I Reduced My Boot's Forward Lean and Finally Can Get Forward

[Rod9301]

Having a hard time seeing how one “crushes their shins” in the boot and weights their heels. Because you’re getting thrown back?

Not at all.
You can try this at home

Stand, make sure you can feel the weight just behind the arch and slowly bend your ankles, making sure the weight stays behind your arches.

See, doable.

 

[KJL]

@KJL and @Vestirse - the correct "joints thought" is to close the ankles and open the knees to help get your upper body forward. I don't think I've ever seen anyone discuss the "open hip" thought in the context of fore/aft management. "Open hip" is usually a term reserved for counteraction discussion.

That said, the proper way to get forward and manage your fore/aft is using foot pullback. We have quite a few threads here discussing foot pullback and fore/aft management on SkiTalk. Check them out.

Aha, thanks for the common meaning of "open hip". I call that "counter-steering" or just "counter", directly. (Meaning turning the hips and upper body outward against the direction of the skis, creates more tip lead, etc).

For myself (and I suspect @Vestirse), "open hips" means "pushing hips forward" or just "not bending knees/waist and sticking the butt out".


What should we be calling that if not "open hips"?

Caveat, I am just going on past discussions here and on other forums that I've read, but a particular problem of backseat skiers like myself is extreme crouching to get forward to counteract how much they sit back. So maybe "more open hip" is more accurate or "unlocking your hips". For me, that extreme crouch became ingrained as I skied for so long backseat, and opening up of that hip joint was a key to becoming better able to handle the fore and aft.

"Foot pullback" is a different part of the equation and it is an issue for getting forward properly too. For me and @KJL we were just sitting on our heels while doing the foot pullback, instead of using the entire foot - which we touch on here. For us, the foot pullback description wasn't enough, which is why I think @KJL asked about foot position in different parts of the turn.

Yep. "Foot pullback" used to take a loaded and stressed aft position and make it even more loaded with a tiny but still inconsequential forward movement.

Whereas a relatively more upright position — more "open knees", in @LiquidFeet's parlance, but also "open hips" in our meaning — not just made it easier to feel a forward balance but also made a foot pullback far more consequential in terms of quickly loading the ski tips.

It was so counterintuitive it took over a decade to actually look at my boots and reverse all the adjustments, but boy has it paid off.

 

[Vestirse]

For myself (and I suspect @Vestirse), "open hips" means "pushing hips forward" or just "not bending knees/waist and sticking the butt out".

What should we be calling that if not "open hips"?

BINGO! This illustrates what I mean exactly!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

My boots hold me pretty upright. This was an analysis from a level 3 from whom I was taking a private. I now have a spoiler put in my boots to help me get more forward and what a difference it makes. I can still get in the backseat if I am upright enough but this makes it a lot harder for me.

 

[KJL]

My boots hold me pretty upright. This was an analysis from a level 3 from whom I was taking a private. I now have a spoiler put in my boots to help me get more forward and what a difference it makes. I can still get in the backseat if I am upright enough but this makes it a lot harder for me.

Thank you for sharing your experience.

How flexible are your ankles?

 

[freeskier1961]

My boots hold me pretty upright. This was an analysis from a level 3 from whom I was taking a private. I now have a spoiler put in my boots to help me get more forward and what a difference it makes. I can still get in the backseat if I am upright enough but this makes it a lot harder for me.

Agree, a good instructor will recognize fore aft alignment facilitated with PROPER forward lean and flex accordingly to anatomy/dorsiflexion. Knees over toes in boots leaving some range of motion. different for everybody.
Once this is dialed in it allows for skiing progression.