Alpine tip by Jeremy Riss
We all know that a quiet and stable upper body is one of the keys to strong efficient skiing and in no place is this more true than when skiing steep terrain and soft snow. One key to a stable upper body is having the correct amount of tension in your muscles. If you are too relaxed you will get knocked off balance by changes in terrain and snow conditions. If you are too stiff you will be rigid and unable to continue moving your body through turns.
There has been quite a bit of published material this last season on pole use, and the way a skier holds, carries and swings the pole can have a positive effect on their ski/snow behavior. Something that has really helped me find the right amount of tension in my muscles or “functional tension” is how I grip my poles. Gripping your poles firmly with all four fingers will create some tension throughout you arms and core and stabilize your upper body. If you maintain this grip on the pole and functional tension in your muscles, your upper body will naturally move as you swing your pole creating flow of your body with your skis.
If you find yourself having a hard time maintaining all fingers gripping the pole try putting your thumb on top of the pole and only gripping your pole with your fingers. This will make it easier to break the habit of relaxing your fingers as you swing the pole because doing so will cause you to drop your pole. Keep in mind that gripping the pole with just your fingers, with your thumb on top of the grip, is just an exercise to discover the correct sensations. Utilizing a braking or stabilizing pole plant with your thumb on top of the grip may not be too practical or effective.
Gripping the pole correctly and creating functional tension in your muscles is a key for all skiing, but making the change will especially improve your skiing in steeper terrain and softer snow.
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