Launch and absorb

 Goal: Dynamic long radius turns
Level: Expert
Suggested terrain: Groomed intermediate terrain
Author: Suzy Chase-Motzkin
Summary: Stimulate the power of extension followed by deliberate absorption with the legs.

Photos and Videos coming soon!

IMPORTANT! Understanding our approach and philosophy is important if you'd like to successfully use the drills in Ski Smarts
 ... read more.

The forces that act upon you increases as the intensity, speed, and/or pitch of the hill increases. This increased energy is transmitted through your skis--sometimes explosively when they rebound from being aggressively decambered. Absorbing this rebound with your legs will have the effect of "lightening" the skis, which allows for easy direction changes.
  • Use caution with any hopping exercise: Avoid this if you have any injuries or impairments.
  • Check to make sure that your equipment is properly adjusted.

Begin by skiing across the hill.

Twist the upper body to face down the hill.

Flex your legs to lower the body, and with an explosive action, extend off of your uphill ski to hop your skis into the air.

While the skis are in the air, direct them slightly down the hill.

  • Make sure that when you jump, the legs get almost fully extended, so that when you land, you will be able to flex your legs to absorb the landing.

Land with the majority of weight on the outside ski. Flex to absorb the pressure and steer the skis to shape the turn.

The legs, upon shaping the turn, should simultaneously flex--ready to leap into the next turn.

  • The upper body should face slightly down the hill to anticipate the next launch.

Work one hop into the next without interrupting the flow from one direction change to the other.

Try slowing down the motion for long radius turns and speeding it up for shorter radius turns.

Always keep the explosive extension off the uphill ski directed towards inside of the new turn.

  • Keep a rhythm!
  • Think of being very elastic.

Print this out for future reference and remember to have fun!