Gates

[walleye]

For one hand and traditional gates > Question should you stand tall up on your toes then drop the hip in.....Or bent knees weight up front. This question is from 26mph to 34 mph skiers kids, adults, rear toe and double hi wraps.

[walleye]

All RFF skiers

[bogboy]

@walleye, great question, as I believe this subject is really important in good course running. I am looking forward to reading the discussions.

[ral]

@walleye, do not sweat it on the gates when below 22 off... And do not think that a single action will necessarily improve your gates. If you want a good answer from the forum, post some video.

 

In any case, the most important factor is to be well balanced on the ski before the turn in (or whatever you want to call that point...), and allowing the ski to turn before loading - which is easier to say than do, as it requires several other things to happen before... By the way, dropping the hip in and having bent knees up front are not mutually exclusive. If you drop your hips with straight legs and the weight in the back, noting good will happen... Do not really understand the standing tall up on your toes thing.

[skibug]

I was struggling early in the season and one of the main reasons was the gate (two handed). I was not putting enough weight on my front foot (RFF, RTP). The other issue is that I was letting my arms come up and away from me in the glide. Now, weight on the front foot - knees bent (you can have bent knees and be on the balls of your feet and still be tall all at the same time; it is not an either or situation), rear heal way off the ski, my left arm/elbow stays pinned to my vest from the initiation of the pull out, through the glide, through the turn in, and through the gates. I have found I need to keep the tension in that left arm in the glide to keep me from drifting in narrow. The move for the turn in is more of a falling motion, leading with the hip (ala coaching from Seth Stisher). FWIW...my 2 cents

[walleye]

@ral Sorry dude but gates matter at any level. FYI my daughter won midwest regional and placed 2nd at Nationals, like wise the boy placed 4th at MW and will contend for two more years in boys 10 and under. You are not even at my wifes level we are looking for more advanced advice like skibug gave. Skibug gave the right description, up on the balls of your feet...I used toes which was not correct.

 

Last night was the first time we have all skied. I was toying with different stances in the gate. I felt I came with less speed and more angle at 1 ball when I was on the balls of my feet. I watched some video of wim and looked more as you described skibug. We always coach the kids with basics...hips up elbows in behind the boat is most important. The girl is now needing all the little things to advance. I would post video but I do not own such equipment to do that.

[skibug]

@walleye, I do not know @ral personally; but, in his defense I believe he is a more advanced and accomplished skier than I am. Eitherway, I hope what I posted helps or at least gets you thinking. I do tend to be of the mind set that gates matter at all levels. When you become a very accomplished skier, you can have really crappy gates at the longer line lengths and still run the pass. Up until my hardest pass (35' off) I don't need a perfect gate to run the pass; although it really helps make all the passes easier.

[Than_Bogan]

@walleye Perhaps you didn't mean it that way, but your response to ral comes off as aggressive and rude. Beware of how difficult it can be to convey tone on a forum.

[ral]

@walleye, I do not think you read my post entirely and the correct way.

 

You asked for advise on a recipe for gates on two "different approaches" defined by yourself - that are not mutually exclusive (with one of them described just the opposite way, toes instead of balls), for a wide variety of skiing speeds, ages and gate styles.

 

From your posting, I did not think you were talking about high level kids, It is obviously very different to talk about the gates for a 40 year old "adult" skier @ 28 MPH than for a National level girl getting into 32 off @ 32 MPH.

 

@26 and 28 mph, you can go thru the gates anywhere and it will not have a big impact in your performance. Let's not even talk about gliding at these speeds.

 

For kids that are at the National level I would advise for good coaching.

 

Not even commenting on your wife's reference...

[Gloersen]

Freeze-frame ACE's gates in this video; fundamentally quite sound.

 

Of course there are many different approaches to the gates, hers however are, imho, exemplary of a technique that can yield consistency.

 

[A_B]

The biggest problem I have seen people have is that they sit back on the tail when they turn in and are only using the tail as leverage. Whatever you need to do to keep more ski in the water - do it.

 

For me, it's leading with my hip and staying centered over the ski, and pushing the handle down to my hip with arms straight.