by Marie Harger |

“Before I begin, I close my eyes and visualize the perfect JUMP in my mind three times, then I open my eyes and go!” As one of the top 10 U.S. Nordic combined skiers, (cross country and ski jumping combined) of his time, Peter Kendrick remembers the joy, thrill and freedom of ski jumping and landing that “Perfect Jump.”

Peter grew up in Colorado and began his skiing career at the age of two. By the time he was twelve he was ski jumping. He competed in ski jumping, cross-country ski racing, and Slalom, giant Slalom and downhill racing.
Most coaches will emphasis the importance of building a solid foundation with the basics and fundamentals of your sport, and in that regard Peter is no different. To be the best you must gain experience by taking baby steps. Spend time on the basic skills and fundamentals when you are first learning, and then, as your skill and ability evolves, warm-up with the basics.

Another important component to being the best at your sport is attitude. Peter knows his state of mind is a major factor to the outcome of his performance. Whether your performance is lacking or at its best, be positive, and believe in yourself because in the end this will be what is the difference between first place and second.

To actually jump, go for small jumps, and easy simple tricks. To avoid injuries, always warm-up and stretch before you attempt any jump. Develop flexibility and believe in yourself. You must also learn how to fall. This sounds crazy but falling is part of the game. Learn to roll instead of trying to stop yourself. When landing your jump, be sure to land in the middle of your board and think of a soft landing. If you land hard you will either chatter (when the ski edges skip sideways along the snow and you are not making solid contact) or bounce, which will throw your rhythm off. Land loose, relaxed and smooth. Do not get too serious or uptight, it will impede your progress. Be safe and jump in areas that are designated for that activity, such as snow parks and competition areas.

If competing, two nights before your competition try to get plenty of sleep. Whole food nutrition will contribute to optimal performance, eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and foods that nourish the body (avoid junk food).

Other helpful ideas are to attend a camp. Camps will expose you to different coaches and you will learn new techniques. Also, a major advantage is to cross-train with other sports. Often the skills learned from other sports will enhance your ability in your preferred sport.

Finally, remember to put in the training with a smile. Then jump for joy and experience the thrilland freedom of the “Perfect Jump.”

with the Feldenkrais Method®

By Eveline Wu, GCFP |

As snow dumps in the Lake Tahoe region, are you preparing to tear it up? Or are you gripping your sore back, tired knees, and aching neck, wondering if you’ll take up snowshoeing instead?

Good equipment, good technique, and good training are essential components of ski performance and comfort.

If you’ve covered these fundamentals with your bootfitter, ski instructor, and exercise program, your ticket back onto the ski hill may be the Feldenkrais Method®, a system to retrain how your body moves, through hands-on sessions and group movement classes.

Just as skiing involves a dynamic balance of the skeleton in movement, all your movements involve your brain’s capacity to dynamically balance your muscles and bones. After all, babies fall over. We learned to walk. The Feldenkrais Method® makes your basic movement patterns more easy and efficient, so that while skiing you can better sense and respond to subtle changes in gravity and terrain, and perform better.

Try this simple exercise (best results if you read it through once, before starting):

1) Lie down on the floor, legs long, arms by your side. First, notice that as you lie on the floor that some parts touch and some don’t. Get a good sense for where you lift off the floor, and how much. Feel asymmetries left and right. Notice how high your lower back lifts and whether your shoulders lift too.

2) Next: Bend your knees so your feet stand on the floor a comfortable distance apart, and very slowly drop only your LEFT knee IN towards the center and bring it back to neutral. Do this smoothly, never pushing your leg into pain or a stretch. Notice the “kinetic chain” or how the movement follows through your whole body. How does it change the weight of your hips, ribs, lower back? Does your head move? After several times you will improve.

One hallmark of the Feldenkrais approach is to never force your body, and instead use intelligent awareness to change your movement habits. As a skier, you know that subtle differences can make a big difference, so take the time to move slowly and patiently.

3) OK. You’ve let your knee go inwards several times. Lie flat and compare how you feel now, to how you felt before. Can you feel a change?

With this one movement you’ve already learned to connect your legs to your back better by using your attention.

4) Now, let’s add another variation. This time, let your LEFT knee fall OUT with the same quality several times. Sense how the movement draws through your hip and spine, and then rest. Is it different?

5) Now, take your right knee in and out and compare it to your left. Feel the difference?

Congratulations! In 5 minutes you’ve improved the flexibility of one of your hip joints and your rotary movements, and there’s more to come. What’s after that? Maybe…the hill?

Reference:

Awareness Through Movement: Health Exercises for Personal Growth. New York/London: Harper & Row 1972, 1977.

For more info, call Eveline Wu at 530-542-6269.