Maybe use the words because now I don't know what 'ish' refers to. Most things are ish. Some people always want absolutes. And some are preachers. So those two work well together.
"Facing downhill" isn't for all situations.
In the slalom sequence above, what are you telling the athlete in terms of upper body position for those two gates? Assuming they're after Mikaela.
To develop counter, the skier will create an effort, throughout the turn, to counter or counteract the turning of the skis, aiming to have the hips face the outside ski.
In short, snappy or wiggle turns, this effort will result in the skier sometimes maintaining what looks like a disciplined hip facing down the slope, but that is only true in some types of turns.
My point was that, to ensure ski performance through edge engagement, in carved and like-carved turns, the skier should focus on turning the hips on top of an engaged and tipping leg, rather than focusing on turning the leg under the hip - especially at the high angles I normally have in mind.
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...about training to the above photos? I again, I'm not looking at body position, I just focus on the athlete creating a good effort to counter the hips throughout the turn, in relation to the skis turning. If through some parts of the turn, the hips stop moving and just follow the skis, the ski performance is usually degraded, especially on ice and race course - the turn should be about coiling and un-coiling, never really static.
Some cues that I use: move the inside hip forward through the turn, move the inside hand forward through the pole plant, face the outside ski, back at the gate, block sideways, maintain strong coiling in transition, pull the inside boot back. Sometimes (often?) drills around keep hips down the fall line, keep the jacket zipper facing down the hill, braquage, picture frame etc.
... and let's stay with Slalom, to avoid the usual "square in GS" discussions, which are not relevant here.
cheers
p.s. Note to readers from competing ski clubs, please note that the above is pure nonsense and picket fences are the only true drill worth doing!
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