A good pre-season thought... A little older, but Debbie Armstrong pretty much nails it.
Last edited:
Acquaintances knew the Armstrong family. They said that when Debbie was free skiing, she skied like a winning racer. When she was on the PSIA payroll, she skied like an instructor. I am not a PSIA fan.
Poor video. As usual, it did not show HOW to do what they said, how to "balance over the feet." My 130 flex boots are on the stiff side for 130, and I wouldn't want anything softer; very little ankle flex is possible. Friends who got stiffer boots than they thought they wanted, either on the suggestion of a fitter or because the stiffer flex were the ones left at the time the sale was on, don't want to go back to softer boots that allow more ankle flex. Flexing the hips & knees correctly is great for balance. Another advantage of stiff boots is that when one is thrown off balance the stiff boots gives them something to lever against to get re-centered. And, any inputs to the skis are transmitted more quickly and precisely with stiff boots. Debbie was in old Nordica Dobermans. 130 flex if I spotted the model I thought I saw. She has the strength to flex those boots, but maybe she took out the cuff bolts to make the video look better.
Balancing vs. bracing happens during a turn. It is about avoiding the sideways slide braced against the ski vs. balancing on the skis and riding them around the curve. The bracer is usually on their heels, often with the outside leg stiff. The balancer helps themselves when they're on the balls of their feet.
Thanks for your thoughts. Lemaster notes, "Some world class athletes, including Bode Miller, have been known to deliberately punch bulges in the shells of their boots over the navicular bone to provide increased mobility... Many of the best athletes prefer boots that allow little or no movement of the foot and ankle." (Ultimate Skiing, pg. 127).Acquaintances knew the Armstrong family. They said that when Debbie was free skiing, she skied like a winning racer. When she was on the PSIA payroll, she skied like an instructor. I am not a PSIA fan.
Poor video. As usual, it did not show HOW to do what they said, how to "balance over the feet." My 130 flex boots are on the stiff side for 130, and I wouldn't want anything softer; very little ankle flex is possible. Friends who got stiffer boots than they thought they wanted, either on the suggestion of a fitter or because the stiffer flex were the ones left at the time the sale was on, don't want to go back to softer boots that allow more ankle flex. Flexing the hips & knees correctly is great for balance. Another advantage of stiff boots is that when one is thrown off balance the stiff boots gives them something to lever against to get re-centered. And, any inputs to the skis are transmitted more quickly and precisely with stiff boots. Debbie was in old Nordica Dobermans. 130 flex if I spotted the model I thought I saw. She has the strength to flex those boots, but maybe she took out the cuff bolts to make the video look better.
Balancing vs. bracing happens during a turn. It is about avoiding the sideways slide braced against the ski vs. balancing on the skis and riding them around the curve. The bracer is usually on their heels, often with the outside leg stiff. The balancer helps themselves when they're on the balls of their feet.
In the Goldilocks world of boots what is preferred. a little on the soft side of perfect or a little on the stiff side of perfect? I believe most with low experience would prefer the braced ankle overkill..
In the Goldilocks world of boots what is preferred. a little on the soft side of perfect or a little on the stiff side of perfect? I believe most with low experience would prefer the braced ankle overkill..
In the Goldilocks world of boots what is preferred. a little on the soft side of perfect or a little on the stiff side of perfect? I believe most with low experience would prefer the braced ankle overkill..