Copy of `Special Olympics - Sports glosary`

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Special Olympics - Sports glosary Category: Sport and Leisure > Special Olympics Date & country: 27/10/2013, DE Words: 73

Absorption
Flexion/extension movements of the body to absorb and even out the pressure variations on the skis that result from the dynamics of the turn or terrain variations.

Aerobic Training
Training to improve the cardiovascular (oxygen transport) system. Exercise sustained for three minutes or longer. It is the fundamental basis for most forms of physical conditioning; examples are running, hiking and bicycling.

Alpine Racing Disciplines
10-Meter Walk, Glide, Super Glide, Slalom, Giant Slalom and Super G events.

Anaerobic Training
Training to improve the body's energy system that functions at a level of intensity so high that oxygen can no longer be converted to energy rapidly enough; thus the body must rely on stored energy. Requires a maximal effort of up to one minute duration. Examples are slalom skiing, sprints and athletics.

Angulation
Creating lateral angles with the knees, ankles, hips and upper body to balance or turn on an edged ski.

Arc
The track of a turn remaining on the snow.

Banking
Inclining or leaning the entire body to put the ski on its edge.

Bi-ski
A bucket suspended over two skis, in which the athlete, without use of his/her arms and legs, sits. A bi-ski may be tethered by a qualified stand-up skier.

Carved Turn
A turn where the tail of the ski follows in the track of the tip of the ski.

Center of Mass
That point of the body where, for analysis of the dynamics of movement, all of the body's mass may be considered to reside. Usually this point is in the region of the navel; as the body flexes and assumes different postures, the center of mass moves around. Also called center of gravity.

Christy Turn
A turn during which the skis skid at the same time on corresponding edges. (Corresponding means either both left or both right edges, as viewed by the skier.)

Counter Rotation
The movement of twisting the torso and legs in opposite directions concurrently.

Cross-Over
Moving the body's center of mass forward and over the skis in the direction of the new turn.

Crud
Varied snow conditions that exist on tracked powder snow or ungroomed spring snow.

DIN
The setting on your ski bindings that indicates the force required to release the your ski boot.

DNF
Did Not Finish

DNS
Did Not Start

DSQ or DQ
Disqualified

Edging
Placing the edge of the ski at an angle to the snow surface.

Extension
Any movement resulting in an increase of a joint angle (i.e., the angle between two adjacent parts of a limb).

Fall Away Turn
Turns made on a side hill.

Fall Line
The imaginary line down a slope, where gravity and terrain would allow a ball to roll down the hill. Skiers achieve their greatest speed when in the fall line.

FIS
The abbreviation for Federation International de Ski, the organization that regulates all international amateur ski competition.

Flex Pole
A plastic gate that is hinged at snow level.

Flexion
Any movement resulting in a decrease of a joint angle.

Footbed
An insole or orthotic placed inside a ski boot that helps to align the foot, ankle, knee and hip for a balanced stance.

Forerunner
A skier who skis a race course before the competitors do, in order to determine if the course is safe and ready for competition.

Fundamentals
Basic components of good skiing.

Garland
A series of short turns across a hill in one direction.

Gate
A pair (Slalom) or two pairs (Giant Slalom or Super-G) of poles holding gate flags that establish an imaginary line across which a skier must pass on a race course.

Glide
Skiing on as flat a ski as possible.

Groomed
Snow that has been mechanically prepared.

Guide
A trained skier who communicates information to a visually impaired skier.

Inclination
Banking or leaning the entire body to put the ski on its edge.

Initiation Phase of a Turn
The movement in the direction of a new turn that prompts edge change.

Inside Ski
The ski closest to the center of the turn.

Isometric Exercise
Muscle contraction using resistance and no joint movement.

Isotonic Exercise
Dynamic muscle contraction involving joint movement; i.e., calisthenics.

Jury
The officials principally responsible for ensuring that the race is fair and safe for all competitors.

Line
The path taken through the gates.

Long Radius
Turns as in Giant Slalom and Super-G.

Mono-ski
A bucket suspended over one ski, with a shock absorbing system, in which the athlete, without use of his/her legs, sits.

Open Gate
A gate that is set horizontal to the direction of the course.

Outside Ski
The ski farthest from the center of the turn.

Pole Plant
Used as a timing device in a turn.

Pressure
Management of the appropriate weight distribution on the ski.

Race Line
The fastest path taken through the gates.

Referee
A member of the jury.

Rise Line
The imaginary line, in the fall line, above the turning pole in a race course; it is used by coaches to determine turn shape.

Rotation
Lower body function of the legs and feet that determines the turn shape appropriate to the terrain.

Short Radius
Small turns as in slalom turns.

Side Cut
The design of a ski in which the waist (middle) of the ski is narrower than the tip and the tail.

Sideslipping
The movement of parallel skis sliding perpendicularly down the hill by releasing the edges and flattening out the skis.

Skidded Turn
A turn where the tail of the ski does not follow in the track made by the tip of the ski.

Ski Flex
The bending of an edged and pressured ski.

Slalom
A race where the skier goes in and out of poles (gates) planted in the snow.

Snowplow Turn
See Wedge Turn.

Speed Events
Downhill or Super G.

Start Wand
The device in the starting gate that is located about knee level that activates the timing equipment.

Static
Skiing position that lacks movements.

Stubbies
Cut-off slalom or flex poles used for training drills.

Tactics
The line chosen to ski through a gate or over varying terrain.

TD
Abbreviation for Technical Delegate, who is the head of the jury. This person makes certain that the race is safely and properly conducted.

Technical Events
Slalom or Giant Slalom.

Technique
The choice made among the movement options available to accomplish a given goal.

Tether
A ropelike restraint used as a safety measure. The action of managing a skier with a 12- to 20-foot line.

Terrain Course
A course designed to have many of the terrain components found in free skiing, such as bumps, rolls, jumps, ducking poles and offset ripples.

Traverse
Skiing across the hill from one side to the other on an edged ski.

Tuck
The aerodynamic position that Downhill and Super G racers use to achieve more speed.

Turning Pole
In a gate, the inside gate pole around which the racer skis.

Wax Room
A place set up by coaches and parents where athletes can work on their skis.

Wedge
A position of the skis on the snow where the tips are close together and the tails are fanned out.

Wedge Turn
Also called the snowplow turn. Its an elementary turn with the skis in a wedge position where the tips of the skis are closer than the tails.