Is stretching the key?

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Ridiculous

I´ve started freestyle skiing this february and I went to the park like 40 times til april when my local park closed. Well, at the end of april all I could do was a 360 nose (only on good days) and a 540 safety, but I`ve always had problems reaching the grabs. Frequently I missed them, what let me freak out. The first thing I thougt was that I was too stiff (what was certainly right, I wasn´t even able to tip my toes, there were like 7" missing) nad started stretching like mad. My progress was only little (now there are still 3,5" missing) and I couldn´t get the grabs any better.
Well, What I wanted to ask before I continue torturing me till I get to the glacier at the beginning of september was, if it is necessary to be that agile that I can put my palms on the ground to get all the grabs easily or if getting the grabs is all about technique.

thanks

Aug 10 2006 5:44AM

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bpalmer

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grabs are about being comfortable in the air first of all. if you are panicking, lost in the air, cant find your landing, you are not gonna get your grab. also, its about knowing the rotation so well that you can throw it automatically and know you will come around right, so you can think about holding the grab and tweaking it.

That said, I did do yoga for a while because my girlfriend was an instructor, and it really helped me dial truckdrivers, true noses, presses and for some reason, spins on and off of rails. something about balance and body control, i think. so yoga might be a good idea.

Aug 10 2006 6:48AM

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SnowMedic

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haha ^ thats the guy to talk to about stretching and yes it needed. it help you not get hurt and it allows you to bend more and do sicker tricks

Aug 10 2006 8:02AM

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juanborlando

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stretching IS key.

Aug 10 2006 8:33AM

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bobs

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im naturaly flexible so im lucky but i have no problem touching my toes and trucks and nose criticals come real easy for me. it helps a ton also prevents injuries.

Aug 10 2006 10:28AM

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bpalmer

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yeah im flexible as shit too, i can pretty much palm the ground on command.

it's important to lift weights the right ways too, i'm thinking about doing an official "how to make yourself injury proof in the off season" thread.

Aug 10 2006 10:48AM

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deleted4

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im not flexible at all so that is probly why i suck at grabs

Aug 10 2006 11:08AM

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theORANGEshovel

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yes i would say that it helps alot at high north when they had it everyday i could reach farther and farther. but also when you do your grabs a coach there taught me not to reach for your skis but bring your skis to you

Aug 10 2006 11:08AM

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DeSena

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same here bro

Aug 10 2006 11:13AM

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Potatoes

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yeah streching is key

Aug 10 2006 11:16AM

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knal

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i think stretching is importatn, but not as important is being comftorable in the air. Knowing the trick and having it dialed is much more important i think

Aug 10 2006 11:20AM

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montageskier

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Days that i stretched i could reach good truck drivers, days i didnt i could only get double safteys.

Aug 10 2006 11:20AM

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doitbig

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make sure you're starting your grabs soon after taking of the lip. grab, tweak, hold, spot your landing and release. tweaking your grabs will strech you out naturally and they will get easier every time.

Aug 10 2006 11:25AM

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Scottness

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dude, we should get together and write a book. i'm into some power/ashtanga yoga stuff and it really helps staying injury free and being able to grab all contorted out.

Aug 10 2006 4:37PM

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CEDARIMAGE

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strechin is always good

Aug 10 2006 4:40PM

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drewski00

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try just doing different grabs on straight airs on the smaller jumps, that always helps me. then you should be able to take it to the spins. like when youre just dicking around in the early season on shitty terrain, just have fun and try new stuff.

Aug 10 2006 9:40PM

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blakroc

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im a tight mutha fucka i can barly touch my ankles

Aug 10 2006 9:46PM

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RRP-llc

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Two keys to freeskiing are flexibility (yoga) and core strength (sit ups & stuff). Everything else will come with skiing, but it doesn't hurt to work on those things in the off season too.

--rick

Aug 11 2006 10:05AM

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poofartpee

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it helps...if i stretched more i could do good truck drivers

Aug 11 2006 5:46PM

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KillerMonkey

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some of jon olssons tweaks are like redicoulus. Like how the hell do you bend your legs like that, he must be limber as fuck

Aug 11 2006 5:49PM

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Yung_Gnarley

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maybeeeee...

Mar 9 2009 12:26AM

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skiwithchuck

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Stretching will help you grab but more importantly, stretching will keep you away form injuries. Do it!

Mar 9 2009 1:01AM

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BigJew

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I can't get anywhere near touching my toes-hell, I can barely touch my knees. Even on the chair I can't grab my ski tips. But when I'm in the air I can grab true nose and truckdriver no problem. It's mostly about being comfortable in the air.

Mar 9 2009 1:47AM

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Bpaddock

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a good stretch or warm up is nice

Mar 9 2009 2:05AM

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enick

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if you plan on skiing the rest of ur life, u should start stretching

Mar 9 2009 2:32AM

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Gnarwall

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I try to stretch a little before I ski when I can remember. I also try to stretch everyday for a minute or two. This usually consists of touching my toes for ten seconds a few times, I actually do this in the shower just because I have nothing better to do in there besides jacking it, and that gets old after a while. (No homo, lol)

Now for the results. Before I started going this, I could barely get my fingers to touch my calf. Now, 3 months later I can easily put my palms to the ground. Falling is much less painful, and I feel much more flexy and bendy and whatnot. Stretching is definitely good.

Mar 9 2009 2:38AM

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punkrock32

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Yes and no. It for sure helps with flexablility and keeping from getting injured, but for getting certain grabs like nose, etc. you don't always need it. There are ways around being flexible with a lot of grabs. For instance, on noses most people just try to reach down and assume that they will be able to grab their nose which doesn't work if you're not flexible. If you're not flexible, for nose grabs it helps to do little things like point your toes up towards you, which will bring your ski tip closer to you and make it easier to grab. Its much easier to do difficult grabs if you're flexible, but you can also think about the grab, and what could make it easier (pointing your toes upward which brings your tips a little closer) if you're not very flexible.

Mar 9 2009 4:26AM

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pjbauer

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Mar 9 2009 10:35AM

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SkierX

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Truth.

I used to be able to get by without stretching but then I turned 20 and realized I needed to stretch to keep key.

Me and my buddy would always start epic park days with stretching for a few minutes.

You feel so good afterwards too.

Mar 9 2009 12:45PM

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