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Counter CultureThe What, Why, and How of Upper/Lower Body Separation

Ron LeMaster & Mike Porter

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"It's funny. All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they'll do practically anything you want them to."

J. D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

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Lower Body

Upper Body

Ski Technique, from 30,000'

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Femurs and belowLower Body

Upper Body

What Constitutes Them?

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Pelvis and above

Lower Body

Upper Body

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Manipulates the skisLower Body

Upper Body

What Do They Do?

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Creates force against the ski and snow

Lower Body

Upper Body

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Upper/Lower Body Separation

Upper/Lower Body Independence and Coordination

Terminology

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Turning the Skis

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Pressure Control Fore & Aft

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Edging

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Managing Overall Pressure

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The upper body doesn't face the direction the skis are pointed

Counter

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It doesn't manipulate the ski

It doesn't move the skier's CM

It aligns bones and muscles so the body can move with strength and precision

With hip angulation in the shaping phase

From turn to turn in the transition

What's the Purpose of Counter?

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This alignment enables strong, supple movements

Fore-aft

Up-down

Leg rotation

Knee and hip angulation

Direct pressure along length of the ski

Regulate the magnitude of pressure

Control the skis' rotation

Control edge angles

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Shaping phase

Transition

Function Varies with Turn Phase

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CompletionInitiation

Shaping

Shaping

Completion

Turn Phases

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Transition is from engagement to engagement

Shaping

Shaping

Transition

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Align with the force of the turn

Shaping phase

Transition

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Align toward the center of the new turn

Shaping phase

Transition

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Counter in the Shaping Phase

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Working With the Outside Leg

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Supporting the Body on One Leg

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Varying with Hip Angulation

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The biggest, strongest muscles to support the upper body when bearing most of the weight on one foot

Fuild, accurate vertical flexion/extension when using hip angulation

Counter Enables...

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Pelvis turns toward the outside

Torso bends forward from the waist

Torso bends to the side

Hip Angulation With Counter and Without

Skier remains flexible Skier becomes inflexible

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Varies with situation

Varies with the individual

How Much?

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How much hip angulation

Edge angle needed

Radius of ski & radius of turn

Width of ski

Varies with the situation

Varies with the individual

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Build

Pelvis width & mass distribution

Style

Knee vs hip preference

Varies with the situation

Varies with the individual

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Counter in the Transition

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Accurate Release and Engagement

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Accurate movement of the CM into the new turn by flexing forward at the waist

Independent movement of the feet into the new turn

Amplifies leg rotation and provides windup-release mechanism

Counter Enables...

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Accurate Movement of CM into the Turn

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"Face down the hill"

"Recenter/square up/return to neutral in the transition"

"Shoulders, hips, feet, and ski tips are parallel"

Beware of Absolutist Myths!

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"Face Down the Hill"

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"Recenter in the transition"

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"Shoulders, Hips and Feet are Parallel"

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Lower and Upper Body aren't separated, they're independent and coordinated.

Counter is a posture of alignment

For hip angulation, aligns body for strength and suppleness

In the transition, enables motion of CM toward the shaping phase of the new turn

Wrapping Up

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©William Neeley

Thanks!