Isocentric skis are very different from the existing solutions. Not only in terms of their design but in terms of the overall approach towards the body movement. To experience the full potential of the isocentric skis, one should apply the so-called wave body movement technique. The easiest way to describe the wave body movement technique is to compare it side by side with the “standard,” so-called carving technique.
In the carving technique, the skier’s feet (point B in the Figure below) are always in line with the skier’s centre of gravity (point A in the Figure below) which moves down and up during the turn, as if making squats. This way, centrifugal force acts directly on the skier’s legs during the entire turn. The centrifugal force is the highest under the skier’s feet and lowest at the edges of the ski.
In the wave technique, the legs move horizontally back and forth during the turn. During the turn, they travel from behind to the front of the skier’s centre of gravity: at the beginning of the turn, skier’s feet are slightly behind the body / skier’s centre of gravity, in the centre of the turn they synchronize (the feet catch up with the body) and at the end of the turn they overtake it (the feet overtake the body). This way, the legs act like springs that provide additional acceleration during the turn.
At the same time, during the turn the apparent centre of gravity of the skier is transferred from the back to the front of the skier’s actual centre of gravity, which also moves the gripping point of the centrifugal force. Hence, in the wave technique, the centrifugal force acting on the skier’s lower body / legs is lower compared to the carving technique. The overall pressure applied directly to the skier’s body is significantly decreased, which provides a levitating-like effect.
To summarize, the wave body movement technique enables the skier to use the centrifugal forces for additional acceleration instead of absorbing the forces with his body. This enables higher velocities while disburdening the body and providing more effortless and healthier skiing.