SKIING FOR THE AGES
Dr. Kim Hewson had a successful career as a sports medicine doctor and orthopedic surgeon, but when retiring in 1993, he didn’t want to leave his skills behind for a life of relaxation on the slopes. Instead, he wanted to find a way to implement his expertise in new and unique ways that would impact people and ultimately continue in his profession.
In 2000, Dr. Hewson joined the Telluride Ski & Snowboard School as an instructor and decided to apply his medical training to his instruction. He researched ideal alignment for skiing, which is known as biomechanics, to determine the most efficient way to teach skiers to use their body effectively, allowing them to ski longer and reduce their chance of injury.
Dr. Hewson began by asking questions such as:
• What is the optimal position for effective skiing?
• How does the body work at high speeds going downhill?
• How can skiers change their position and alignment to make their bones do most of the work, as opposed to their muscles and joints?
As he continued his research and gained a greater understanding of how the body works while skiing, Dr. Hewson was able to develop a way of teaching that has become a main focus of training for Telluride Ski & Snowboard School instructors since 2005. Dr. Hewson’s lectures on biomechanics give all instructors a greater understanding of how the body works, specifically when skiing and snowboarding. A requirement for all instructors, this training ensures not only that everyone is speaking the same language when teaching, but also that all students, regardless of age or ability, are incorporating the same key elements of skiing into their practice.
When it comes to skiing efficiently, here are two tips to remember:
• Feet first – according to Dr. Hewson, an awareness of your feet and how they are moving directly impacts how you ski. Keeping your feet underneath your body and aligned allows you to easily move your skis.
• It’s just like walking – it might sound counterintuitive, but think of it as walking down the hill. Strike with your heel first, roll onto the flat foot and push off.
According to Dr. Hewson, students today have an increased awareness of their bodies, and also have an interest in how everything works together. “When you explain how their body works and then have them feel it out on the mountain, eventually they gain a greater understanding of the entire body,” he says. “When your mind is in tune with your body, the sensation of skiing properly is ageless. It’s amazing how young it keeps you.”
This season, Telluride Ski & Snowboard school is excited to again be offering its Ski Biomechanics Camp. The three-day camp uses Dr. Hewson’s instruction and methods to teach students how to be more effective and efficient skiers. Open to intermediate to expert skiers, students will gain a deeper understanding of how their body works while skiing and how they can adjust their position and effort appropriately. The 2018 camp will be held on January 15th-18th.
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