The Swings

Vorlage | Stem Bogen | Stem Christiania | Pure Christiania | Jump Christiania | Stop Christiania | Tempo-Parallel-Swing | Short Swing | Telemark | Reuel Swing | Skating Step | Negotiating Bumps

So far you have continued to do nothing but slow turns and you are itching to put on speed and to let the snow fly up behind you on the broad untouched slopes as you swing down to the valley. As the name implies, for swinging you need great speed. Another essential is the forward lean or Vorlage.

Vorlage

This belongs to ski-ing just as bread belongs to our everyday life. To keep a correct forward position in all difficult situations is very difficult but well worth the trouble for this very position makes swinging easier and saves you a lot of unnecessary effort. If, in bumpy terrain, you can increase your Vorlage, which lightens your heel pressure, you can swing far easier because the ends of the skis have no weight on them. Bindings and toe-irons are so arranged today that by correct forward bending of the body you can stand on the skis and have the right Vorlage for normal conditions. The basis of standing correctly on skis is therefore as follows: you stand on them as in the street, leaning a little forward, hanging on the heel springs but without exaggeration. From this position you can make your swing movements to left and right. The terrain, however, demands sundry variations of Vorlage and Rücklage (backward position) which you will only learn after long experience. Here I have to say that whenever you career down a slope and the going is not too difficult you should continue to practise Vorlage and to hang on your heel springs. While travelling you keep the body stretched well forward, and arms to your sides to help you retain your balance. When you ski down a slope on a traverse either your left or your right shoulder will always be forward but you must stand with the above-described Vorlage naturally and loosely on your skis. The body must always be kept loose for only a relaxed muscle can come into play at lightning speed when the situation demands. According to the steepness of the slope and the nature of the country, the knees and the body are advanced until you have the feeling that you need no effort to lean further forward or back to keep your balance. The lower legs determine the position of the upper part of the body because they are always parallel to it. Apart from the scores of possibilities of carrying out a swing in various types of snow and country, the body goes still further forward for relief and to save energy, and then in the end phase of the swing, to release and equalise the pressure which has built up. Thus correct Vorlage results in the necessary weighting of the skis which makes it possible, without undue use of muscle strength, to preserve this position of the skis in any type of country while the knees thrust well forward and the ankle joints are the equalising factors. Since, on turns, a certain use of strength is always necessary, swings in open country or in light powder snow are no more than a feeling for the best exploitation of the advantages afforded by the skier's own weight, the country and the weight and profile of the skis. In this instinctive behaviour and the use of powers which nature has placed at our disposal lies to a great extent the secret of the fantastic attraction which ski-ing exercises on all those who practise it until they reach the stage when they can begin to swing. It is obvious that here, too, individual talent plays quite an important role and it is a great advantage to have and exploit an instinctive feeling for the art. But even to those who are not born sportsmen the way to the last revelations of ski-ing still lies open. By mechanical and constant practice of a certain movement the rhythm gradually gets into the blood, only it takes those who are less endowed by nature a little longer than those who, we might say, were born with skis on their feet. Those tyros who slink home from the slopes, having lost their sense of humour because their pathetic attempts have not been as successful as they imagined they should have been when they were at home drinking their glass of wine, should bear this in mind. How deceptive this sport is! I have never met people who were real failures at ski-ing. On the contrary, those who show the least talent usually take all the more trouble, and sooner or later this brings its own reward. Another question is that of age. You are never too old—not until you are ninety. You can laugh, but I know men of eighty who ski and a friend of mine, who celebrated his eighty-ninth birthday last winter, skis down every day from Galzig (St. Anton). So it is never too late to start. Sport keeps you young!

The Stem Bogen

The most simple of the swings is the Stem Bogen. From the snow plough position, with a somewhat increased speed and a slight rotation, a swing results. At first out of the fall line and then from the slope. In the fall line in snow plough position slide to a certain speed while you concentrate and prepare a counter rotation of the shoulders; sink a little lower on the knees, then raise yourself, at the same moment thrusting forward the inner ski and pulling back the inner shoulder. The skis then continue to slide flat in the direction of the swing. The same must be practised to the other side. Then try it on the traverse. Once more snow plough position, which is slightly more difficult on the slope. Now the uphill shoulder goes back, you go down and at the right moment before raising yourself shift the weight with leg bent to the outer ski, bringing it past the weighted inner ski. Point is close to point and even if the ends of the skis are not quite close together it does not matter. On the contrary, this perhaps gives you more security and helps you to overcome any little obstacle that might be in the way. This Stem Bogen, for the ensuing Stem Christiania at greater speed with decreased stemming and snow plough position, produces in time the most beautiful Parallel Swing.

The Stem Christiania

Practise the Stem Christiania first out of the fall line. Here the weight is on one ski; while the outer ski stems slightly and the outer shoulder is to the rear. Crouching slightly, you prepare for the swing because only when you have your knees well bent is it possible, at the right moment, to raise yourself and to turn the outer ski and at the same moment to push forward the inner ski. This figure needs accuracy and needs to be practised with concentration out of the fall line in both directions.

Then try the Stem Christiania from the slope. You need only to do a correct stem turn at slightly greater speed. The leaning forward and rising from the weighted outer ski with an energetic advancement of the inner ski and the placing together of the points causes a slight slide in the end phase of the swing. If you find it difficult to carry out a series of Stem Christianias, then use your sticks as an aid. After the wind-up when the left shoulder goes back and the outer ski stems the inner stick should be as far as possible to the fore and now, at the moment when the weight of the outer ski on the turn is transferred, place the inner stick as far as possible to the fore to facilitate the rotation moment and to support you, for you are turning at this moment round the point where the stick is pointing. In the course of the movement the stick engaged shoulder goes back while the outer shoulder goes forward. The end of one swing is the starting position for the next. It would be wrong to teach all pupils according to a fixed scheme. For some, the snow plough position is far more comfortable and familiar than the stemming out position of the stem turn. Thus the ski teacher must find out what is best suited to each individual and, in this way, try to make his pupil progress in order that later he, too, may have the pleasure of being able to perform a swing. The person who has no feeling that he rises during the turn must be taught to carry out a swing without unweighting. As soon as the pupil is so far advanced that he has a sense for this swing, the teacher will go out with him into the country where the slopes are steeper and the snow deeper and heavier. On a piste there is no great art involved and there is not the same pleasure as swinging in powder snow. Many of my pupils remarked that they would never learn to swing in deep snow, going so far as to oppose me, until one day, with a certain amount of cunning, I took them out into deep snow. Anyone who can swing correctly and easily on the learners' slopes will find swinging in deep snow a trifle. At the start of the swing and also in the turn, the pupil will begin by making rather cramped movements but he will soon loosen up, master the movements and find the swings easier. Stress must always be laid on loosening up and complete freedom of movement.

In very crusty, icy and wet snow, on steep slopes or bumpy country it is difficult even for master skiers to carry out a perfect swing. In these cases I, too, have to adapt myself to the type of snow. Naturally I have the advantage of experience of snow, a knowledge of the terrain and, above all, a 100 per cent, or let us say 99 per cent, correct performance of the swing in my favour. The good teacher will recognise your mistakes in such difficult country and patiently bring you on to the right path. With Snow Plough and Stem Christiania the art of the swing is not yet complete. Many years ago in the so-called development stage from Telemark to Christiania, the scissors turn or open Christiania was once in vogue. In this the points of the skis, as the name indicates, assumed the position of scissors, the body was upright with Rücklage and the right and the left turns balanced out with change of skis. This required a great deal of skill, a tremendous sense of balance and body control. Its successor, which was far closer to the modern swing was the pure Christiania.

The Pure Christiania

In this the skis were kept far closer together, above all, the points. In this, too, the body was upright with Rücklage. By keeping the skis closer together a very nice-looking Christiania could be performed at great speed on the slopes. It was, of course, a stage towards the modern technique. It could also be termed the transition from the swing to the tempo-parallel-swing. When one talks about performing a swing today one can just as easily imagine a pure Christiania. In the old days the material and the bindings were so different that it would hardly have been possible with them to perform a swing with Vorlage.

The Jump Christiania

In ski-ing one should make every effort to master all types of swings and turns. In the Jump Christiania, the rising of the body was so strongly stressed that the skier for one moment was lifted from the ground and the turn could take place in the air. The points remained more or less on the ground so that only the ends of the skis turned in the air. The French with their " Ruade " developed this type of swinging almost into a technique. At great speed, and on very steep slopes or in undulating country, such Jump Christianias can be carried out completely in the air, negotiating unevennesses and hillocks by turning in the air and landing softly. Important in this figure is an elastic landing and the knowledge of what sort of snow lies ahead and how deeply the skis will penetrate. A well executed Jump Christiania on a steep slope or over one of these humps is one of the finest experiences in ski-ing.

The Straight or Stop Christiania

As the name implies, it is a question here of a movement carried out rapidly, in fact, at great speed. A perfect Stop Christiania on the learner slopes is the start for a pupil who is learning to swing. If the pupil in question shows understanding and talent for this swift movement, the teacher takes care to make him do it somewhat slower so that the swing will develop. In somewhat deeper or softer snow each rapid movement releases a reaction which is beyond the scope of the beginner. On a hard piste the skis begin to jerk, the pupil makes a movement to counteract this and receives a second jerk. The same thing happens in deep snow so that the pupil never feels quite confident, thus the movement must be changed to become slower with an instinctive speed. The actual purpose of a Stop Christiania is instructive to give the pupil a feeling for the Christiania in general. On a tour, this type is only of service when one has to turn sharply away from a sudden unforeseen obstacle or has to pull up quickly to avoid it.

The Tempo-Parallel-Swing

This is the peak and the goal of every skier. Admittedly, in execution it is a purely individual affair. Just as everyone has his own handwriting although it is formed of stereotyped letters, so every skier develops his own style. The Stem Christiania carried out to perfection becomes the Tempo-Parallel-Swing. On the learners' slopes and pistes, this Tempo-Parallel-Swing can be carried out at a moderate speed. Its real value only becomes apparent at greater speeds in deeper snow. Here, where the Stem Christiania would meet with too much resistance, where the Jump Christiania takes you too far off the ground—making you lose contact with the ground, the sensitive Tempo-Parallel-Swing, carried out with legs together which enables you to control the speed, is the right one. This technique is, from A to Z, a matter of instinctive swinging at great speed, which results in a half flying, half sliding progress which gives a sense of security. The origins of this control are capacity, will power, instinct and training whereas the speed, in other words the tempo, is the result. With parallel skis, the uphill or Inner ski somewhat forward, the skier streaks over the white surfaces. Knees and body have the necessary Vorlage. Now the body sinks a little to rise gently at the next moment and, simultaneously, together with the arms, turns in the direction of the swing. The body is, so to speak, locked; in other words, the movement which is made by the shoulders is carried out at the same moment in the heels. Thus the shoulder movement finds its continuity in the legs which the skis follow. In this way, turns develop one after the other without great expenditure of energy so that the skier glides rhythmically over the white snow. Each small individual part of the body has made its turn with a light swing and no jerky movement. The skier forges on with skis pressed closely together from one direction to the other, rhythmically, loosely following the swinging body with its good Vorlage. The tempo loses practically nothing in speed from this slight movement and skis are kept close together. Now observe an expert using this technique. The wake of snow whirls up behind him and his speed is so great that you cannot possibly believe he could swing at such speed for he is travelling on heavy new-fallen snow. The uphill ski is a little forward but for the rest of the time the skis run parallel. Knees and body are kept well forward, the upper part of the body seems to be almost over the points of the skis. The arms are stretched out sideways in good balance while the inner stick touches the snow so that to one side another little wake of snow accompanies the main wake. The heels, despite the Vorlage, are firmly secured to the skis and here the good bindings do their work. Now the swing must be started while the body sinks a little lower at the knees, the outer foot hardly appearing to stem. Now comes the visible movement of the body. It rises forward, swings slowly, the sticks begin to turn with the shoulders, the skier leans to one side and the skis follow without canting for the speed must not be reduced too much by the edges. Now the inner ski accompanies the outer and the points are laid side by side. Once more the skis are parallel or at least in a slight stem position which the human eye cannot see but which gives the skier a certain safety factor. There are, of course, skiers who swing their skis 100 per cent, parallel. This slight stem position in heavy or uncertain snow can give the person who uses it confidence. In the tempo swing there are many small personal idiosyncrasies which do not, however, vary a great deal. All skiers have one goal in mind. To swing at great speed with sufficient Vorlage with great calm and their skis kept parallel. The body executes the swing not with violence or great tension but as the result of carefully thought-out and controlled movement. The resistance of the swing in the snow should, as far as possible, be very small so that practically no speed is lost. The movement must also be carried out very calmly and in no case executed hastily or carried out with any lag. Incidentally, for the Tempo-Parallel-Swing in particular, the golden rule of ski-ing also applies: training, training and more training until success is achieved. And now we come to the dernier cri, the Skier's Heart's desire—the short swing.

The Short Swing or Wedeln

Recently the whole ski-ing world has gone crazy and hears nothing except these words, even in the new manuals. Twenty to twenty-five years ago we top rankers already used the wedeln or " tail-wag " as we used to call it (look at the picture on the back cover).

1. The basic practice for this is as follows: Imagine while you are standing still that you are making a swing to the right. So jump in the air, push the right ski forward, the right shoulder back and level off the jump again in this position. At the next moment jump up in a swing to the left. Left ski forward, points close together, left shoulder back. Now practise this twenty to fifty times in a stationary position. When you read this you will think that it sounds very easy, but anyone who comes to me and says that he would like to learn how to wedeln, I make him carry out this exercise: hardly anyone has had the energy or endurance to carry out this performance forty or fifty times on end. I might add here, in parenthesis that most city dwellers, however much they concentrate in their own business, rarely bring the right amount of concentration to their ski-ing.

2. Now for the next exercise: At slow speed on a gentle slope carry out the same movements which you made in the stationary position. Here your sticks can be of help. Right stick forward, left shoulder back, bend your knees. Engage die stick and jump to the right, the right ski forward, release pressure with the knees and ankle joints. The right shoulder goes back, the left stick forward; when the left stick is engaged, a slight jump, left ski forward, points together, right stick in action again, leap to the right with the right ski forward and so on, left, right, during which you must pay close attention to the use of your sticks and the change of skis.

3. In the final exercise, the same basic rules for stick, shoulder and change of skis apply but now the speed is somewhat greater, now there are no more leaps in the air but the skis remain on the ground and are unweighted by raising the body so that at the moment of unweighting the skis come slightly to one side with the points together. It is of the greatest importance to keep the rhythm and to make these movements rhythmically. If you make but one false movement you have to stop and start all over again. The speed is a little greater but the body works in perfect rhythmic movements, the skis quite parallel in one direction. The upper part of the body now begins to turn slowly from the shoulder towards the inner side of the intended turn and for so long until it is locked with the lower part of the body by the turn and the legs have to follow the direction of movement started by the former. At the moment when the legs with the skis are travelling in this direction, carrying out the turn, the upper part of the body is already moving in die opposite direction. The movement continues further until die upper part of die body in its swinging movement locks with the lower part of the body and the legs on the opposite side so that the skis must once more follow in the other direction. In this way one turn after the other follows from the movement of the upper part of the body. For this manoeuvre a certain amount of skill is obviously necessary. When a good teacher shows you this short swing you will have to admit that it is the high spot in ski-ing. Once you can do it, it is very easy. It is obvious that to execute it perfectly great skill and a feeling of co-ordination from the shoulders to the feet are vital.

The Telemark

Our forebears pursued their course over the steep slopes and through the forests with the same pleasure, left the same beautiful tracks and enjoyed the sport as we do. As a boy, I learned to Telemark to the left and to do a Christiania to the right. In those days we had the necessary binding for this. With a modern rigid binding, it is impossible to carry out a Telemark. In order that the heel may free itself from the ski, the cable must be removed from the guides. The outer ski on the turn is pushed to the fore while the inner ski point stops in front of the foot of the outer ski so that it cannot cross it. In this Telemark fall out position you can lean inward and with a good balance above all in deep snow, can make one turn after the other down the slopes. On a hard or icy track the Telemark is hardly possible and certainly not at any speed. Telemark technique today is portrayed as though arterio-sclerosis and its use were one and the same thing. The elderly, intelligent skier may have preferred a slower style while youth, which is always hot-blooded, would not have been worth its salt had it been content with the Telemark. I was never one to dream my life away with the Telemark.

I simply mentioned this turn because a good skier likes to know that his forebears ran over the mountain slopes just as proudly as we do today, but in their own fashion.

The Reuel Swing

With the Reuel (also known today as the Royale) Swing good, better and first-class skiers can change direction on one ski and, in particular, on the inside ski. It is usually used or demonstrated for the purpose of showing off. We competition and, above all, Slalom skiers still have to practise it today in order to be faster than the next man on the flat surfaces in a Slalom race in front of a gate. Moreover, it certainly affords good practice for balance and gymnastics on skis.

In order to learn this, as in the skating step you begin the swing, place the weight on one ski and carry out the turn on it while the second ski swings far out in the air and helps to give impetus to the swing. This was called the Reuel Swing because a certain Herr Reuel evolved it in his day and made great publicity for it. Moreover this particular swing, when well executed, looks nice and is excellent practice for balance, although on a tour it has no practical value.

The Skating Step

The Skating Step is a way of progressing on flat or gently sloping country. As the name implies, it is carried out exactly as a skater performs on ice. Pushing off with a powerful swing of the sticks, you place the whole weight on one ski, sliding on it as far as possible before, with a new swing, you transfer the weight to the other ski and progress in the same way on this. The movement alternates to left and right in rhythm. The difficulty is not to fall like a dancing bear from one ski to the other but to make a real effort to weight the ski in question so that you are in a position to glide on with the other ski as in skating.

Compensating for and Negotiating Bumps

Here applies the slogan: ski-ing is all a matter of knees. Your knees and ankles must give under the individual undulations and release the pressure so that you are not flung with stiff knees from one wave to the next. Another way of negotiating these undulations for an advanced skier is as follows: You jump from one wave to the next, take the following one in order to be able to jump over the next. Crossing big bumps at speed, the legs are lifted high, you jump and then land in a Telcmark position. The pressure in the Telemark position is transferred from the front to the rear ski. It is important not to grow nervous and never to lean backwards or else you will sit down on your backside. Take your courage in both hands and have a try.

Eighty per cent, of falls in ski-ing are caused by fear.

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