Hi, Lisa. I started alpine...

Question
Hi, Lisa.
 I started alpine skiing last year and have improved at a fairly rapid rate partly due to good lessons, good balance,lack of fear, and a passion for the sport. I am sking with a wed. am advanced group w/instructor. My problem is use of poles. In my beginner lessons we did not use poles much at all and though my use of edges have greatly improved my ability to ski black diamond trails my instructor wants me to improve my use of poles. I tend to only do an occasional(maybe every other turn) pole plant and also let my poles get behind me while going fast. I understand that having my hands behind me could put my body in a poor balance position, but I just can't seem to get the pole plant into my muscle memory. I like and respect my instructor a lot. I guess I'm just looking for another perspective. Do you have any sugestions?  

Answer
welcome, sorry for the delay - have been moving house.

Hmm the pole thing. Unfortunatly muscle memory needs at least 2000 repetitions to be just that - memory.

Poles are introduced at a stage when your feet are doing what they pretty much should be, however by that stage your concentrating on the feet and the brain is having a tough time coping with the pole issue as well.
There aren't too many sports where your feet and hands work this much in different directions at the same time - probably flying a helicopter is the closest thing!

Pole plant is for timing and to assist in bumps, in steeper terrain it helps us to commit to the turn - pointing skis into the fall-line or down the hill is a hard thing for the brain to cope with - it's not in the relms of normal.
POLE POSITION
Easiset way to think of it is to keep your elbows just in front if yourbody, hands slightly wider than the body, palms facing each other.  Keep your little fingers loose. When you swing the pole through and in front of your body, catch it with your little finger. It should be a stop in the swing.The wrists move up and down - that's it.

It'll take some concentration to make it a regular occurance - however - it's more important the feet work. No point having a stylish poleplant if the body looks crook.  For one whole run concentrate on the poles, then ski a run or 2. When your standing in the lift line or at home, swing the poles to get used to the movemenets.

A good thing to play with is jump turns with your ploes. Going accross the hill (traverse) swing the pole forward (not the arm) put it on the snow - as it touches extend up and off the snow (jump) turning your skis down the hill at the same time. This gets you into the habit of rising at the touch.

Remember the stance will feel odd - if not ridiculous, akward and gawky - but it works. Stand up, now put your hands beside your body - balanced. Let your arms fall behind your bodymass - feeling as balanced? Now bring them forward to our original stance (elbows infromt of body, hands a litlle wider) - AS YOU DO THIS flex your ankles,knees and curve your back (basic body position).

As for your black runs - when you walk up a hill do you lean into it?
When you walk down a hill to you lean back into it? Are you bent at the knees?
You do this because what happens when you lean forward? run down out of control?
However when we bring skis into the equation, we need to ensure we stay perpendicular to the slope we're on. This ensures we stay balanced over the ski so we can turn it.

EEK so much to remember.
Have a great ski, and do a few brilliant turns for me ( with poles if you could) *grins*

I'm off to the beach - but i'd rather be skiing.

lisa