3 tips for your first day back on snow
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When you’re back on snow for the first time, you’re either excited by the temptation to bomb down your first run, or you may even feel a bit out of sorts or awkward.
If you’re skiing with Carv’s digital ski coach, there are a few things you can do to get up to speed and pick up right where you left last season. You’ve not yet rebuilt your muscle memory and there’s a good chance you’ll either find yourself skiing in the backseat, over your inside ski, or snow-ploughing slightly.
Here we go through 3 tips to help you hit the ground running on your first day and boost your confidence for the upcoming season.
Let's get into it
1. Let Carv analyse your skiing in Free ski mode
You've just got back on the piste, so go for a free run. Don't rush it, just get your feet moving.
Remember to press record, so Carv can collect your technique data through the smart insert as you ski.
Watch Kaylin Richardson rip some epic carving turns
2. Try out some drills in Training mode
Your body may not be used to the feeling of balancing against your outside ski yet. It takes time to rebuild the confidence in this movement and to trust your outside ski again. To speed up this process, head to the training mode and start the Outside Ski Turns drill.
Choose a low grade and start easy. Your goal is to build up your confidence, not to set a new high score. With your feedback on each turn, live in your ear, it’s a great way to dial your pressure control in.
Your uphill ski can cause hang-ups when you're back on snow for the first time, and you may struggle to stay centered over both of your skis as you turn.
To tackle these common issues, start the Thousand Steps drill. This will have you walking through the turn. You'll reactivate that muscle memory for managing both feet as you move and get those skis turning parallel throughout the turn.
Move through 20 levels of assessment with the Thousand Steps drill
The Thousand Steps drill is also a great way to stay balanced over the bindings of each ski – take it slow and start on a slope that you feel comfortable on.
3. Hone in on your skills using Monitors mode
When we are getting back on snow, we aren't used to the speed and can be thrown into the backseat. It can take days to rebuild your confidence and strengthen your stance.
To jump start this process and get in a great stance straight away, try the Balance monitor. This will tell you your forward position live on every turn into your headphones, so you can tell when you are leaning forwards, backwards or are balanced as you ski each turn. Aim for a score of 45-60%.
If you work through these skills on your first day back on snow, you'll find yourself getting up to speed in no time and can start tearing it up from day two onwards. Happy skiing!
