Friday, January 18, 2013

Mario Matt also, has great inside foot preparation and control.

       In my three books on ski technique the inside foot is always a major focus. 


My first book we self published n 1997. No one had ever heard of tipping the inside foot at the time, many coaches still don't.


Here in slalom, Mario Matt 34 years old, converted to a narrow stance, since his earlier days on the world cup and tips and holds the inside foot back. As soon as the inside foot slides forward you lose speed and edge carving. Pushing the inside foot forward is a braking movement. It often shows that the skier has fear of his speed and is desperate to stay in control.


Marcel Hirscher is the "King" of controlling and using his inside foot. He holds it back the longest in the turn, even below the arc or the gate.
 Marcel has an amazing ability to stay on his outside ski when the load is the greatest. He never flinches with his upper body or leans away from the pressure. He can do this because he's so prepared using and setting up his Counter balancing and Counter acting at the top of his arcs.
His inside leg flexing and tipping, happens so fast that he rarely loads or pressures the inside ski. This keeps his hips dropping to the inside, so he can develop bigger angles. Ted does this extremely well in GS, as I've stated before, but he has yet to figure it out for slalom. Marcel's CB and CA also keep him very compact, without arms and limbs flying all over. He's in balance when he loads the ski, and he therefore can hold the forces.

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