Image via Wikipedia
The ground position is how you want your body to be most of the time while your skiing. (Im saying most of the time, because under certain circumstances like in deep snow or aggresive carving other “rules” apply)
Ground position in alpine skiing is “attack mode” – often with shoulders over knees – over feet. When you are in this postition then you should actually not see the front of your boots. Your upper body should be bent in a way that its almost like youve been punched in the stomach. This is not a static position. It is dynamic and changes with the terrain and the snow you are skiing. The basic rule is that your body should be aligned in a way that is the most efficient and effective under all circumstances.
Have a ski instructor show you this the first time. He will bend your body and physically show you whats the right body position for you. It is very difficult for a beginner to know how they look. You have to be shown by a professional, and then it takes a lot of practice before you can feel when your body position is correct under circumstances.
Also you must know your positioning in relevance to the ground and snow that you are skiing. This comes only from practice, either with a instructor or someone who knows how you should look. If you want to develop as a skier you should try videotraining and get your skiing style analyzed.
Getting this right from the start is one of the most important things for becoming a better skier, and it has relevance to everything you do on and off – piste!
When you have your body alligned in the correct position in relevance to the ground and the snow you are skiing on – then you’ve got the best base for good and energy-effective turns.
Remember that you should be able to ski the whole day without getting burning quads! If you can’t, than an uncorrect ground position while skiing is most likely why.
This applies to all skiers – and is often done wrong also by experienced skiers.
