Kids in the snowpark. Since ‘slopestyle’ was added to the 2014 Winter Olympic freestyle events in Sochi, the buzz from freestyle and park riding has reached much wider audiences. The new snow that came to Verbier allowed the park crew to build a snowpark using boxes, rails and beginner sized jumps for all the skiers and snowboarders to rip around on. There are still a lot of exposed rocks and large cliffs in the off-piste areas so the snowpark has been noticeably busier than usual, with all the keen freestylers practicing their tricks and having way too much fun!
If you didn’t already know, the main aspects of freestyle relate to the beginner competencies of skiing and snowboarding. Sliding boxes and rails requires balance on multiple planes, such as: lateral, vertical and fore/aft. While jumping and absorbing the impact of a landing makes use of all the main skiing/snowboarding joints: ankles, knees and hips.
Freestyle is an intricate part of modern skiing; it is essential that freestyle is explored using tried and tested practices that have been designed to minimise the risk of injury. Our coaches use step-by-step progressions that maximise the speed of learning, while keeping the students safe and in control.
A freestyle lesson is one of the most enjoyable lessons a child can have because they are trying something completely new. Under the close eye of an instructor, the student will execute a progressive series of drills in order to master a desired trick/skill. In one scenario, the student may be asked to hike and lap a single box in the snowpark, focusing on coming off the box in switch (backwards skiing). This allows for increased mileage combined with regular feedback, therefore maximising improvement.
The main part of learning is enjoying what you do and every one of these lessons is guaranteed to leave the student excited and wanting more! Why not add some spark to your family holiday or personal riding? By booking a lesson with one of our awesome freestyle instructors and experiencing it in a safe and thrilling way!
Written by Liam McMurray/ ES Academy
kids in the snowpark