Avalement (pronounced Av-el-mont) is a term that means to actively absorb terrain variations (such as moguls) by using our leg muscles (mainly the quads and hamstrings) to retract and extend the legs under a relatively stable body. Literally the term means to “swallow up” the change in terrain. It’s counter point term is Reploiment (not sure of the spelling, but pronounced Rep-le-mont) which means to passively absorb terrain variations, i.e. to be relaxed enough to let the terrain extend and flex the legs under the stable upper body.
In the 1970’s, the avalement technique was using knees and thighs when skiing moguls. This method was all about absorbing the bumps, which is one of the reasons I now have both knees replaced. I think it was developed by Jean Claude Killy.
I attended Jean Claude Killy’s racing camp at Jackson Hole for 2 Christmases. Killy did not teach us to use our knees and thighs at all for mogul skiing. His focus was using your abdominal and gluteus muscles to absorb bumps and terrain variations. You kept your upper body quiet and let your gut suck up the bumps. Boy, could you feel it at the end of the day; like 100+ sit-ups.
If you recall, he was most famous for active weight movement, back and forth, to decelerate and accelerate in GS and slalom. This required large thigh muscles and always facing your upper body directly down the fall line. This was very tough to master but fun once you learned the rhythm. The one gotcha was you were going very fast at the bottom of the course and had to work hard getting the last few gates.
By the way, he was a little bit of a drunk even around us kids. You did not get much evening time with him just the other instructors.
February 2, 2012 at 11:00 pm
Avalement (pronounced Av-el-mont) is a term that means to actively absorb terrain variations (such as moguls) by using our leg muscles (mainly the quads and hamstrings) to retract and extend the legs under a relatively stable body. Literally the term means to “swallow up” the change in terrain. It’s counter point term is Reploiment (not sure of the spelling, but pronounced Rep-le-mont) which means to passively absorb terrain variations, i.e. to be relaxed enough to let the terrain extend and flex the legs under the stable upper body.
February 3, 2012 at 12:05 am
In the 1970’s, the avalement technique was using knees and thighs when skiing moguls. This method was all about absorbing the bumps, which is one of the reasons I now have both knees replaced. I think it was developed by Jean Claude Killy.
February 26, 2012 at 2:15 pm
I attended Jean Claude Killy’s racing camp at Jackson Hole for 2 Christmases. Killy did not teach us to use our knees and thighs at all for mogul skiing. His focus was using your abdominal and gluteus muscles to absorb bumps and terrain variations. You kept your upper body quiet and let your gut suck up the bumps. Boy, could you feel it at the end of the day; like 100+ sit-ups.
If you recall, he was most famous for active weight movement, back and forth, to decelerate and accelerate in GS and slalom. This required large thigh muscles and always facing your upper body directly down the fall line. This was very tough to master but fun once you learned the rhythm. The one gotcha was you were going very fast at the bottom of the course and had to work hard getting the last few gates.
By the way, he was a little bit of a drunk even around us kids. You did not get much evening time with him just the other instructors.