Alpine

Dear Viewer,

Welcome to the CCSC education library. The following describes an alpine model based on PSIA educational materials. PSIA practices provide a consistent and proven teaching framework. It is important to remember that each lesson will vary in pace depending on the group dynamics. CCSC staff incorporate progressions and movement analysis scenarios while still allowing flexibility for individual learning and teaching styles.

Sincerely,

The CCSC Education Leadership Team 

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY CODE

• Always stay in control. You must be able to stop or avoid people or objects.

• People ahead or downhill of you have the right-of-way. You must avoid them.

• Stop only where you are visible from above and do not restrict traffic.

• Look uphill and avoid others before starting downhill or entering a trail.

• You must prevent runaway equipment.

• Read and obey all signs, warnings, and hazard markings.

• Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.

• You must know how and be able to load, ride and unload lifts safely. If you need assistance,

ask the lift attendant.

• Do not use lifts or terrain when impaired by alcohol or drugs.

• If you are involved in a collision or incident, share your contact information with each other

and a ski area employee.

Winter sports involve risk of serious injury or death.. Your knowledge, decisions, and actions contribute to your safety and that of others.

If you need help understanding the Code, please ask any ski area employee.

SMART STYLE PARK CODE

• Start Small – Work your way up. Build your skills.

• Make A Plan – Every feature. Every time.

• Always Look – Before you drop.

• Respect – The features and other users.

• Take It Easy – Know your limits. Land on your feet.  

Visit https://nsaa.org/terrainparksafety/ for more terrain park safety information.

ALPINE TECHNICAL SKILLS

In skiing, a person must maintain equilibrium between the forces that act on them and the forces that act on the skis.

Rotary: The ability of the skier to control the direction the skis point

• Left

• Right

• Straight

Edging: The ability to tip a ski on edge and adjust the angle between the base of the ski and the snow.

Pressure: The ability to control pressure from the ski’s tip to its tail.

Pressure: The ability to distribute pressure from one ski to the other.

Pressure: The ability to control the overall magnitude of pressure acting on the base and/or edge of the skis.

ALPINE FUNDAMENTALS

• Control the relationship of the center of mass (CoM) to the base of support

• Direct pressure along the length of the skis

• Control pressure from ski to ski and direct pressure to the outside ski

• Control edge angles through a combination of inclination and angulation

• Control the ski’s rotation with leg rotation, under a stable upper body

• Regulate the magnitude of pressure created through ski snow interaction

TERRAIN CONSIDERATIONS

Like all ski areas, Crystal offers unique terrain for teaching Alpine skiing. The following locations are best suited for teaching purposes, noting that surface condition, weather, and customer traffic make their respective use subject to

change.

Crystal Mountain terrain specifics coming soon…

Instructors should always be aware of the fall line and intersections.

WALKING IN ALPINE EQUIPMENT

Designed for the efficient and safe transfer of energy, alpine ski boots make walking awkward for first-time participants. Alpine ski boots limit the ankle's ability to articulate and limit the sensations associated with normal footwear.

• Explain the rigidity of the boots and why it is needed for alpine skiing.

• Explain the important sensations the student may feel in ski boots, paying particular attention to the tongues-shin connection and how it relates to the compression and decompression of the arch.

• Spend a brief time walking in ski boots. This may include a “following the leader” task. This allows the student to become accustomed to limited ankle articulation and identify boot fit issues.

• Walking with skis on presents three challenges foreign to first time participants:

  • having a locked-down heel

  • the sliding sensation

  • the length of the skis.

• Spend a brief time working from a tall stance to a short stance. This may include small leaper tasks.

• Walk up a gentle grade sideways and in a herringbone to experience the movement patterns required.

• Ask students to share their feelings, allowing them to reflect on their sensation. There will be many different answers.

• Scooters (one ski on) will help students get used to the glide involved with ski-snow contact.

  • Incorporate flat terrain

  • Start with shuffles

  • Work up from a walk to a glide. This will encourage balance through experiential learning.

  • Take note of excessive upper body movements.

  • Ask students what they feel.

• Star Turns allow students an opportunity to get used to the length of their skis. They must be performed on flat terrain.

  • Star turns stepping around 360 degrees

  • Star turns with tails in the center

  • Ask students what they feel

• Extra Credit: Stepping laterally up hill and with a herringbone.

GETTING UP AFTER FALLING

Take a ski off:

• When putting it back on, be sure to have it on the uphill side with both skis perpendicular to the fall line.

• Make sure the binding hell lever is disengaged, in the down position.

• Check for snow in the bindings and/or on the boot soles.

On steeper pitches, you can also position the skis downhill from you, perpendicular to the fall line, and push yourself up by moving towards the tips of the skis.

THE WEDGE PROGRESSION

The wedge progression is time-tested and covers the widest range of participant skill sets. Note: If a participant demonstrates an ability to perform direct to parallel as a beginner, provide them with turn shape tasks. It is still recommended to incorporate a braking wedge to control speed in lift lines.

The wedge progression provides the safest learning outline where there is limited run-out and less populated learning areas.

The wedge allows the participant to concentrate on fewer skills (rotary) and fundamentals (“control the ski’s rotation with leg rotation, under a stable upper body”, and “control the relationship of the CoM to the base of support to direct pressure along the length of the skis”).

Simply put, the wedge is ski tips together and ski tails apart. Speed is controlled by regulating the size of the wedge: the larger the wedge, the slower the skier will go. The size of the wedge can also be viewed through stance height. The taller the skier, the narrower the wedge is, or vice versa. The rotation of the upper legs in an inward direction generates the movements needed to create a wedge. When we walk, we lead with a weighted inside foot to turn. Effective skiing requires a weighted outside ski.

• Introduce the wedge statically in a flat area as a means of redirecting the skis and an alternative way to stop. Demonstrations should be level-appropriate.

  • Skis can be slid into the wedge, stepped into the wedge, or hopped into the wedge.

  • Emphasize a moderately athletic stance that distributes the participant’s CoM over the length of the skis.

  • Key flex points will utilize the hip joint, the knee joint, and the ankle joint. Key sensations include pressure on the tongue of the boot.

• Move to a low grade and perform a straight run to a gradual wedge stop. Demonstrations should be level-appropriate.

  • Use the skier’s stance height as a visual indicator

  • Use the increase and decrease of pressure on the tongues of boots as a kinesthetic indicator.

  • Emphasize leg rotation in shorter radius turns. The head may turn in preparation for the upcoming turn.

• In a flat area, practice the following after demonstrating:

  • Balancing on one ski, then the other, with skis in a straight run position: This can be done keeping the ski that is being picked up parallel to the snow surface, and/or with the tip down and tail up. Ask participants what they felt regarding body awareness.

  • Repeat the task while starting in a small wedge.

• On a low-grade pitch, practice the following after a demonstration utilizing smaller radius turns.

  • Brush the tail of one ski out and apply a little more weight to it. This may involve tipping the pelvis and shoulders slightly towards the brushed ski side.

  • Apply more weight to one ski. This may involve tipping the pelvis and shoulders lightly towards the pressured ski side.

  • Increase the radius of the turns to introduce speed control.

  • Stalling will occur for a variety of reasons, which include tactics. Encourage and demonstrate turn shapes that flow, as well as adjustments in stance height: tall in the initiation, gradually shortened through shaping to finish.

• In a flat area, demonstrate and practice matching skis. The uphill ski can be picked up and/or slid parallel to the downhill ski, which encourages the distribution of weight from one ski to the other. Additional rotational skill sensations occur via the leg rotation required when moving the uphill ski into a parallel position. Note: this can be done with boot work.

• Demonstrate and practice the same task moving across the hill. Encourage slight tipping of the pelvis to weight the downhill ski and take weight off the uphill ski.

• From a wedge position, guide the inside ski into a parallel position as the skis cross the fall line. This may involve tipping the pelvis and shoulders slightly towards the outside ski.

• Increase the radius of the turns to introduce speed control.

• Introduce the pole swing as a means of timing and/or moving the CoM forward.

WEDGE PROGRESSION TROUBLE SHOOTING

• When the participant cannot make a wedge:

  • Weight may be distributed to the back of the skis (heels). People naturally assume a plumb stance when walking down stairs or slopes as opposed to being perpendicular to the slope. People tend to move their CoM as their feet slide forward.

  • Correctly perform a demonstration that allows participants to view you from the side.

  • Incorporate tasks within vertical planes, such as high/low stance, hopping, and jumping.

  • Remember “knees are over the toes”

  • Reiterate flex in the joints and pressure against the tongue of the boot. Think alternatively, “Can you pull your feet behind your hips?”

• Weight is distributed with more pressure on one ski than the other:

  • Everyone has a stronger side. It is a natural reaction to lean to the safer, stronger side.

  • Correctly perform a demonstration that allows participants to view you from the front and back.

  • Incorporate tasks that encourage level shoulder and a level pelvis.

  • Relate movements that facilitate equal pressure on both skis.

  • Props such as the Ski Ring or hula hoop may be incorporated.

• The participant cannot match the skis because:

  • The knees are locked together

  • Use of torso to redirect skis as opposed to using the lower body to redirect the skis

  • Weight is distributed to the back of the skis (heels)

  • Correctly perform a demonstration that allows participants to view you from the side.

  • Incorporate tasks within vertical planes, such as high/low stance, hopping and jumping. “Remember knees over toes”.

  • Reiterate flex in the joints and pressure against the tongue of the boot. Think alternatively, “Can you pull your feet behind your hips?”

• Note: In all cases, props such as the Ski Ring or hula hoop may be incorporated.

INTERMEDIATE PARALLEL TASKS

• Promote flexion in the pelvis, knees, and ankles: Control the relationship of the center of mass (CoM) to the base of support to direct pressure along the length of the skis. Indications that the skier’s CoM is after include bouncing ski tips and lack of control in the finish phase. While bending at the waist may feel forward to the skier, that posture places the skier’s CoM aft. Flexion and extension should take place at the hips, knees, and ankles rather than at the waiste.

  • Pressure on the tongues of the boots

  • Picking up a ski while turning on easy terrain (tip on the snow, tail in the air)

  • Cover toes with knees

  • Small to large hops focusing on the sound of the landing

  • Elbows in front of the rib cage (pole swing will help)

  • Visual line of site needs to be increased

  • Utilize a prop

• Promote commitment to the new outside ski

  • Hockey stops (soft or hard)

  • Soft hockey stops to a turn

  • Skiing across the hill and picking up the downhill ski (Try leaving the tip on the snow and picking up the tail. The lifted ski may be set down when crossing.)

  • Shuffle turns

  • 1000 steps

  • Hops in the transition, landing on both skis evenly

• Control edge angle through a combination of inclination and angulation. Does the skier make a “Z” shaped turn? this may indicate delayed edging movement. Does the skier wash out through the finishing phase of the turn? This may indicate edging movements begin too early or may be the result of banking.

  • Demonstrate and practice the following: Create an angle that facilitates a consistently edged track through the shaping phase of the turn. Different conditions, desired outcomes and turn shapes require different degrees of edge angle duration and timing.

  • Half circles exploring the margins: Start with instep pressure (ankle) to knee angulation to pelvis angulation/inclination to spine inclination. Ask the participant what they felt about their stance height.

  • Half circles within a javelin position: Ask the participant what they felt about their stance height.

  • Railroad turns on lower pitches. Again, ask the participant what they felt about their stance height.

  • Figure eight skating drills

  • Hockey stops

  • Pivot slips

  • The teapot drill: Ask the participant what they felt about their stance height.

  • Explore pole position and pole swing.

• Control the ski’s rotation with leg rotation under a stable upper body. The torso and legs connect in the hip sockets.

  • Are the skis washing out in the shaping phase and finish phase of the turn? A visual indicator will be displacement of the snow. Is there a delay in the ski’s redirection in the initiation phase of the turn? A visual indicator will be exaggerated upper body rotation, followed by a delayed redirection of the skis.

  • Use the zipper of the participant’s coat as a visual indicator. If the zipper of the coat faces downhill the whole time, rotation will be effective.

  • Demonstrate and practice the following:

    • with one ski on, draw an arch with the boot that goes from the back of the binding to the front of the binding.

    • Promote steering the boot as opposed to pivoting the boot. Ask the participant what they felt.

    • Hockey stops

    • Hockey stops to a turn and back without interrupting the turn flow

    • Pivot slips

    • Moderate crab walks on lower pitches

    • Draw a line down the fall-line and have the student focus on the line while performing short radius turns.

    • Ask participants what they felt in the hip socket, core and upper legs while performing tasks

• Regulate the magnitude of pressure created through ski snow interaction.

  • Does the skier face challenges when the terrain and conditions change?

  • Does the skier face challenges when turn shapes change?

  • Demonstrate and practice the following:

    • Incorporate tasks on different yet safe terrain and conditions. Continually ask for feedback.

    • Perform different turn shapes in one run. Continually ask for feedback.

    • Follow the leader, taking turns for being the leader.

    • Give a task such as three medium radius turns, three short radius turns, etc.

REFERENCES

• Professional Ski Instructors of America-American Association of Snowboard Instructors

(2014). Alpine Technical Manual. American Snowsports Education Association, Inc.

• Professional Ski Instructors of America-American Association of Snowboard Instructors

(2018). Teaching Snowsports Manual. American Snowsports Education Association, Inc.

• PSIA-AASI-C

• PSIA-AASI- NW