Picture it, the fresh snow, the crisp air, the beautiful landscape… It feels like an other world. Fortunately, you can bring that world with you to your own backyard with the right gear and a little bit of imagination. That’s what skiing is all about!
You might be familiar with the expression ‘snowplow pose’, which is when you stand with your legs wide and your toes pointed back. While this position is aesthetically pleasing, it can be a little bit tricky to execute. It takes some practice and it’s not for everybody. That’s why we’re here today!
In this tutorial, we’ll tell you exactly how to ski with your legs closer together and we’ll even show you a few poses that will help you perfect this elegant yet powerful look. Don’t worry, we’ll leave the ski boots and the ski suits behind – for the time being, at least!
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Skiing With Your Legs Closer
Most people are familiar with the position of skiing with your legs apart. Naturally, this is a relaxed and comfortable position for the duration of the ride. However, this isn’t always the case. There are times when you might want to bring your knees in closer together for a more elegant look.
To achieve this ‘snowplow pose’, it is important to have your knees slightly bent. In other words, your legs should not be straight but leaned forward. This position gives you better leverage to push off from.
Why Is It Important To Ski With Your Legs Closer Together?
If you’re looking for a way to tone your muscles, ski bumming is perhaps the wrong sport for you. The idea is to use your center of gravity to gain momentum as you skid down the hill. As a result, you’ll work your quads, glutes, and hamstrings much more than in typical running or walking. This is why it’s important to ski with your legs closer together.
By doing so, you’ll increase the strain on these muscles and it will force them to work harder. As a result, you will increase your stamina while skiing. Of course, this is all dependent on how much weight you’re capable of moving. The heavier you are, the more strain there is. Naturally, the same goes for the opposite.
In addition, skiing with your legs closer together can also help improve your balance. As we’ve already mentioned, it takes some practice to get it right. Nevertheless, it’s worth it. One of the best-known experts in ski bumming, Rodney Scott, even suggests that it might help shorten your skiing season. That’s pretty good then!
How Do You Ski With Your Legs Closer Together?
Before you begin your ski session, it’s important to do some warm-up exercises. This will ensure that your muscles are loosened up and ready for action. You can’t start moving around with your muscles tight, otherwise, it could be too painful when you actually start skiing. Once you’re done with the warm-up, it’s time to put on your ski boots. Don’t worry, we’re not talking about those funny looking shoes that you wear on the beach. We’re referring to the safety boots you wear when skiing.
Next, it’s important to do some stretches to prepare your legs for skiing. While on the surface, this might sound easy, you must remember that it’s not. This is mainly because when skiing, your body is in an unnatural position. This is why it is best to do some stretches and exercises to limber up your muscles before hitting the mountain. Once you’ve finished your stretches, it’s time to put on your ski gloves. We know what you’re thinking: what are those strange looking mittens things? Don’t worry, they’re not for eating. You use them to grip the handlebars of the ski bike.
Skiing With Your Legs Closer Together – The Poses
The abovementioned stretches and warm-up exercises should have loosened your muscles and you should be ready for a pleasant skiing experience. Now, it’s time for some poses. We will begin with the ‘snowplow pose’ and you will quickly learn why it is such a popular position among skiers.
You simply stand with your legs apart, push your hands into the snow, and slide your feet forward. As you do so, it will feel like your body is leaning forward, causing your legs to bend forward. Your heels should not be completely lifted off the ground but should stay close to it, particularly while in the initial phases of the move. This will help you achieve that natural, leaning forward momentum.
While in the snowplow pose, it’s important to keep your arms slightly raised. This will cause your upper body to be inclined forward. As a result, it will make the position look more elegant. In one study, researchers from the University of Vermont scanned the bodies of expert skiers while skiing to determine the significance of this pose. They discovered that the snowplow pose resulted in greater upper body flexibility and it revealed less muscle activity in the back. To summarize, it increased both the balance and mobility of the participants while skiing.
Before we move on, it is important to point out that in the case of very heavy people, it might be difficult to perform this pose. In such a situation, it could be best to sit down while skiing or at least rest your arms on the handlebars. This way, it will be simpler to achieve that natural, leant-forward position.
Why Should You Stand With Your Legs Apart While Skiing?
It’s important to stand with your legs apart while skiing, otherwise, the position becomes uncomfortable. This is mainly because, as we’ve established above, your center of gravity is forward. Naturally, this could lead to injuries. For this reason, most ski resorts require you to keep your legs apart while skiing. It might also help save your knees. In one study, researchers put forty active older adults on a ski treadmill and observed their motions. They discovered that while walking or running, the subjects’ knees were at risk of “injury, due to the uncoordinated motions of the hips and the knees”. Nevertheless, when the subjects skied, they were able to increase the flexion in their knees and they avoided injuries. This could be due to the fact that when you ski, your entire body is in a coordinated motion. It begins with your feet and it ends with your head. This is a continuous flow that uses your entire body weight and it allows you to maintain your balance better than in any other position. This is why you should always keep your legs apart while skiing. The farther apart your legs are, the more unstable you become. It’s all about confidence and control – and that’s what you’re aiming for!
Skiing With Your Legs Closer Together – Summary
The abovementioned poses should have prepared you for skiing. Of course, it isn’t easy to achieve but once you do, you’ll wonder why you didn’t bother sooner. It all begins with some stretches and exercises to limber up your muscles. Next, it’s important to put on your ski boots and you should be ready to go. Once you have achieved that natural, leant-forward position, it’s time to place your hands on the bar and push off with your feet. Keep practicing and you’ll soon find yourself falling in love with that exhilarating rush of a snow slide that has become all too familiar.