How to improve slalom skiing?

Question

I'm on the ski team at my school, i can ski gs fairly well but when i comes to slalom i can't do it!! any tips?

Answer 1

Be early for the gate. Make your turn before the gate. Finish the turn as you come around it. The easiest way to do this is to go straight across the fall line before going straight down. Your turns will look somewhat L-shaped. This works for the top of the run.

NEVER reach for a gate. It causes your upper body gets ahead of your skis, which frantically try to catch up. I did this at States last year and DQed on my first slalom and injured my knee.

The only time you should hit the gates is when the other alternative is letting them smack you in the face.

Consider getting shorter skis. While slalom can be done on long skis, it's a pain. I'm 5'4 and I use a pair of 150s for my slalom skis, but I spent most of last year racing slalom on a pair of 168s. That wasn't fun.

Work on rhythm. That's what slalom is all about. Listen to the really good slalom racers.

Don't be late for the gate.

Answer 2

To do well in slalom, you have to be quick, with great reflexes.

There are a couple things you can do to help develop these skills:

1. run through tires (start with a speed ladder first). You can make your own speed ladder by laying down rope or bamboo poles. Tires are preferable because it really gets your legs cycling up and down. That's what my mom used to do -- she got so good she almost made the national team back in the day.

2. do any speed work drills you can think of with your feet. When I coached soccer, I used to use similar drills. Play 4 square, meaning find a surface with those foot square tiles, and jump side to side and front to back from tile to tile. Do this with both legs, then on one leg only. This builds quickness and strength. Set a time to go by. Between 30-60 seconds is a decent target.

Another nice speed drill is stair jumps. Stand at the bottom of a set of stairs, and repeatedly hop up to the next step and then backwards hop down from it. Up and down, over and over. Then do this with just one foot, then the other.

Run stairs. Hop up stairs. Hop up stairs on one foot.

All this stuff will condition your muscles to work FAST. You won't notice immediate results...but keep with it for a year. Add free weights, around your ankles or holding in your hands.

3. Ski moguls. If you can ski moguls, this will translate to skiing slalom gates. Quick turns, balanced stance. If you need to, go to your local hill and get a lesson in moguls. It will cost you, but if you are serious about improvement, then you will do that.

Have fun!

Don't be afraid to talk to your coaches about individual drills you can do, or hit the internet for ski fitness sites.

Answer 3

dont fall