The PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) Center Line Model serves as a framework for developing and evaluating skiing skills. It focuses on a balanced approach to skill development, emphasizing how the core movements of skiing—pressure control, edging, and rotary skills—integrate with balance and stance to create versatile and effective skiing. Here’s a concise breakdown:…
Why Choosing the Right Ski Width Matters for Your Knees I found this video and it’s pretty interesting. Skis now are getting wider, and they’re great for powder skiing, but I’ve heard about knee problems with wider skis. For myself, if a ski is too heavy, it hurts my knees on the chairlift with my…
So far, it’s been a very warm year in the Midwest. We didn’t get all runs open until mid January, there was a 21″ dump of snow, and then it got cold for about a week. Since then, there has only been small bouts of snow falling. Cascade closed last Sunday (one week early), and…
Here’s a YouTube playlist you may find useful. It’s from Nordica and they discuss fundamentals needed to help pass the PSIA Levels 1, 2, 3 exams: How To Pass Your Level I, II, or III Certification – Nordica | PSIA-AASI Be sure to choose the video for your particular level and then look at the…
We’ve been working the last, few weeks in the Level 1 training group we do on Wednesday nights to put together a good hockey stop progression. The reason we’re working on this is because one way an Examiner would be able to kill 2 birds with one stone is to have someone teach hockey stops…
As we near starting another, great ski season, it’s good to review some safety so that we all get home in our own vehicles, not in an ambulance. Skiing and snowboarding is an extreme sport. Because of that, we need to know the rules. Here’s a video I saw on Instagram. Who do you think…
I’m wondering how much interest there is in adaptive ski lessons at Cascade Mountain. Right now, I’m adaptive certified for cognitive and visually impaired. We can do those lessons with minimal or no specialty equipment. I’ve taught many lessons to people on the autism spectrum (mainly kids and teens). A few others at Cascade teach…
Well, this one was a little bit of a nail-biter, but the group I was training all passed Level 1. Congratulations to Annie, Mike, Damon, Craig, Evan, and Soren. A month back, both Jack and Cooper passed as well at their event. I still have my 100% pass rate, but they did all the work….
I went out and did training with the Level 1 candidates last night and I decided to come up with a killer wedge progression for them – as a gift. It’s something they can copy and use on their Level 1 exam if they want. It turned out pretty well. I think if they presented…
Here is information that’s more specific to people taking their Level 1 exam at Cascade Mountain this year, but this is information others may benefit from as well. What happened starting last year, was the exam changed a bit. PSIA is trying to get all divisions doing things the same. There is probably some good…