Austrian teaching system

Introduction

Methodical progression

  1. Smalltalk
  2. Check the equipment
  3. Carry skis and poles properly
  4. Warming up
  5. Take skis on and off, get in and out of the binding
  6. Stationary balance exercises
  7. Walk in a straight track, with parallel skis
  8. Walk with slight changes of direction
  9. Double pole pushes
  10. Side stepping techniques uphill (fishbone steps, side steps)

Description of Movement

  • Gliding to move forward.
  • Ski poles are supporting the forward movement depending on the situation.
  • The skis are hip width apart and the arms are sideward in front of the body, this supports keeping balance.

Objective

  • Get accustomed to the equipment
  • Learning to balance
  • Understanding the snow
  • Walking, gliding and ascending

Terrain

  • Flat and safe surroundings

 

 

 

 

Schussing

Methodical progression

  1. Explain the middle position while standing still in flat area
  2. Demonstrate and imitate
  3. Balance training Up-down / forwards-backwards
  4. Balance training Left-right

Movement description

  • The skis should be hip wide and travel parallel to each other
  • Ankles, knees, hips are slightly bent to be ready to react - weight spread over whole sole of the foot
  • Poles can be useful for balance

Objective

  • Increase your dynamic balance

Terrain

  • Gently slope
  • Flat start and a secure run out area so braking isn't necessary to stop (Counter slope)

 

 

 

 

Snowplough

Methodical progression

  1. Explain and stationary exercise through stepping, jumping and pushing.
  2. Snowplough in the run out
  3. Snowplough during the descent.
  4. Snowplough – Parallel - Snowplough
  5. Breaking/Stopping in snowplough
  6. Snowplough deviating the fall line.

Description of movement

  • Start schussing in a middle position.
  • Push the skis simultaneously and equally into a wedge position and slide on both inner edges.
  • The upper body is forward and arms are parallel out in front (this helps to keep balance). A down motion facilitates the pushing into the wedge position.
  • Take brake or stop - edge more

Objective

  • Gliding in a wedge position, controlling speed, braking and stopping

Terrain

  • Gentle terrain with a flat starting area and run out (if possible with a counter slope).

 

 

 

Snowplough turning

Methodical progression

  1. Repeat the previous activities
  2. Explanation and stationary exercise
  3. Turn in a round out
  4. Slight directional changes in the fall line
  5. Single turn
  6. Linked turns
  7. Vary terrain, speed, rhythm and radius

Description of movement

  • Starting from a wedge position, the increase of edging and weighting on one side initiates the turn.
  • Through an up and forward motion the skier gets into a neutral position.
  • Ski tips drift into the fall line, the weight shifts on to the outside ski (wich then becomes the downhill ski), which supports the turning of the skis.

Objective

  • Skiing with change of direction

Terrain

  • Gentle slope
  

 

Edging - Traversing

Methodical progression

  1. Demonstrate and explain the Alpine basic position
  2. Stadionary excercise
  3. Traverse with Alpine basic position
  4. Traverse 'Swallow'
  5. Traverse with hand on hip
  6. Traverse and lift the up hill ski end
  7. Traverse and step up into a higher track

Alpine Basic Position:

  • Skis are parallel (hip wide) in an open position.
  • Ankles, knees ans hips are slightly bent.
  • Advance your uphill ski, -hip, -arm and -shoulder (open to the valley)
  • Put more weight on your downhill ski more and bring the skis on their edges.
  • Lean your upper body slightly forward-downhill.
  • Bring your arms sideward in front of the body.

Objective

  • Skiing on the uphill edges - Alpine basic position

Terrain

  • Mildly steep

 

 

 

 

Sliding

Methodical progression

  1. Repeat “Edging”
  2. Explanation and stationary exercise
  3. Set the poles uphill – push across the slope
  4. Slide across the slope
  5. Stationary exercise
  6. Traversing in a wedge position, match the uphill ski to sliding in a parallel position
  7. Practice on gentle terrain

Movement description

  • Traverse sliding initiated from the controlled flattening of the ski from a middle position.

Objective

  • Edging, sliding, speed regulation and stopping

Terrain

  • Mildly steep

 

 

 

 

Snowplough steering

Methodical progression

  1. Repeat "Snowplough Turns"
  2. Subconscious learning
  3. Explanation and stationery exercise
  4. Demonstrate and imitate
  5. Fan progression
  6. Garland
  7. Single turn
  8. Linking the turns
  9. "Snowplough steering" with variation of terrain, tracks, radius, rhythm and speed

Description of movement

  • Starting out of a traverse in the Alpine Basic Position.
  • Simultaneously move up-forward and stem out the uphill ski into a neutral position.
  • In the fall line the weight shifts to the outside ski (which then becomes the downhill ski) and matches the inside ski (which then becomes the uphill ski) and get right back to ABP.
  • Complete the turn while “steering” your skies parallel. The matching of the inside ski depends on the situation, terrain, speed and rhythm. This will lead to “Snowplouh steering”.

Objective

  • Turning in the wedge with steering on uphill edges

Terrain

  • Flat to mildly steep

 

 

 

 

Poleplant

Methodical progression

  1. Explanation and stationary exercise
  2. Placing exercises
  3. Traversing exercise
  4. Garland
  5. Use in long and short turns
  6. Technical program

Description of movement

  • The pole plant is achieved using the wrist and elbow joints.
  • It always takes place on the downhill side between the tip of the ski and the binding.
  • Always set the pole when changing the edge of the skis.
  • The moment of changing the edges depends on the speed and therefore the pole plant might be a little earlier or later in the turn.

Objective

  • The pole plant helps for balance, release, turning and rhythm.

 

 

 

 

Parallel turns (long radius)

Methodical progression

  1. Repeat “Snowplough steering”
  2. Subconscious learning
  3. Explanation and stationary exercise
  4. Demonstrate and imitate
  5. Fan progression
  6. From a stand still drift and steer
  7. Garland
  8. Single turn
  9. Linking the turns
  10. “Parallel Turns” long radius with variation of terrain, tracks, radius, rhythm and speed

Description of movement

  • Start with a traverse in the Basic Alpine Position.
  • With an up motion and simultaneously moving forwards and inwards you become neutral and drift into the fall line.
  • Change the edges and build up pressure with a down-motion.
  • Steer and complete the turn (Alpine Basic Position).

Objective

  • Simultaneously change edges while turning and steering the ski

Terrain

  • Flat to mildly steep

 

 

 

 

Parallel turns (short radius)

Methodical progression

  1. Repeat "Parallel turns (long radius)"
  2. Subconscious learning by gradually increasing the speed and shorten the long radius.
  3. Demonstrate and imitate
  4. Leg-rotation with up- and down motion on gentle terrain
  5. Edging
  6. Linking the turns
  7. Linking the turns with pole plant
  8. Parallel Turns (short radius) with variation of terrain, tracks, radius, rhythm and speed

Description of movement

  • The skis are hip width apart, change edges through an up motion of both legs, set the pole and turn the ski tips into the new direction.
  • Provide pressure on the skis through a down motion, while you keep steering your skis- (leg rotation) to complete the turn.
  • Setting the pole supports the rhythm.

Objective

  • Rhythmical linked short radius turns with the skis staying parallel - speed control

Terrain

  • Mildly steep pitch