Early Season Gate Progression:
Masters Ski Racing Tips

Weather you are 6 or 60; you need to be technical to win ski races. Early season drills will help you get in shape and train your feet to master the new technique of Slalom and GS.

When you start skiing this season, you have to get your feet to stay open. I’m talking about 18 inches apart all the time. Now, the best way to get this job done is get some feedback. It’s amazing how you think you’re 18 inches apart, but actually, you’re only 8 or 10 inches.

A good way to get the feeling if you’re a fan of using props is to blow up a balloon to the right width and put it between your shins. You can be creative on this one and find the right prop. Do it with a partner so you can get feedback. Use gentle easy terrain. You should work on this for 10 runs with the prop and free ski for a week with only the open stance in mind.

Once you have it down, you can start training slalom and GS on really flat terrain. GS will come easy, but the slalom will take some time. Take 5 training sessions in slalom and just focus on the new open stance. If you can get someone to set stubbies or brushes for you the better.

Take your time on the easy terrain. Don’t go to steeper faster terrain until you can master the full length gates with proper clearing and body positioning. The worst thing you can do for yourself is go to the steep terrain before you have mastered the flat green terrain race course. Once you go to the steep terrain, you can go a whole season without making any real gains, because you missed the boat early on.

Of course you can go back to the easy terrain and set during the season, but most people want race conditions so those mid season flat terrain courses are far and few between. Push your local coach to set easy courses now and your times will improve.

The goal is to be able to see two distinct ruts or arcs in the snow at the gate. If you can see this every time, you are ready to go faster and steeper. When you can lay down arcs on the steep that is when you will have truly made it. Good luck