Snow Skills

There isn’t a single athletic sport that has been invented that relies on a lack of movement (or being static) to develop balance. By definition, athleticism is the creation and maintenance of balance. Due to the fixed nature of alpine skiing gear at your ankle, it’s possible to place your body in a position that you couldn’t sustain if you were wearing street shoes. Skiing that relies on unbalanced bracing movements is surely uncomfortable, uncontrolled, and forced. Good skiing relies on a balanced stance that doesn’t brace off the equipment.

Balance that doesn’t brace off the equipment needs to build from the feet. In street shoes, lift one foot about 2 inches off the floor. Using the lifted foot, raise the toes toward the knee by bending the ankle as much as possible. This position is known as an “open ankle”. Now push the toes away from the knee by extending the ankle as much as possible. This position is known as a “closed ankle.”

Now, with both feet on the floor, explore open and closed ankles in both feet at the same time. Notice how the open ankle position requires you to almost completely straighten your legs while a closed ankle position requires variable knee angulation. Since ski boots have a built-in forward lean, closed ankles allow for athletic motions while open ankles lock out your ability to adjust and maintain balance.

On the slopes, strive to develop skiing movements that generally rely on balance from a closed ankle position and you’ll be skiing strongly and efficiently.