Back Leg Straight

[skinut]

@Horton you've commented that one of the keys to skiing in a stacked position is to keep your back leg straight. I've been really focusing on this but have notice that when I think my back leg is straight it really isn't. Is your back leg suppose to be straight or is this just a mental que to get you to move your com over your front foot and you will always have some bend? I think I know the answer but just wanted some clarification

[Horton]

The point is to move your hips forward. You need your butt hole to align as close to your front ankle as possible. Few skiers ever get even close to this.

Some elite skiers do this by driving their knees and ankle forward. If you can do this, then you should. The problem with this is that when many or most skiers try to do this they squat and moves their hips back.

Worse most skiers bend their back leg MORE than their front leg resulting in an even less athletic stance and their hips farther back. Honestly, everyone’s back leg is almost always more bent than their front leg. The question is how much.

For me, “straight legs” is my cheat code to getting my hips (butt hole) as far forward as possible. If you can get your hips over your feet with  bent knees & ankles then do it. Personally, I can not.  

For my personal skiing, I just think about pushing on both feet. My heels need to be down and I am trying to press my feet away from my chin / strong with my legs. I have heard elite coaches say that this approach may push my feet forward and I concede that this could an issue.

[Jaypro]

@Horton I want to thank you for bringing the words butt-hole into this conversation of what ultimately is the stack conversation! Visualization is everything!  A few years ago Freddie told me to clench my butt cheeks to help with stack, damned if it didn't work!  I still use that as one of my ques today.  🤣

[Mastercrafter]

@Jaypro beat me to it. 

 

 

[jjackkrash]

2 minutes ago, Jaypro said:

 A few years ago Freddie told me to clench my butt cheeks to help with stack, damned if it didn't work! 

"Squeeze a $20 bill and give me change" used to be a go-to phrase.  

[Horton]

yeah I hesitated to use the word butthole but honestly I think people need a more concrete visual than just hips. besides that, it's sort of funny. ( tant over ankles is not forward good enough. it needs to be butthole )

As far as Freddie's coaching goes, it's interesting. I've heard versions of that for 40 years and it flat out doesn't work for me. In my mind clenching my glutes doesn't move my center forward. The fact that this works for some but not others illustrates how we need to look for multiple ways to think these positions or movements. Freddie's coaching doesn't make any sense to me but it absolutely works for other skiers and his goal is exactly correct. As with driving your knees and ankles forward if it works for you, do it.

[UWSkier]

Did anyone read this, stand up with feet in slalom alignment, straighten their back leg, and attempt to ascertain the relative location of their butthole to their ankles?  Just me?

[Slalom.Steve]

It's quite simple really, just get your nuts on your chin! 🤣

(just in case it's not clear, do not do this)