Accredited Senior Evaluator Technical Vocabulary
Angulation: Laterally tipping and flexing certain parts of the body, more than others, to form angles between body segments.
Apex: A point in an arc where the skis/board are pointing or matched with the fall line.
Blocking: Using internal (muscles) or external (pole plants) forces to stop the rotation of the upper body.
Carved: Ski/board passes on edge from tip to tail through the same curved arc with minimal slipping or skidding.
Counter rotation: The upper body is pointing in a direction different than that of the skis/board (lower body).
Open parallel: Skis are parallel throughout the turn but may be on a lower edge angle, allowing some drifting to occur.
Dynamic balance: The ability to effectively retain balance while in motion.
Dynamic parallel: Turns are made with more carving than skidding.
Early Edge Engagement: Skis/board has come up onto a working edge before the apex of a turn.
Fall line: The pathway down a slope where gravity would pull a bowling ball.
Helmet: A device worn by educated snow sports enthusiasts for added head protection and personal safety.
Inclination: The center of mass has moved inward towards the center of the turn, resulting in the body having less distance to travel around the arc than the skis/board, tipping.
Learning styles: Styles a learner uses to have meaningful changes for improvement. Learning styles may include auditory, visual, kinesthetic, and sensory, or any combination thereof.
Leash: A device used to secure the appliance so it doesn’t slide dangerously away from its user.
Medium radius: Smaller than large radius turns yet bigger than small radius turns.
Parallel: The skis remain matched on corresponding edges through the entire arc of connected turns with simultaneous edge release and engagement.
Pole plant: A firmer action than a pole touch or swing for assistance with balance or rotary.
Pressure management: Flexing and extending movements of legs and core, redistribution of weight from foot to foot, increase and decrease of edge angles, turn shape and size.
Rotary: A twisting of the feet, legs, core, and other body parts in an effective, balanced manner.
Skidded: The tails of the skis/board travel a further distance through a turn than the tip, combining skidding and slipping (drifting).
Tactics: A blending of skills (balance, rotary, edging, and pressure) to meet an outcome
Tasks: An activity that develops a skill or specific movement and may include garlands, hockey stops, traverses, j-turns, pivot slips, etc.
Wedge: The tips of the skis are closer than the tails and are converging/pointing inward toward each other.