Mid-season check-in

This season is flying by, I don't want it to end!  I haven't had time to write much fresh content; I've been taking an EMT class, and spent all of my free time training for the PSIA-E Development Team tryout.  This team is the first step on the path to becoming an examiner in the Eastern Division.  It currently sits at about 50 athletes, and the fresh intake of 19 coaches were chosen with youth, athleticism, and coach-ability in mind.  I am so humbled to say I was selected for the team, and thankful to everyone who has helped me along the way!  I sit a 4 year term, in which I will understudy clinics and certification events, before trying out for the Examiner Training Squad (ETS).

Bump Skiing 101 - An introduction to skiing moguls

I had a 3 hour lesson the other day with a strong intermediate skier who wanted to improve his bump skiing.  By his own self assessment his mogul skiing wasn't very good!  We'd had a few inches of fresh snow at the mountain, so the conditions were perfect for an intro to bumps lesson.  After a quick warm up lap to check he could make a parallel turn on blue terrain, we dove right in.  I'll lead you through my progression, and give some explanation why.  I might have taken a different approach depending on the profile of the student.

Up & Over Ski Drill: Making 'C' turners out of 'Z' turners

The Up & Over drill was probably the biggest 'ah-ha' moment I've had on skis.  I think for most people it is difficult to understand and conceptualize.  Let's think about this in everyday skier terms.  Next time you ride the lift over a steep trail, count the number of skiers you see pushing their heels around at the top of the turn, with a heavy edge-set at the end of the turn to control speed.  This is usually accompanied by bracing against the outside leg/ski.  The stereotypical 'Z' turner (turn shape looks like the letter 'Z').

At this point, if you're not a contemporary ski coach, you're probably saying "what's wrong with that as long as they're having fun?!"  Well, you'd be right, but it is not a smooth or efficient way to slide down the mountain, especially when considering the technology in modern ski equipment.  Modern skis are parabolic in shape, so they naturally want to turn in an arc or the shape of the letter 'C'.  Why are we fighting that?  More so, how do we make 'C' shaped turns instead of 'Z' shaped turns?

Review: Part 2 - 2018 Dalbello Lupo AX 120 Ski Boots

Brand: Dalbello
Model: 2018 Lupo AX 120
Flex: 120
Last: 100mm

I should have written this at the end of last season, but my season kind of fizzled out with a slight knee injury.  You can read my comparison of new vs old boot in Part 1.  I put about 25 days on the boots, enough to give them a good shake down.  In summary, they ski great.  The 120 flex is perfect for me and I like the responsiveness of the new cuff design.  The shape of the spine, and the higher top buckle, really hugs the back of your leg, and there is no 'dead spot' between the shin and tongue of the boot.

Review: Part 1 - 2018 Dalbello Lupo AX 120 Ski Boot Comparison

Brand: Dalbello
Model: 2018 Lupo AX 120
Flex: 120
Last: 100mm

So I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a pair of 2018 Dalbello Lupo ski boots and will be testing them until the end of the season.  Part 1 of my review will be a direct comparison of the previous model that I currently ski on, the Lupo 110.  Part 2 will focus on on-snow performance.