Best way to center yourself over the ski

[Jayadams]

I'm a decent skier and have accomplished most of my goals I set many years ago.  Podium at regionals, top 3 at regionals, win regionals (2nd so far). top 10 at Nationals, podium at Nationals.  My next feat is to win a regional and win a national.  But I realize to do this I have to get to the next level with my skiing.  I've always worked on things through the season but tend to keep doing the same bad habits to not go backwards and lose buoy count during the season.  This year it's become apparent to me that I need to sacrifice some scores and possibly do worse this season to work on my technique.

I'm able to get through 35 off consistently but it's never like my 28 or 32.  It's usually scrappy and not very pretty.  Nonetheless I make 35 a lot of the time.  38 is where my bad habits really screw me! I've realized that my gate glide and coming off the second wake, I don't get balanced and centered over my ski.  I'm usually back and to the inside.  This has always been one of my major flaws and it time to correct it! BTW I ski at 34 mph.

I watch many great 34 mph skiers and it looks like they have a very easy and effortless ability to glide with a neutral stance.  Where with my skiing, I feel like I have to really work hard to get the pitch of the ski to be flat. which makes me wonder how the greats do this so effortlessly (as it appears)? I feel like I stand tall, bend my front knee, etc.  Then it makes me think, is it my ski? fin setup? binders? ZO setting?

Below is one of my favorite 34 mph skiers to watch, Matt Brown.  When you watch his skiing, he is so balanced in his gate glide and off the second wake.  He makes sure he's balanced in the turn before he releases the handle.  Just looks so effortless. It amazes me how he does this without bending his front knee to an extreme.

My question is, how is this done effectively? what is the best way to learn how to get balanced over the ski and not fall back in the gate glide and pre-turn? I always think about keeping the handle and elbows close to my torso going into my edge change to pull myself over the ski. Also in my gate glide, I think about falling forward with my mass going out and coming up over the center of the ski as I come up.  But then as I stand up, I feel I need to go on to my toes with my rear foot to get over the ski or bend my front knee a lot. Is there another way to think about this and achieve more effortless balance? I've done Wade's cut and coats drill a few times.  Is this a good drill to practice?

[RobHazelwood]

Add a video of yourself, hard to say anything without seeing anything!

[Jayadams]

35 minutes ago, RobHazelwood said:

Add a video of yourself, hard to say anything without seeing anything!

Hey @RobHazelwood - What passes do you want to see? Full set or just my 11.25?