Want to get more fun out of your day on the slopes? Allow me to present my new training philosophy that can be summed up in three keywords—relaxation, rhythm, and challenge.
Relaxation
Once I’ve strapped on my skis, I work on making easy turns at a comfortable speed, while keeping my mind on relaxing. I focus on not applying too much pressure as I schuss down the slopes. I reach this state of relaxation by ensuring my weight is right in the middle of my boots and my shoulders are directly above my knees throughout the turn.
Rhythm
All my movements are connected and progressive. I don’t necessarily calculate every move, rather I focus on keeping my muscles relaxed and in constant movement so that my skis change angles progressively, from turn to turn.
Challenge
Once I’m relaxed and have found my rhythm, I begin my workout. I start by making slightly tighter turns with every run and linking my turns a little more while keeping my focus on staying relaxed and in the rhythm. At the start of the day, I respect the turn radius marked on my skis (14 meters), and with every subsequent run, I tighten my turns by 1 meter. If I’m in good shape, I’ll accelerate by 1 km/h with every run. I continue focusing on R&R (relaxation and rhythm). After one hour of this, I start to vary my speed and turns randomly. For a particular section, I may ski very slowly in big sweeping turns; for another, I’ll shift to very fast, tight links. The next step is to repeat the same routine on increasingly steep and challenging terrain.
This method really works! However, it’s important to avoid repeating the same routine every day. Variety is key to training. And, if you really want to improve your skiing, you have to be willing to venture beyond your comfort zone.
Want to find out more about our new teaching method? Why not book a session with a pro from the MSA Snowsports School? Ask about our new private lesson structure, and get ready to get more fun out of your day on the slopes.
Let ‘em glide!
Jean-François Beaulieu
Director of the MSA Snowsports School