This is my favorite way to flip around to switch as a park skier. Puts you in a perfect switch carve if you do it with a little more speed and torque. Had no idea this could be used as a drill. Thanks as always, Deb; your videos have been invaluable in teaching my little 6 year old to be a better fundamental skier than his park rat dad.
In addition to everything else Deb mentions, the falling leaf drill also teaches great fore/aft balance skills. When you want to go forward up the hill you have to subtly shift your "center of mass," i.e., hip/abdominal area, forward along the length of the skis, toward the ski tips. And when you want to go backwards down and then back up the hill, you have to do the opposite, i.e, subtly shift your COM aft towards the tail of the skis. And when it comes time to spin around, you have to shift forward again. The falling leaf really helps the skier to become way more aware of fore/aft balancing movements. There's probably no better drill to teach the real subtlties of all the skills that go into getting a ski to turn, release, and then turn again, like we do in a normal ski run. Takes more work than you might imagine, though, to do it as smoothly as Deb does it.
I started watching these videos a couple years ago when I started some lessons. Although I had skied for 30 plus years, I had never taken any lessons and was pretty stagnant on the hill. I really paid attention to all of the beginner ones and when I would go up on the slope I would practice them. I love these drills!!!! Keep them coming! My ease on the hill is 100% improved :-)... I think I have found the joy!
wow! you are so good at that! rotating a slalom ski probably makes it, easier. ive been fascinated with teh rotation skill for about 20 years, after i was a ski instructor in a third rate ski school and realized that they didnt understand it. rotation on skis is a complex skill that involves edging, balance, pole swing forcing and pressure
I’ve had an instructor that has shown me this drill but never quite explained it as well as Deb. Now that I have a better sense of it, I will use the drill more often
I was watching your legs and feet the first time, didnt realise you were moving down the hill until i saw the building getting closer. I hope to be able to get on the slopes in January to give this a go.
Nice video The flat light affects the depth perception of the viewer as noted in the previous comments. Adding some footage with the camera in a static position from above with the skier going away from the camera. Then switch positions. A view from the side (static or moving) might help the viewer gain perspective. Like several others, I love this drill too. I warm up with it and then do combos of left/right 360's on intermediate terrain for fun. Ed Piggley skis with us!
I like this exercise as well for getting comfortable to start skiing backwards. It's also a lot of fun! Committing to a full backwards turn though is the next step which can be a little scary but helps practice the weight transition skiing switch. I'd say doing falling leaf with occasional full 360 rotation would be 'advanced' falling leaf(spinning leaf? Blizzard leaf?)
Dang Deb those are some really perfect falling leafs. I also really like that you use so many different skis. Dave Lyon is a pretty hardcore Rossignol fanboy of course he does get them for free lol. I don't think he ever had us do that particular variation though and always threw in a full pivot slip move in the middle.
Love this drill! Do you happen to have any video of "patience turns"? Been practicing them, and anything else to help me get early engagement at top of the turn. Would love to see a good video of it to know if I'm doing them correctly
I’m going to try this on the slope this weekend! Wish there are cameras and sensors in your boots. May be we need to engineer that as future ski teaching tools.
A pivot is when all of the change in direction occurs in one quick moment. Steering is guiding a direction change over more distance as you travel through the turn. This can be a small turn or a larger turn.
Hi Deb! Your recent video on how to open the hip helped me so much (being poised to push something heavy in front of you), but how do I apply a similar concept when I'm skiing switch like in the reverse part of the falling leaf?
Deb Bingo to 56 to 1:05 talking about using feet to control edge angles. The best skiers focus on foot tipping inside foot tipping (the outside follows) not knee drive to develop angles.
Pivot is rotating the ski about the center point, whereas steering involves pressuring the ski (fore or aft, depending on direction). This is her ‘savvy feet’.
Great video Deb! Could you make a video about “pivot and slip drill”? I’ve seen some videos of this drill but all of them just shows the final product of it. I’ve tried but it seems difficult for me. I didn’t find a video that details how to progress from not being able to do that at all to mastering it. I can carve confidently in groomed blue runs but still can’t do this drill.
One example of such video: ua-cam.com/video/iUuCWQ_2WOo/v-deo.html. I can slip but I can’t pivot smoothly while keeping two skis in sync and parallel all the way.
Flat light in filming makes this more difficult to perceive, with not being able to gauge the speed and fall line. Looks like it's filmed on a treadmill.
@@dr.r.s.steinberg9347 Thank! I can tell that she is approaching to the little cabin downhill now, although it is very subtle approach. The speed is well under control, which I find very interesting that the key factor for a good skier is not how fast, but how slow the skier can be.
Not a classic falling leaf demonstration, too much going on. The drill is a combination of fore and aft pressure and subtle edge control. This should also follow other drills such as fall line side slip drills to a full edge stop. The steering stuff is another drill. Keep it simple. Yes, do the drill facing each direction, but not all at once. It's important to slow it down so one (student/skier) can fully appreciate the drill. Drills build skills. Keep it simple.
Should I feel my shins against the front of my boots the whole time I'm doing this? I have a hard time getting out of the back seat and that's something I struggle with.
As soon as she stopped looking at her feet, it improved! I have never done falling leaf like that. I can't wait to try this version!
This is my favorite way to flip around to switch as a park skier. Puts you in a perfect switch carve if you do it with a little more speed and torque. Had no idea this could be used as a drill. Thanks as always, Deb; your videos have been invaluable in teaching my little 6 year old to be a better fundamental skier than his park rat dad.
In addition to everything else Deb mentions, the falling leaf drill also teaches great fore/aft balance skills. When you want to go forward up the hill you have to subtly shift your "center of mass," i.e., hip/abdominal area, forward along the length of the skis, toward the ski tips. And when you want to go backwards down and then back up the hill, you have to do the opposite, i.e, subtly shift your COM aft towards the tail of the skis. And when it comes time to spin around, you have to shift forward again. The falling leaf really helps the skier to become way more aware of fore/aft balancing movements. There's probably no better drill to teach the real subtlties of all the skills that go into getting a ski to turn, release, and then turn again, like we do in a normal ski run. Takes more work than you might imagine, though, to do it as smoothly as Deb does it.
Should I feel my shins against the front of my boot the whole time i'm doing this drill?
That really is the falling leaf of a woman with skiing superpowers. Beautifully done.
If this is Bridget from last season - it’s night and day to see her improvement. Good work!
I started watching these videos a couple years ago when I started some lessons. Although I had skied for 30 plus years, I had never taken any lessons and was pretty stagnant on the hill.
I really paid attention to all of the beginner ones and when I would go up on the slope I would practice them. I love these drills!!!! Keep them coming! My ease on the hill is 100% improved :-)... I think I have found the joy!
Love it!!!!!
wow! you are so good at that! rotating a slalom ski probably makes it, easier. ive been fascinated with teh rotation skill for about 20 years, after i was a ski instructor in a third rate ski school and realized that they didnt understand it. rotation on skis is a complex skill that involves edging, balance, pole swing forcing and pressure
I’ve had an instructor that has shown me this drill but never quite explained it as well as Deb. Now that I have a better sense of it, I will use the drill more often
In my coaching days I called your version of the falling leaf drill "leafy turns". One of my favorites. You demonstrate so well.
This is a great drill! I have students do it on flat terrain and then practice in bumps to begin to ski bumps.
Falling leaf! Never heard of it, but I know I will love it. Can't wait for the snow to start practicing this.
I was watching your legs and feet the first time, didnt realise you were moving down the hill until i saw the building getting closer. I hope to be able to get on the slopes in January to give this a go.
Firstly, this is beautiful to watch. Secondly, I'm going to try this and see how I do.
following up, I have done the drill, and taught my daughter how to do it. It's a little like dancing. Fun skill to practice! Thanks Deb
That kind of control is so impressive... awesome!
EVERYBODY has (a) superpower(s). Not everybody gets to discover what their superpower(s) is/are. What a great blessing that is.
Nice video The flat light affects the depth perception of the viewer as noted in the previous comments.
Adding some footage with the camera in a static position from above with the skier going away from the camera. Then switch positions. A view from the side (static or moving) might help the viewer gain perspective.
Like several others, I love this drill too. I warm up with it and then do combos of left/right 360's on intermediate terrain for fun.
Ed Piggley skis with us!
So smooth! I think this is a good mogul drill too. On flats.
I think I've pivoted too much in the past. I'll need to think more about steering my feet when I do this next. Great video!
I like this exercise as well for getting comfortable to start skiing backwards. It's also a lot of fun! Committing to a full backwards turn though is the next step which can be a little scary but helps practice the weight transition skiing switch. I'd say doing falling leaf with occasional full 360 rotation would be 'advanced' falling leaf(spinning leaf? Blizzard leaf?)
As always, great explanation of the mechanics of the drill, thank you
Thanks Deb for a nice video. I love this drill as well for training separation.
I use this one all the time!
Looks so graceful brilliant
Looks verry cool. Never seen this in Europe.
Dang Deb those are some really perfect falling leafs. I also really like that you use so many different skis. Dave Lyon is a pretty hardcore Rossignol fanboy of course he does get them for free lol. I don't think he ever had us do that particular variation though and always threw in a full pivot slip move in the middle.
Glad you like the video. Ya, different ways to do the drill for sure. I have so much fun with this one. Happy new year!!
Bridget is skiing great!!!
Love this drill! Do you happen to have any video of "patience turns"? Been practicing them, and anything else to help me get early engagement at top of the turn. Would love to see a good video of it to know if I'm doing them correctly
One of my fav drills. :) If a one masters it, he can proceed to 360.
I’m going to try this on the slope this weekend! Wish there are cameras and sensors in your boots. May be we need to engineer that as future ski teaching tools.
There is CARV, an in-boot pressure sensor gadget. But nothing can replace a real instructor!
Always impressive teach and skills! Any chance you could give us some MA videos? L1 CS1>L2>L3
Can you please explain or demonstrate what is the difference between steering and piviting in this drill ?
A pivot is when all of the change in direction occurs in one quick moment. Steering is guiding a direction change over more distance as you travel through the turn. This can be a small turn or a larger turn.
Hi Deb! Your recent video on how to open the hip helped me so much (being poised to push something heavy in front of you), but how do I apply a similar concept when I'm skiing switch like in the reverse part of the falling leaf?
Different skills different purpose
HELLO: I FOLLOW YOUR VIDEOS AND I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT SKY STATION ARE YOU IN AND WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED? THANK YOU
That would be great for me.
what grade / steepness should i be doing this exercise on? i'm having so much trouble with this drill
Bucket List…ski lesson in person with Deb
Head to Taos for her ski strong session-. Well worth it!!!
Deb Bingo to 56 to 1:05 talking about using feet to control edge angles. The best skiers focus on foot tipping inside foot tipping (the outside follows) not knee drive to develop angles.
WoW !!! Super
SOLID !
I know Deb you grew up wanting to dance with Fred Astaire 😊
What is the différence between steer and pivot?
Pivot is rotating the ski about the center point, whereas steering involves pressuring the ski (fore or aft, depending on direction). This is her ‘savvy feet’.
Nice FR
Great video Deb! Could you make a video about “pivot and slip drill”? I’ve seen some videos of this drill but all of them just shows the final product of it. I’ve tried but it seems difficult for me. I didn’t find a video that details how to progress from not being able to do that at all to mastering it. I can carve confidently in groomed blue runs but still can’t do this drill.
One example of such video: ua-cam.com/video/iUuCWQ_2WOo/v-deo.html. I can slip but I can’t pivot smoothly while keeping two skis in sync and parallel all the way.
What mountain are you teaching on here? I am just learning to ski and have been 3 days now!
Howelsen hill steamboat springs
@@DebArmstrongSkiStrong thanks for answering! My first trip was to sun valley. Oops lol!
The light is so flat in this vid Deb it's actually really hard to see what's happening in relation to your skis and the fall line
My superpower = après-ski
Super Power :-)
What I usually do is the leaf but I mix it with some bananas.
Flat light in filming makes this more difficult to perceive, with not being able to gauge the speed and fall line. Looks like it's filmed on a treadmill.
Does this drill take you anywhere? Or just stay at the same spot?
She was going downhill.
@@dr.r.s.steinberg9347 Thank! I can tell that she is approaching to the little cabin downhill now, although it is very subtle approach. The speed is well under control, which I find very interesting that the key factor for a good skier is not how fast, but how slow the skier can be.
conditions dictate these maneuvers not so easy on ice or slush
Yep. True
Not a classic falling leaf demonstration, too much going on. The drill is a combination of fore and aft pressure and subtle edge control. This should also follow other drills such as fall line side slip drills to a full edge stop. The steering stuff is another drill. Keep it simple. Yes, do the drill facing each direction, but not all at once. It's important to slow it down so one (student/skier) can fully appreciate the drill. Drills build skills. Keep it simple.
Should I feel my shins against the front of my boots the whole time I'm doing this? I have a hard time getting out of the back seat and that's something I struggle with.