How Do I Turn?

[Montana St Alum]

In the Wasatch (and other places where you may be BC in deep snow) knee pads are a great idea. Even if you don't have the knee impact the ski, there are enough stumps, downed trees, branches, etc., that you may hit one with the knee. Back when I went BC more, I wore them, as I had a friend who whacked his knee pretty hard, and I've had a few close calls early season. Otherwise, pads are probably overkill.

[mca80]

No accidents like this typically occur…

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SEGIyL_WoBk. (Still makes my eyes water every time I see this)

That's not the kind of skiing I will ever be doing haha. I figure, as has been the case in my late 30s when I did more long distance hikes and such (now 42), when doing prolonged endurance just make sure I stretch, and stretch well, at every stop, every end, etc. So long as I do that I am ok. Thus far.

[mca80]

@Montana St Alum thanks, that clarifies my question. Around here the snow is usually deep and thoroughly compacted with powder on top. But there still may be unseen obstacles if I venture into bc in certain areas I have backpacked an hour away. May invest in a pair of kneepads if I ever get that extreme, but for now I am learning and will stick to resort on days they are closed, and tiny hills in my own home-land where I know I will be safe from knee impact.

[lowangle al]

@lowangle al how did you tear your meniscus?

Crashes. I always wore knee pads and highly recommend them. They protect your knee from the ski, and hidden stuff under the powder. They also kept my knees warm and neoprene ones were good for support.

[GrimSurfer]

No accidents like this typically occur…

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SEGIyL_WoBk. (Still makes my eyes water every time I see this)

That's not the kind of skiing I will ever be doing haha. I figure, as has been the case in my late 30s when I did more long distance hikes and such (now 42), when doing prolonged endurance just make sure I stretch, and stretch well, at every stop, every end, etc. So long as I do that I am ok. Thus far.

Stretching is my bane. As a runner, it’s inconvenient to warm up… then stretch… then run. But since you probably need to catch your breath after climbing a hill on skis…

Another vid… the older North American guys will remember this because it’s probably the place where we first watched, on a regular basis, XC and DH. The Wide World of Sports was a show recorded in the off seasons when there were gaps in baseball, football, and hockey. The idea was, why not show sports that aren’t usually broadcast by the big outfits.

It was mind blowing. The intro was more exciting than anything to that point… and it actually showed skiing!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P2AZH4FeGsc

[mca80]

@lowangle al how did you tear your meniscus?

Crashes. I always wore knee pads and highly recommend them. They protect your knee from the ski, and hidden stuff under the powder. They also kept my knees warm and neoprene ones were good for support.

Can't you manage to fall sideways or backwards when falling? Excuse my newbness--maybe when I start doing this on decent terrain my view will be different. Right now if I sense falling my natural instinct is to go to the side, instantly.

[Stephen]

With a dbl camber ski that doesn't want to turn, the skis cross the fall line unweighted with either a jump or step turn. After they cross the fall line then I'll weight them. It is harder to get skis to carve when weighting them in the middle of the turn as apposed to the beginning.

I had never thought about this before:
At the beginning of the turn, gravity is working AGAINST you, the force being applied to the ski is being reduced by gravity pulling the skier downhill, away from the ski.
Once across the fall line, gravity is increasing the force a skier can apply to the ski.

[Stephen]

In the Wasatch (and other places where you may be BC in deep snow) knee pads are a great idea. Even if you don't have the knee impact the ski, there are enough stumps, downed trees, branches, etc., that you may hit one with the knee. Back when I went BC more, I wore them, as I had a friend who whacked his knee pretty hard, and I've had a few close calls early season. Otherwise, pads are probably overkill.

Skiing open range in WY a few years ago, I was freaked out to realize that folks used short metal stakes to mark out territory. All winter long I felt like a ship steaming through mine infested waters, with one of those just waiting to take me out.

[Montana St Alum]

Shoot, maybe I should break out the Black Diamond pads I have! If nothing else, they do keep my old knees warm!

[lowangle al]

@lowangle al how did you tear your meniscus?

Crashes. I always wore knee pads and highly recommend them. They protect your knee from the ski, and hidden stuff under the powder. They also kept my knees warm and neoprene ones were good for support.

Can't you manage to fall sideways or backwards when falling? Excuse my newbness--maybe when I start doing this on decent terrain my view will be different. Right now if I sense falling my natural instinct is to go to the side, instantly.

I guess that you do get better at falling over time but stuff happens. I think my knee damage was from twisting falls.
My knees also got very sore from stomping my new lead ski to set my edge every turn. This was a habit carried over from skiing dbl camber.

Screwed up my thumbs when my skis would slide out on me and I'd put my hand down. The cure for this is to open up your stance to hip or shoulder width apart for side to side stability.