Skiing: backfoot - frontfoot motor preferences

Here we are comparing two skiers with completely different motor skills.

Manuel Feller, 184cm, expresses himself with earthy motor preferences, which require him to bend enormously downwards to recruit his strength and total coordination in the turn.

Henrik Kristoffersen, 179cm, on the other hand, uses aerial motor preferences.

His dominant muscle chains express themselves by fighting against the compression of the turn: he tries to stand up in the curve.

Feller tries to flex his pelvis in the curve.

Frontfoot or backfoot ? Earthy or aerial motor preferences ?

We call profiles like Feller "backfoots". Because they're strong when they're low and backwards on their feet. At the gate, their body will always be compact and rather backward.

Profiles like Kristoffersen are called "frontfoots", because they are strong with a higher body posture and on the front of their feet.

These images are very interesting, as they show the two best skiers in the 2024 Wengen slalom, at the same gate and from the same angle.

Two different profiles and one very high level of skiing

We can clearly see that, despite two different "techniques", it is possible to perform at a very high level.

That's why knowing your motor preferences is key to progress! Skiing technique "from the book" might not be adapted to you at all.

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