Training for dynamic balance all year round is essential for growth as a skier. This is how I approach this
No mountains nearby? Here's an alternative.
How do you develop your dynamic balance, an essential skill in Alpine skiing?
Balancing is never static in skiing, but dynamic. It is the difference between, for example, balancing on a ball with two feet (static) and leaning heavily into a corner on a motorbike (dynamic). Dynamic balance is only possible by anticipating movements, using body parts as a lever mechanism, using kinetic chains and taking advantage of momentum...
In short: you should be moving correctly (balancing) through time. Dynamic balance can be trained by skiing a lot and through targeted dynamic balance drills on the slope, such as hourglass or javelin turns for example.
But what if you don't have the luxury of being able to ski all year round? Not all skiers live in the mountains or do back-to-back winters, moving from the Northern to the Southern Hemisphere and back.
I believe rollerblading is one of the best things you can do as a skier outside the ski season to keep improving your dynamic balance all year round.
Personally, I come from a family of skaters. Some of my uncles are ice skating trainers, and their daughters are figure skaters. Among my fondest childhood memories are some games of ice hockey with my family on an iced-over lake, when we still had very harsh winters in Belgium. Just like skiing, skating is a big part of our family's DNA.
In the nineties, I was also an avid rollerblader. At the time, this sport was a huge hype among the youth, which unfortunately, to my great regret, ended a bit too soon. But the sport is now experiencing a revival, and many alpine skiers now use it as an important addition to their summer training.
Not many people know this, but rollerblades have had an important influence on the development of skis. Rollerblades from the companies Salomon and Line made skis shorter and therefore more playful. By upgrading the side cuts, skiers could now also benefit from more freedom of movement, just like on roller skates.
Here are a few excellent reasons why rollerblading is a rewarding summer workout for alpine skiers:
Rollerblades are shorter than skis, so you can optimally train for front-to-back balance.
In skating, you use the same balance points, thus effectively improving your ability to balance dynamically.
Skiing & skating use largely the same muscle groups, such as the glutes, quadriceps, calves and lower back.
Skating uses techniques such as staying compact, carving, making turns and stopping which are also used in skiing.
Many ski specific movements can also be trained on roller skates. For example, you can set out a course with slalom cones, work on your pole plant timing by taking your ski poles with you when skating, or even do angulation exercises on a gentle slope.
This is why I believe rollerblading is an ideal summer sport which skiers can practice as cross-training in preparation for the upcoming winter season.
The fact that you can do it anytime, anywhere (if it's not raining) and don't need mountains for it is a BIG bonus, especially if you don't live in an Alpine country.
As for equipment, apart from a helmet, protective material for wrists and knees and a pair of rollerblades, you don't need much. I myself use the Rollerblade Macro Blade 80 rollerblades. The wheels have a fairly high profile, which makes it easier for me to train lateral rolling movements from the ankles over a relatively long distance. And with the poison green laces, they look pretty badass too. 😎
In a future post, I'll go into more detail on exactly which exercises I'm doing, and how I approach this.
Enjoy the summer, and who knows, maybe I'll catch you somewhere on the rollerblades!
SOLD!