Glossary

Center Of Mass

 

Center Of Mass

It's the single point that represents the central average point of a skier's body mass.  If a person's body were completely rigid, it would be the point at which that body could be balanced on the head of a pin.  Any and all forces acting on a skier can be recognized by their individual and combined affect on the skiers Center of Mass point.  That point can be moved about the body, depending on a skier flexes and bends.  In skiing, a skier moves their Center of Mass through a skill called angulation.  By angulating and moving their Center of Mass, they can move or maintain their balance point however they want.  It's how a skier determines how much weight they assign to their inside or outside ski, or to the front or back of their skis.

Flexion at the ankles to move the Center of Mass fore.

Using angulation to move the Center of Mass away from the center of the body.