Proper way to hold the handle for slalom.

[apexeon]

I am 41 years old and have been running the course on and off since my college days. I learned to hold the handle left palm up since I ski left foot forward. I start at 15 off, 32mph and usually get into 22 off at 34mph before I start doing stupid things. My personal best is 4 at 28 off, 34 mph.

My ski partner who gets into 35 off at 34mph says I need to change my grip. He thinks my style is old school and I should hold the handle like a baseball bat. (I'm right handed). I tried his suggestion yesterday and the results were less than positive. I could not manage a pass at 32, 15 off. My partner insists that once I get the hang of the new grip I'll be able to ski deeper into the course. So what is the best way? Do I change my grip or stay with what I've done for 20 years?

[VinRLX]

Change your grip.

[mlange]

The "standard" grip for a LFF skier is right-palm up and most people that started with holding the handle the "wrong" way have said that after the initial awkwardness they felt more comfortable and consistent changing.

Having said that, just a week or two ago someone posted a picture of, I believe, Natalie Hamrick and she used the "wrong" grip. Hard to argue that she could be much better than she already does.

Mike

[edwin]

Not that I'm much of a slalom guru, but I'd say go with what you know...

[TLo]

Look at Jeff Rodgers or Lucky Lowe. They do alright with the left palm up and LFF.

[SunriseH2OSkier]

Maybe skisix will chime in on this soon, but I asked him this very question earlier this year. I'm RFF and ski with right palm up. His comment was that it really doesn't matter until you get into 32 off and shorter. His advice to me was the same as edwin's comment above: go with what you know.

[lbow]

I must be different because I ski LFF and have always held the handle as I would a hockey stick "left" handed (left palm up). I thought it was making my off-side even worse so I switched and after three passes thorugh the course i didn't even notice it any more. I believe that it has helped my offside because it doesn't strain my left shoulder as much which I have had a history of injuries with. It also just seems like a more natural posotion for my hands to be on my off-side which needs way more help than my on-side.

On another note - i think they encourage kids who are right handed to play hockey "left handed" because it places your dominant hand, right, in the position of control. If you look at the number of left handed hockey players there are I would bet most of them are right handed. Since I was taught to play hockey left handed i now play golf lefty and swing a baseball bat left etc.

[skisix@38]

One of my buddies skis with a backward grip, he's LFF and skis left palm up. He gets into 39 and beats me most of the time. Point is that the grip has a little to do your balance and your edge change but unless you are considering going pro it's probably not as significant a factor as some would suggest. I could come up with a number of things to work on before the handle grip was the pacing issue to your progess.

One the other side, if you are looking to try something new to generate some excitment changing you grip would do it.

Apexeon- the first thing to do is get a dedicated slalom ski, then go get your self some lessons, somewhere after 35 off start to worry about whether your grip is holding you back

Edited June 28, 2006 by skisix@38

[maliboo]

Try it and see. Try it dry land first and see if it feels better on your off side. Skisix and his crew could probably hold on with there teeth and run 28off. I think it hurts your on-side slightly and helps your off-side a ton. After 2 weeks you will forget how to hold the handle the other way.

Dwayne

[apexeon]

One of my buddies skis with a backward grip, he's LFF and skis left palm up. He gets into 39 and beats me most of the time. Point is that the grip has a little to do your balance and your edge change but unless you are considering going pro it's probably not as significant a factor as some would suggest. I could come up with a number of things to work on before the handle grip was the pacing issue to your progess.

One the other side, if you are looking to try something new to generate some excitment changing you grip would do it.

Apexeon- the first thing to do is get a dedicated slalom ski, then go get your self some lessons, somewhere after 35 off start to worry about whether your grip is holding you back

Between keeping my knees bent, shoulders back, flexing the ankles instead of breaking at the waist and the other things I should remember the grip is not high on my list.

I've been through a couple of skis in the past year. For years I used a 1990 vintage Kidder Redline. Last year I got a HO Phantom Truth and never could run a pass even at 30 mph. I fought with that thing for a month changing binding placement, fin position and ended up back on my old Redline. I was back into 34mph 22off on the second set. (Sold the phantom on e-bay) This spring I got a KD CR7 and have been very pleased. I 'm still sking with it using the out of the box settings.

With two small children and a wife in grad school I'm very limited on time. My ski partner is a doctor and is on call much of the time. We only get to ski about once a week.

Thanks again for your thoughts.