Training schedule

[bhs]

I would like to know how everyone trains for the slalom course. Do you go out and try and run up the line every time? Or do you stay at a certain line length and work on technique for a couple of sets and not cut the line? On Andy Mapple's video he said he does "one balls"? Does anyone use a set schedule for the week,i.e. so many sets at this line length for monday, Wednesday tournament sets and something different on Friday? Before I started skiing I raced bicycles and we broke our training week into speed, endurance and mountain work in an attempt to become a more well rounded cyclist...does anyone do anything similar with slalom?

[tsixam]

I used to be the kind of guy who tried to beat my PB every time I skied. Now days I think I ski a little bit smarter. I often ski the line down and then back of to practice a problem area. I have also found that a couple of back to back passes once in a while is good for my skiing.

 

Tsixam

[Horton]

Personally I try to plan sets or numbers of sets where I do not shorten to the pass I can not make. Generally I only shorten all the way on about 1/3 of my rides. I figure that I don’t learn much by practicing missing. Also if I hit a slump I wail away on a ton of back to back passes.

 I will have numbers of sets where I shorten up but I really make a point of cycling through and getting back to longer rope and then back again.

I do refer to it as Volume rides and Intensity rides.

[ski6jones]

When I ski I usually ski 2 sets per day. 

 First set I ski each pass untill it feels pretty clean, usually at least 2x per rope length.  If I'm trying anything new with technique, then I work it out here and ski untill I'm tuckered out.

 Second set I shorten untill I miss, then work on the pass I missed until I make it once or twice before shortening again.  Seocnd set more like a tournament (set).

 Works for me.

 

[ScarletArrow]

My "new to the course" routine... 

First pass (down and back, no drop) is 8 pullouts - 4 on each side.

Second pass (down and back, no drop) is a wakecrossings - shadow bouys.

My purpose with the first two passes is to warm up and reinfornce what I learned from coaching sessions.

Each pass thereafter I will drop at the island and chase bouys.

I skip the warmup on subsequent sets.

Occasionally I will increase the speed, shorten the rope, or free ski just to mix it up and keep me from getting into a slump. 

I haven't competed in a tourney so there's no weekly routine established for that yet.

Anthony

[Old MS Accout]

So how about tourney prep? Do people ski on the day before to test a site or take a few off to get strong?

[tsixam]

I usually try to rest 1-2 days before tournament. If I am not familiar with the lake I try to ski a short set the day before on the site to get used to the water and starting docks. In my jumping days I always tried to squeeze in a jump set or two the day before to get used to the ramp.  Tsixam