Driving inside knee towards the turn helped me to get rid of aframe, hip-dump and park&ride. I drive my knee progressively likewise rythym (1-2-3), more, more and more. Arcs become tight and c-shaped. Thank you for all your advices.
Ps. My mom, who did start skiing in the age of 60, loves your channel too. :)
That is so cool that your Mom started skiing age 60....I love that!
I just discovered your channel and I love your energy. I just started skiing last year at the age of 43. I love it so far and your tips come in handy. Happy skiing!
Deb, you are an All American Ski Hero.
Ah thank you
Perfect breakdown. I really need to put more focus on this. I have had bad habits I am trying to overcome as being a primarily recreational skier who is trying to advance their technique. Time to put it to practice tomorrow. Thanks for all you do!!
Thanks!!
Game changer. Most impactful tip ever
I look forward to trying to apply this next week…your videos explain everything so well 👌👌
Just love your simple way to explain things. Great and congradulations!
I concentrating steering the uphill ski today and the turns felt so much more powerful. Easier to stay stacked. I am going to rewatch these
Great
Very informative tip and demonstration as usual. Thank you.
The chickens part was just amazing.
Glad you like the chickens❤❤ and the technical content too. Take good care. HAPPY new year
Absolutely the best cue that I learned from RUclips instructions.
Great!!!!!
Love your chickens! And your ski tips too.
That's great. It makes totally sense looking at you on the stack position. I will think about that on my next turn
this techniques work great. ive been combining it, driving the inside knee, while steering using the extended outside leg. and ive been achieving some really snappy quick dynamic turns. while skiing an old pair of 184 cm kastle skis that are full camber with a 20 meter turn radius. love it
As a 64 year old runner this makes total sense...light bulb moment! Thanks you!
Deb, you are simply great. It was short and just the essence. Thanks for that and thx for showing some private parts. 🐣🐣🐣
Dude I was JUST watching the other inside knee video hoping for another one. You rock!
Thanks Deb. You get fired up! I like that. Keep on rippin’
Wow…beautiful demonstration!
Cathy, our PSIA L2: "how do you increase your edge angle?" Me: "push my inside knee forward." Her: "and?" Me: "and.....what?" Her: "using the pressure you're already applying to your outside ski, push your inside hip as far away from that outside foot as you can." I'm really old and can't get my butt down as low as I'd like, so it really helps me to think of that body dynamic.
Nice
I tried this yesterday (winter in Australia right now) and it works! Thanks
Awesome!!!
D, A perfect explanation- you keep it simple. Ya baby, Otis.
That feeling of getting the shovel on the inside ski to really push into the snow is what I feel most strongly when doing this. If I am trying to shorten my radius, that’s what I am thinking about - really bending that tip into the snow. (Note that this is how it feels - I’m not actually sure it IS bending….but I guess so)
Another big tip I was taught long ago: to get this angled, you’ve got to have your legs shoulder width apart at first, and it feels like you’re doing a split as you drop, and angle your skis more. Most decent skiers are often too narrow in the stance, and get hung up in the turn because they don’t allow the outside leg to extend while pulling the inside one up. (PS - it absolutely does require pulling up!)
Recently started following you Deb, priceless instructional videos. I had a 25yr hiatus from skiing and just got back on it during Covid. I gotta say my learning curve has definitely shortened watching you teach. One thing in particular I’ve been working on is the dreaded A frame. In terms of technique, I really make it a point observe what I’m doing and have even videotaped my progress. Is there any dry land training I can do to fix the issue? Thx in advance. 👍🏼🎿⛷️♥️❄️
It’s not a major strength issue, the a-frame. It’s more of an awareness issue, intention, new muscle memory. This takes repetition with intention. Not always easy but many of us have done it. With desire you will get there within a winter season.
Follow up on my comment from a month ago. My racing times have fallen -- a lot. And they are consistent. So I'd have to say this has been a Success. Thanks Deb!
Awesome!!!!!
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrong Thank you for your great vids. I race at Loonatics on Thursdays ( today in fact) at Loon Mtn NH. On Monday I race at Waterville Valley where Nastar started by the way. It's team racing on longer than normal NASTAR courses. The series is called Team Waterville.A lot of racers here are aware of your vids. Great people and great fun.
Thanks Debbie! I've been showing my kids your videos and it's really helping them both with their ski racing ! Love all your videos!
Great!!!!!! Thanks for reaching out
So cool, you are so inspiring! Truly appreciate your videos, tip and life!
I think I really understood this last video last time I went and focused on this concept. I still have a bad habit of sticking my butt out, but when I focused on stacking the upper body, I instinctively got it by initiating the inside leg while standing up just a bit more. I felt the edges bite more and felt that nice pressure on my boots as I was rounding my turns. It doesn’t happen every turn, but it’s like magic when you’re stacked and balanced. Great tip Deb, you’re an amazing teacher with a heart of gold.
This channel is Gold, chapeaux bas.
This is tremendous instruction. Plus I'm gonna start wearing pajamas while skiing
Ha!!!!!
Hi, in my experience if you tell a student to drive the knee forward, they twist at the hips and generate a lot of inside ski tip lead... Twisting at the hips to generate edge angle is no bueno... I think that shortening the inside leg is the key. The knee is going to drive a bit forward naturally, but that's way different than actually trying to move the inside knee forward. That's my 5 cents and my humble opinion. I love your videos by the way!
Thanks Deb. My first day on skis since rupturing my patellar tendon will be January 3rd. I am using this opportunity to re learn how to ski better. Thanks
Good luck on January 3rd!!!!! Have fun. All of your visualization will help.
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrong
Thanks for the reply. What ski resort do you teach skiing at? I’d love to get a lesson some day in person. Thanks!!!
@@nathantoney.1501 I'm at steamboat springs and the Taos Ski Valley in NM.
Hi Deb, I think (and according to the Carv tool/app) I am holding the forward pressure from the start of the turn too long into apex and completion. 1. do you think the forward pressure should move aft throughout the turn? 2. If so, when and how do you suggest backing off that forward pressure? Apologies if you have specifically addressed this in another video.
Watch this😉
Forward all the time?
ruclips.net/user/shortsRx2KctKCXC8?feature=share
Deb, I wish I could have chickens but I live in a condo association. Bummer! However, I know hens don't lay as many eggs in the winter time since it is colder and they go into "rest mode" until it gets warm out. I have some friends that keep them nice and toasty in the winter so that they keep producing eggs. I see you have a nice little set up for them :) 3 eggs for breakfast, I don't mind at all!
thank you for the awesome video. First question. I seem to loose traction when my left foot is outside and the left ski seems stubborn. it wont turn as easy as the right one. My ski rig is rented is there any possibility that the left ski razor needs sharpening, or is it just me needing practice. I can feel the outside of my left ski a little bit rough the right one feels smoother. Second question, whats your opinion on Solomon S pro hv 100 ski boots?
leuke en leerzame film, dank je Deb🙂
Happy new year! Thanks for the great video! Finally I understand what is the motion to drive the inside knee. Would love to see your take on early edge engagement through "toppling" (as some call it). Keep your great videos coming! 🙏
Edge engagement as a matter of technique occurs from the ground up. Are there situations where edge change occurs through inclination, sure, but not for a basis of everyday technique. From the foot up is the most effective technique, the most precise technique, the technique that offers the most control at the top of the turn.
Deb. You’re such a rockstar. Thanks for all the solid instruction. My daily driver is a WCup SL 65 underfoot. Love the sort turns but can drive great larger radius turns as well but they def need refinement. So regarding driving the inside knee, is this almost all done via progressive dorsal flexion where the hip follows (vs actively brought forward) and ski lead remains unchanged? Is the inside knee being driven to the outside as well to facilitate early transfer and initiation of the next turn?
Yes, progressive, correct, lead is determined by the degree of edge angle.
love ur lessons!! thx for doing what you do!
Hi Deb, I have watched so many of your videos that I even dreamed about you today😄😄😄I am currently on ski vacation in Val di sole and am trying to put your advice into practice. Greetings and thank you.
I LOVE this. Thank you for reaching out. Happy skiing. Keep the comments coming. What is your favorite type of terrain and runs? Have fun!!!
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrong Thank you. I like well groomed slopes. And I love carving, but I want my skiing to be more versatile. And in all conditions, even the difficult ones. I look forward to the next videos. Cheers
After watching and reading thru comments, Im still confused by the meaning of driving inside ski. I understand that the goal is to shorten inside leg to increase angulation, but what direction do you drive the knee? Do you mean foreward or do you mean inside (or both)
Boing!!! That is the sound of me smacking myself in the head!
Makes SO MUCH sense!
THANK YOU!!
Masterful! As always!
Will try this tomorrow 👍🏼 (I’m on ski holiday)
Love the ending of this video! 😊
Ha!! Glad you like it.
Deb, Thank you for addressing my previous inquiry about how to drive the inside knee. Is it accurate to say that there are at least 2 things happening thru turn initiation germane to this discussion ? 1) The vertical axis of the body should move to stay ahead of perpendicular to the skis as the ski tip drops (relative to the ski tail) between turn transition and fall line ? And 2) The ankle flexion (and ski shovel pressure) should increase as the skis edge angle increases thru turn initiation ? Seems like those 2 goals are achieved by "driving the inside knee". Thank you. John Barnhart.
Ankle flexion of the inside leg, foot increases.
Thank you for the very helpful tips! I love the last portion of the video with the warm fire and the chicken sound. How do you keep other animals from snatching up your chickens? ❤️
Electric fence💪💪💪😉😉😉
Thanks Deb! Do you have any drills to train your inside knee? for example, I use one-leg skiing to train my outside leg - maybe I should do the same for my inside leg?
and happy new year! thank you for all your videos!!!
One ski skiing is fantastic because from turn to turn that one ski changes from Outside to inside😉
A very good video since I haven't seen anyone mentioning driving the inside ski but I'am having trouble understanding one thing; we are all thaught to reduce the inside ski pressure and to have most of our weight on the outside ski so there is like a 20% vs 80% pressure on skis. My question is how is it going to help me using my inside ski while it has very low pressure on it. Hardly ever touching the snow, how is it going to make a difference?
Watch this video
Use of the inside leg to change turn radius
ruclips.net/video/9VjjfIzDhos/видео.html
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrongHmm now I see it. Thanks for the quick reply!
Wow. I've almost never focused on my inside leg, and certainly do not hear anyone else teaching that, but I can feel it helping. So as you drive the inside leg forward you engage the muscles in your shin and create tension. Do you hold that tension through the whole turn? Or is there another perfect moment to release?
Hi Deb, would you happen to have any simple drills that someone could do to help them feel what you're addressing?
I am not sure what level skier you are. One drill is to be on a easy green run. Make your stance wide. Bend over and place yiur hands on your knees. Tip your skis to carve and yiu will notice that your inside leg is more bent than your outside leg. Maybe do this drill a lot. Eatch this video more at home, practice the moves at home. A lot is going on here and this is an advanced maneuver. Take care
Hi Deb, thanks for this. One area that I still don’t get right is the upper and lower separation whilst driving in. I stay too straight (like a pencil) and therefore out of balance when in that angle. Young Wilson said something about using the lead but staying stacked. Could you get into that.
Lots to go into here. Watch my separation video. Watch my how to carve video, watch my inside leg video. Then get back to me with further questions. Good luck! Take care.
Great instruction!
How do I prevent “ski chatter” when it’s really hard?
While we wait for Deb to comment - in my experience newer skis don’t want us to “load the tips” on boiler plate. Decades ago would have to load tips on ice to turn - Not so much today on wider skis . Also most skis sold today are really for soft snow?
My 2019 Brahmas with a sheet of titanium tend to chatter on steep hardback, I delay the edge set to give it more of a “stivet” which tends to lesson the chatter.
Yep I ski 2017 blizzard bonafide in a 187 (6’2”. 170), so a little more side cut than you…Ski is awesome(!!) everywhere but stinks on the boiler
Actually says mine at 97 and yours 88. So your side cut is narrower
@@vbsand5882 it’s basically a g.s. ski that powers through the crud.
Love your content. And your style! Do you do private coaching?
Thank you. I am winding down from private coaching. A little bit depending on the circumstance
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrong i am in canada so a long way from you. I hope to do some womens camps next year. I have skied most of my life but never really learned proper technique. I am determined to become a better skier even at my age. 60. I really appreciate your videos. Thank you
Hey Deb - big fan here. I'm an ex-racer from old school (knee angulation, primarily on inside edge downhill ski, flatten uphill ski w/little weight on little toe edge, follow arm around) that is "trying" to change over. I get most of it and I understand what you are saying (also, the young racer you had on in another vid - saying "pressing the advantage" - that was great). But what is the weight distribution on the little toe side vs. big toe side? 50/50? 30/70?
Hi Charles. Glad you are benefiting from the videos! Thanks for the comment. Weight distribution between the feet. This is situational. The outside leg, foot, is the power leg for sure if you are on groomers and carving. You are an ex racer so you want to carve im thinking. 95% weight on the outside may not be too much. However you may need to give 60% of your attention to your inside leg making sure it is moving and positioning properly. This does not equate to weight. Good luck!!!!!! Have fun
But when I drive the inside knee, do I still have full force supported from my outside foot/leg? Am I using two feet parallel?
Thanks Deb! I see you have a lot of skis! Do you have recommendations for someone who's lighter weight but looking to do more in carving/racing space? I was looking at Head super joy 148 - not sure if you have experience with that one before?
Look for a performance ski, carving ski, that is not wider than 76 under foot. Or a junior racing ski may work really well for you. Lots of kids race, they are small and light but good skiers, racers, carvers.
Thanks for the video. I find that it's tricky to ask people to focus on the inside knee, because they often then move their weight to the inside ski, and the outside ski becomes like an anchor slowing them down. So instead I focus on the ankle. The knee accompanies the ankle movement (especially with ski boots) and they can maintain pressure on the outside ski. Does that make sense to you?
Sure
I could sit by that fire and talk skiing with you all day! Oh, and chickens.
Love it!!
Lotta snow Deb!
Thanks Mate. another puzzle in place
Love it!
Tried it yesterday. Works like a charm. Managed to get couple clean edge changes. Feels like propper skiing now. Still a lot to do but great start. Thank you for your Fantastic job
you are the best, thank you for these vids!
Amazing, thanks for sharing your expertiese!
Thank you so much for explaining this!!!!
Thank you for this. I'm approaching my mid 30s and my one goal on the mountain is to perfect my technique and be good at it for a while before age sets in and lose the youth in my knees lol
Hi, I'm CSIA Level 2 and have been following your videos for quite some time. I'm also age 60 and I've been trying to do this raising the inside knee for the past two seasons with some success but not entirely happy yet. I'm able to achieve some vertical separate of the legs to get increased edge angle for sure but I feel that I can only raise my inside leg only so much before the turn is over. So in effect I'm not able to raise it up enough to get the big edge angles I would want even though I am carving my turns. Do you think this limitation is based on my age or maybe I'm not going fast enough? Might it also be my turn shape because with CSIA we have very round turns so the maybe the middle section of my big turns just not giving me enough time to raise my inside leg as high as I would like (compared to a racer turn which is more fall line)? I think at my age if I can even do half the edge angles as those racers and high end skiers, I would be really happy. I estimate that I can only do about 1/4 of what they do with edge angles right now.
Its possible that more speed would help create forces to balance against the outside ski. A couple problems that limit edge angle are 1.) inadequate dorsiflexion of the outside ankle at the top of the turn and 2 ) using anticipation, unintended steering the skis into the fall line which trims off the full arc of the turn.
perpendicular to the hill , magic words , tank you
Great!! Glad this helped.
My friend has chickens which do not lay eggs in the winter 🤔. What is the secret?
Light. They have light in their coop for about 15 hours a day.
There is something important missing from this explanation, or maybe I just missed it. For younger well trained skiers, it may not be an issue, but for most of us it causes a problem. The reality is you can not just "drive your knee", or directly "shorten your leg by bending your knee and/or using hip flexor pull".
The proper way to "drive the inside knee" is to USE THE INSIDE SKI EDGE TO DO THE WORK. In other words, you shorten your inside leg by inclining the inside ski such that it pulls a tighter arc. If your inside ski pulls a tighter arc, what happens? the inside ski track away from the outside, early in the turn and you smoothly generate vertical separation, and you do it not by directly pulling your leg up, but by having the inside ski PUSH YOUR LEG UP (vertical separation) as it pulls a tighter arc. Then, you will smoothly incline your body more. If you get really aggressive, your will really feel your outside ski tighten its radius, then the inside ski will come back to the outside ski as you let the turn go and move into transition. You see this all the time in advanced/FIS skiers. The inside ski arcs away (more to the inside), then the outside ski cranks harder, then the inside ski comes back to the outside ski as you move into transition.
This is where ankle dorsiflexion and foot pressure comes in. To get that inside ski to crank a tighter arc, you must have forward pressure and good foot feel. I think that skiers coached after 2000 just automatically do this because they develop a more "similar" edge angle generation from a young age. So when you tell them to drive the knee, they do it the way that is easy for them...they use the ski to push the knee up. Those of us from a prior era do not have the same inside ski awareness. So when you instruct us to shorten the inside leg, we pull up the leg and it just makes us A-frame and lose the outside edge badly. It can be a real mess and really screw up your skiing. If you do not have good inside ski awareness and control, you are not ready to shorten the inside leg. You must use the ski to do the work, not your leg.
So, if you are having a hard time getting this technique to work, you, like me, probably need to develop better inside ski awareness and control Garlands, one ski skiing, and carving on easy slopes with a special focus on FEELING the inside ski edge more so that it arcs tighter and PUSHES your inside leg into that shortened position. Do not "pull up" you leg and try to "fall over" into a more inclined position. It wont work. Manipulate your inside ski edge angle so that it pushes you into that "shortened inside leg" position.
Think of the inside ski as a tool to manipulate your overall body position. Think of the outside ski as the tool to do most of the hard work. But its ability to do that hard work is controlled by overall position, which is heavily influenced by the inside ski. The inside ski is like the control lever or steering wheel for your turn.
You are not wrong but you are tunnel vision and missing some of the equation
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrong OK....I'll bite. I know I am missing something...but the problem is we dont know what we dont know, otherwise we would know it. My guess is I was trying to learn something I was not yet fully ready to learn.....right?
Thank you for explanation, that is useful.
How many chickens you are feeding Deb:)) You can eat eggs from home everyday😉
Yep, 6 chickens. About 4 eggs a day😉
Powerfull , pyjama, pedagogy and poules ( poules is french for chickens). Deb’s 4P teaching method. No body ever explain to me this way. I will expériment this on the slope this afternoon. Tanks
55 yo guy wanabe racer
Thanks for the comment. Have you practiced on the hill? How did it work for you?
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrong I experiment one day with GS ski and today with SL ski. Very good feeling, improve confidence to carve tighter arc at higher speed on icy slope. Still working on consolidation of this new skill. On good day i was driving my inside knee intuitively. Now i can do it all the time but the most important for me is the shin flexion and/or the dorsiflexion give me very good feeling of fore and aft balance by keeping my forward commitment all along the arc.Also that shin angle give me more range of motion for rolling the inside ankle to produce more edge angle.
Tanks Deb
Happy new year
Tight your arc and slalom around the virus.
Claude
Tremblant, Quėbec
Is there a drill we can do on skis to help facilitate this? I'm still not getting it. LOVE THE CHICKENS.
Dorsal flexion?...I'll have to look that one up Deb
Great stuff, thanks !
You are awesome thank you!!!
Deb: "It's not enough to just tip the skis in edge, anyone can do that"
Me skidding everyone on the mountain: "Am I a joke to you?"
No you are not a joke to me. My videos are for you.
Hi Debs. Shear Umsteiger. German racing turn.
Ignorant statement "it's not enough to tip the skis on edge, anyone can do that" actually teaching people to roll the skis on edge is not easy, especially when a skier has been twisting something, hips shoulders, or ankles to turns skis to start each turn. Telling them to put the skis on edge and let the ski's side cut is incredibly hard to change...but I love all of your videos thanks for all the great content!
Thats true Robin. Very true. Tipping the skis and carving is not easy if someone has never had the experience with it. However, once felt and experienced its like riding a bike. It actually is quite easy. However at that point to do it skillfully and accurately is a whole other ballgame. Life long learning😉😉😉
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrong it’s with people like my parents that have been skiing for 74 years, they have some serious ingrained habits. Breaking these habits the body has ingrained without conscious awareness of opposing philosophies.. in other words getting them to not shuffle the old outside ski forward followed by putting tails closer causing divergence, all in an effort to initiate the turn by turning and then finishing the turn by turning more like steering the steering wheel. Which as you know is the opposite of driving the inside knee especially in the second half of the turn.. most of these are literally the opposite of what is useful for “rolling the inside ski on edge to initiate the carve.. the problem is to high of edge angle at the bottom of turn with old outside ski or as Lefler calls the dominant side. Teaching them to flatten the outside ski to finish turn will get them to have a chance to role the new one on edge.. in a nutshell it’s hard to battle thick myelin sheath.. sorry for venting here, thanks for all this great info super useful to have some perspective to not go crazy solving this stuff..
Merry Christmas
And happy new year❤
Is this "inside-knee-thing" a matter in its own right or more a matter of "where it puts your brain, therefore your pelvis and your bodyweight" through your outside ski, as well as simply getting the inside leg out of the road so you can drop sideways? i.e. Are you using the grip of the inside ski in any way?
My reasoning is that a one-legged skier could surely achieve the same angle with no inside-knee action.
My current personal situation is that after quite a few years out of skiing, I find this modern instruction to ski-with-your-legs-apart a difficult step backward, and argue that with the ski edges, say, twice as far apart you simply create a need for twice the knee lift to achieve the same angle (leaving pelvis movement out of the arithmetic for simplicity). And in any case, looking at racers on television, when heavily angulated their inside ski appears to be almost touching the inside of the outside knee - not "legs apart" after all.
Not helping, of course, that my legs only want to do about 5% of what they used to!!
I appreciate the effort you put into your clear, simple and straight-to-the-point videos.
Thank You!
This is the beginning. The knee does not bend up hill. The edge angle increases when you rotate the up hill femur. This rotation increases edge angle. Then experiment with pulling the knee back. This happens with the hip. Feel that grab!😎