While skiing, time flies fast. Before we start a run, we make up our minds to observe and control every detail. A bit later, when we stopped after the run, we realized what we had forgotten to analyze. There are so many happenings, speeds, terrain, and circumstances; simply, the human mind is not able to focus on 10 points at the same time.
Splitting the turn into phases can help to observe, remember, or analyze a movement on a video recording. There are many concepts about the turn phases, most of which are functional. Functional systems usually describe the activities and the movements that the skier does in turn. They are great for a specific situation or a certain type of turn. However, a short turn differs from a long turn, a carved turn from a pivoting one, and a racer has many kinds of turns in the same run, depending on the curse setting.
A geometrical-physical phase system is independent of the actual skiing; it describes the turn and the physical circumstances. Skiing is always managing the skier's body under the physical circumstances. Using a functional phase system can be based on a geometrical-physical, and in this sense, the different concepts can work together harmoniously.
In this article, we present a fundamental geometrical-physical phase concept, which is a straightforward, simple, and easy-to-understand system.
The Dimensions of the Turn
We can picture the turn's dimension when we imagine that we are standing on a ski slope and there is
a corridor in front of us where we are going to ski.
The two sides are like two walls that the skier will touch each turn, and the center line is parallel to the fall line.
Outline of the Concept
In describing the outline, we do not follow a numerical order. First, we describe the two key points, and after, we describe the connecting phases between the key points.
Phase 0 (Transition) is when the skier crosses the center line.
Phase 2 (Apex) is when the skier reaches the furthest point of the corridor (the imaginary wall). This is the geometric apex of the turn.
Phase 1 takes from the center (from the transition) to the apex.
Phase 3 takes from the apex to the next transition.
Considering a turn, the apex is the highlight of the show. Every effort a skier exerts is for a perfect apex. We can think of the apex as a tactical key point of the turn.
The transition is the alpha and the omega; this is the ski technical key point of the turn. Every technical detail, all the movements, and postures are established here.
The other fade it out after the highlight until the transition and transforms it to the next turn.
Phase 0 - Transition
We can call it the no-mans-land. During the transition, the skier is after the previous turn but before the next.
Actually, this is a short, straight section where the skier isn't turning, but there are the most complex actions and movements. The skier must reorganize the posture and arrange all body parts in advance for the next turn, and all this must be done in a very short time while there isn't any definite feedback from the ground. Every mistake made here will have serious consequences later in the turn, and the cause of most mistakes can be found here, at the transition.
Regarding movement control, this is the most important phase of a turn.
The center of mass approaches the fall line and passes through over the skis downhill, but the skis run more across it like half more shape. The skis aren't on the edges during the transition.
An important point is that it's not a traverse. While traversing, the posture is permanent; the body stays over the skis as long as the traverse lasts. However, the essence of the transition is that the body falls over the skis downhill, so traversing as a static posture is the opposite of the sense of transition.
Phase 2 - Apex
The geometric apex is the central reference point for any turn, not only in skiing but in car driving, motorbiking, etc. In racing, the actual apex can differ from the geometric apex (late apex, early apex), but, for example, a "late apex" is later than the geometric. So, knowing the geometrical apex is fundamental for every kind of turn.
Physically - in an ideal case - the biggest forces from the turn and the biggest inclination are at the geometric apex.
The turn is never a static state; some parts are constructional processes where the posture and all turn-creating actions build up. Other parts are decomposing, or build-down, or release stages.
The apex is the peak point where those processes transform into each other.
So, the geometric apex is the key point of a turn, and it is fundamental even if the actual apex is earlier or later because this is the reference point to understand the actual apex and the processes before and after.
Here, we can say this is the furthest point from the center line. The skier reaches the corridor's wall and bounces back towards the other side.
This is the real change of direction for orientation.
Phase 1 - Initiation
This is the construction or build-up phase regarding the posture and the turn's activities. The center of the mass moves away from the skis, and the paths of the ski and the center of mass (COM) form the first part of the half-moon shape.
The edge angle increases, and the shape of the term begins to form. The skier moves away in the corridor from the center line to the side.
Phase 3 - Completion
From the apex, the forces pushing the skier to the new direction decrease, and so does the inclination. The center of mass gets closer to the skis (forming the second part of the half-moon shape).
The posture and the actions taken to create the turn decompose and build down, and the preparation for the transition begins.
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