Birkie Class 12-21-10 Goodnight Irene

It was quite a crowd for a snowy Tuesday night. Some folks were wiped out and just wanted to take a nap http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGd4jkaoHRg Pity the first timers as they surely felt it the next day [I feel no pity]. I am loath to assign homework but we need a jumpstart to this balance thing so here it is. Five minutes per leg 3 times per week (37 minutes) standing on a 2X2 or similar support. STRETCHED out in the technique of your choice. Do this in a darkened window (so your neighbors can’t see you) are a full mirror. Wear shorts so you can see the extensors and small ancillary muscles in your legs fire. No one has inherent balance, it must be practiced, that is why babies can’t walk, they need to learn and so it is for skiing.

Lots of news report. The Birkie registration has closed for the 2nd straight year. 8400 skiers have filled the waves and now the battle is for wave advancement. The first race that qualifies is the SISU marathon in January. http://www.sisuskifest.com/ See www.birkie.com for the complete list unless you are adept at snowplowing and falling on downhills.

Bay Nordic had 132 kids for the first session of the year last weekend. Whew! Who would have thunk that many kids would be skiing at one time in Green Bay, we might have a future Olympian out there. http://baynordic.blogspot.com/ for the web and http://shoffmanphoto.smugmug.com/CrossCountrySkiing-2010/Bay-Nordic/Bay-Nordic-12-18-2010/15131652_zKfH5#1131360507_7k23S for Steve Hoffmans photo gallery including some serious Photo Shopping.

I have a list of selected video links to look at various techniques. Good to review now that we are on snow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3Vue10ItXg&feature=related
Basic Classic Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brGZlZkCwyk&feature=related
Basic Free Skating

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yRGLRAR7QI&feature=related
Basic Step Turn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HksXxzH55pw&feature=related
V2 video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyuYflyZta4&feature=related
V1 Technique

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slpvbWO4J5o&feature=related
Step Double Pole (double pole kick)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXk0vo2HsbA&feature=relate
Classical Technique Good Overview

Lastly WE DO HAVE CLASS NEXT TUESDAY, 5:58 pm. Do you have to ask?
The snow is great and the temps moderate, this is what we wait for so get out and enjoy it. Watch www.skinnyski.com for reports and www.incompetition.com for upcoming events and be sure and sign up for our newsletter
http://www.incompetition.com/html/register.psp , it is more up to date with lots of neat stuff. Have a great Christmas holiday and then go ski. Well done this week, it was a solid effort as we build towards the Birkie.