I will here describe the benefits of bindings mounted in Duckstance position.
Here is a pair of Telemark skis mounted in Duckstance position....I will come upp with pictures of alpine bindings as well.....
There are three main reasons for mounting duck:
1. 1. Ergonomics
2. Ski geometry
3. Skiing technique
But these three points are also connected to each other...so one can not really separate them from each other......so the duckstuance issue not an separate part.....rather a part in skiing from a hollistic perspective.....there are many parts that should connect.... There are many ideas and/or opinions on this issue and this is my idea....which is based on my thoughts...observations and experiences....but also connected to the skiis I make.....were I have changed many parameters to adapt them to modern ski techniques and demands......
so....to the first point:
If standning with your legs slightly spread apart, ~30 cm, you will notice that your feet are pointing slightly outwards and if you spread you legs even more you will notice that your feet will point even more outwards.....this is a natural position....the more we spread or feet the the more will our feet point outwards....this is due to our hipp joint mechanics.... Now......if standing with your feet slightly spread but pointing straight ahead instead....and then try to do a squat....you will notice that your knees will fall in like on a donky......but if you point your feet slightly outwards and do the same thing you will notice that knees will not fall in....have you ever seen a weight lifter with their feet pointing straight ahead.....no no....and infact......we are stronger in this position when doing squatts....some say 20 % stronger.....:) But for skiers it´s important because we don´t want our knees to fall in when skiing....because we want to ski with parallel shins......and....it´s a bouns if we are stronger.....or....isn´t it....:) ------------------------------------ Hendryx Carving This is a short introduction to a more modern and effective way of carving.....It all started with my realization that snowboarders were carving way more than skiers do....I tried to go as deep as snowboarders did but I just didn´t make it......it was just impossible....so i was thinking.....trying....thinking....and so on.....and slowly by the time i realized the differences between snowboarders and skiers and the techniques......I saw the problem with "todays" school book carving.....equipment....our ergonomy.....
It all took some time but it is not so complicated.......in fact....just do everything completly opposite to what you are used to or teached to do....:)
I wont be theoretical here just give you a comprehensive instruction.....I will divide this technical instruction into three stages ......In the first stage I will give you the basics in how to ski with equally banked skis....in stage two I will learn you how to be more dynamic on your skis and how to distribute pressure between your ski through the turn, how to pump up speed and details for more agressive start and release of turns ....in the third stage I will go into very powerfull carving with foucus on how to get your elbows into the snow.......
So.....let´s go into some basics......
Here are a few basic notes notes to consider:
1. 1. Ski on both skis/legs two legs are stronger than one....
2. Bank your inner ski at least as much as your outer ski...as your inner ski takes a shorter radius you must bank your inner ski at least as much as your outer ski.....
3. Keep your lower legs parallel 2.
4. Rotate your body "with" the turn...this makes your inner knee to fall "in" to the turn.....
5. Keep your body straight with your center of gravity between your skis.....A straight pole is stronger than a bent one....
6. Pull your inner ski to get an intense pressure at your small toe....
Here is an illustrative picture of me carving in Åre.....
Henrik on Ace of Spades......
Okay.....in principle it´s not so complicated.......all I want is to get you into a position were you are as strong as possible....skis are used optimal.....and to prevent geometrical breakdown of the skis....
First of all....ski on both skis/legs......would you consider doing squats on just one leg if competing in weight lifting.....no.....I thought so.... So in order to ski on both skis you have to bank your inner ski as much as your outer ski as it takes a shorter radius....I call it: keep your lower legs parallell (front view)...
This is an Illustration between old and new school carving.....the picture to the left is taken from an ski intruction book for ski teacher students.....the picture to the right is a modified picture (by Pontus Lutkens....)....which shows new school position and forces.....
Hmmm....notice the way skis are pointing on the left picture.....
On the pictures below you can see the difference in practice....
In the first picture you can see that I´m banking my skis equally.....in the second I´m not.......
The key here is to let you dropp your inner knee inwards......the trick to make this happened naturally is to rotate your hip and thigh outwards or with the turn.......or simply point your chest inwards the turn.......you can see the differences between the positions on the pictures above....... What you get for free in this position is that you get a more "straigt" position with center of gravity between your skis....."a straight pole is stronger than a bent"........
In the first picture you can see how my inner knee fall in naturally.....and in the second I show traditional "Donkey" position where my inner knee is twisted outwards.......
To achieve pressure on your inner ski you shall pull it and feel an intense pressure at your smallest toe.......
In the first picture you can see how I pull my inner ski.......in the second I´m in old school position where I´m not able to get pressure on my inner ski....
This is how it looks....
Here you can see how I am applying an intense pressure on my inner ski......and useing it fully....
Here I am cruising in good position......
You can see how I am pointing my chest in the direction of my turn.....rotating my hip/thigh with the turn.....keeping my body straight with center of gravity between my skis........banking skis equally....
Geometrical break down: Skis have a geometrical problem,,,,,when banking skis very much....they don´t project their edge into a circle anymore....instead they form an elipse....when the ski comes into this state it is no more controlable......instead.....they will rocket away and leaving you in the backseat........Byggmarks biggest problem...........therefore you must bank your skis as least as you can to avoid this problem........and this is the thechnique to use......
(this is why roadracing drivers are banking the way they do....bikes loose the stearing properties otherwise........)
This is the reason why I have more side cut than other brands have....as you don´t bank your skis as much......they don´t turn as much as you think.....but you can ski harder and carve deeper without loosing control.......much harder.......
This is Carving the Hendryx way.........Erik Gölen way ahead of the pack....This is some four years ago and I still remember when Erik tested the very first pair of Purple Haze....I remember his expression.....he was completely stoked.........and I have never seen anyone carving like him since then....
And it isn´t the wrong technique offpist either because you optimise flotation......here I´m in Andermatt.....lots of pow and PH 172......
Stage two.
In this stage there are four main points I want to enlig:
* Initiation of turn * Release of turn * banking * Pressure distribution between skis
Or....here initiation, release and whats inbetween is one big cake.....they are closley conected.....at least here were i am describing a details for a more agressive carving.....
There is one technical thing you need to be ready for here and that is banking or the ability to let your skis be outside of your center of gravity in the turn....I do not know the term for this but what I want to describe is the difference between Banking and standing on top of your skis..... This is important as we take advantage of this banking when going from turn to turn....
I´ll try to explain here how we go from turn to turn on a whole as it is not so easy to get the picture when taking it part by part.....and in fact.....one cant really separate them as they go into each other....so try to see this in an holistic perspective.....it´s not about the details really....it´s rather a feeling when you get it together.....a great feeling....:)
So....imagin that we start in the middle of the turn.....this is were it happends least so it´s a good starting point.....pressure distribution shoulde be equal between your ski...I know...this is really really hard to achive but strive after it....the feeling shall be like standing in a stairway sideways with your feet on two steps and stepping up on the upper most step.....if you have this feeling then you have a good pressure on your inner ski.....know remember that this state is valid for at least half of the turn....that gives us about a quarter for each start and release of the turn.....when coming to the release part of the turn....keep your body in the direction of the turn and let your skis go against the intersection between the turn your in and the next one.....when this heppends make sure that you still bank your inner ski.....increase preesure on your innerski or simply release the turn with an distinct pressure on your innerski.....know comes the tricky but very effective part at arounde the intersection point....when skis are almost orthogonal to the slope and you canot have any pressure on the edges anymore....quickly rotate your body in the direction of the next turn......but don´t start to turn your skis yet....just let them float out under your body untill you can grab the turn with your (new) inner ski....be agressive with your inner ski and when the power comes....redistribute the pressure even between the skis
/H
Ps. Duckstance helps you to put pressure on your inner ski.......very much.....and I´ll come back to that in an other article........... Second point: (ski geometry)
On a regular ski/mounting.....when edging the skis bindings/boot are not pointing in the direction of the edge used....infact....they are pointing in the direction of the edge not used.....this means.....when applying an pressure to the boot tongue.....the ski is pressed down rather than up on edge......this is bad in particularly for you inner ski as you destabilize it when putting pressure on the tongue....for the outer ski it´s not a problem as you can put pressure on your heel/back of your boot......and stabilize the outer ski edge..... But when we have a ski mounted Duckstance the binding on our inner ski is pointing towarsds the edge......so when applying toung pressure we press the ski up on the edge and stablize with lots of help of our quadriceps muscles in our leg......this means that we can use our inner ski much more effective than on regular skis.....and the difference is big......
Third Point: Ski technique.
When it comes to skiing technique one has to be aware of the fact that everything is about what happeneds or how the skis behave......everything elese is secondary........therefore I will not waste effort on details whether one should position one or another part of the body in this or that way....it is not really about that....all we want is to make the skis to be as effective and/or joyfull as possible....for racing: effective.....for freeride: joyfull.......enjoy the ride.....:) The most important thing in modern skiing is to bank the skiis equally and to ski them parallel......this is the basics and is valid for both freecarving and racing........focus here is more on the innerski as we are by tradition used to use the outer ski most/only....depending on technique..... So.......here everything comes together....when using the technique I advocate (see hendryx carving) you do get your chins parallel more easy with bindings mounted duck and it is also easier to prevent the inner knee to rotate inwards (from your bodys perspective)......and you do get a more staible inner "edge"..... But one should also be aware that it can be a very awkward experience in the begining to use your innerski and it may take some time to get used to it....at least if you are used to ski "old school" without an effective innerski..... A common problem is also that "old school" skiers often are stronger in the muscles that makes your knee´s to fall in....but also that you may not be used to coordinate the muscels used when stabilizing the inner knee the other way so to say.....try to carve on your innerski only and you´ll understand what I mean.....really awkward but you´ll learn that to......good training for this technique.....
And once you´ve been there......you never leave.....:)
It´s like kicking in that laughing gas on your car.......lots of power....:)
- Duckstance
