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Are tall Skiers disadvantaged?

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pj21
Posts: 400 - Karma: 4,635
I'm 6'1' and reasonably tall for my age (15), got moderate park skills (backflip, most rails) and feel as if I am disadvantaged being tall. My shorter friends have it easier spinning and flipping, Is it because they are better than me or have a lower centre of gravity making it easier to do tricks?

So do tall skiers have a disadvantage skiing?
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Sep 3 2014 8:07AM
480 186
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THEE_wizard
Posts: 304 - Karma: 1,842
I'm 16 and I'm 5'8" so I'm kinda short, I have the same tricks as you (backflips,most rails) but I don't really feel that being short makes anything easier. Being tall may help to throw faster flips but being short might help to get it around. I don't really know though, since I don't do big enough tricks it would really matter yet.
Sep 3 2014 8:25AM
17 0
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TurquoiseGrizzly
Posts: 1819 - Karma: 13,149
Stay out of the trees.
Sep 3 2014 8:35AM
7 3
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nford
Posts: 227 - Karma: 1,686
I hate being a claimer but I'm 6'2 and 13
And I have a good amount tricks, hasn't stopped me
Sep 3 2014 8:46AM
5 29
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Mingg
Posts: 13977 - Karma: 49,314
Yeah it's definitely easier to be shorter because your center of gravity is lower. Doesn't mean you can't be as good/ better than them though.
Sep 3 2014 9:10AM
23 2
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TurquoiseGrizzly
Posts: 1819 - Karma: 13,149
You could bend down lower too.
Sep 3 2014 9:12AM
4 10
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chacha33
Posts: 959 - Karma: 4,163
I'm 6'1'' 200lbs and its all about strength for me. Before I did any physical activity whatsoever I was really really bad but now that I can lift my own fat ass I'm only kinda really bad
Sep 3 2014 9:29AM
22 0
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Craigskis
Posts: 6650 - Karma: 1,645
The lank can sometimes get in the way ascetically speaking, but if you can rip you can rip.

Jordan Monk a lanky dude over 6'3 won the world ski invitational 1/2pipe ages ago now when he outperformed the Pros stomping an early cork 10 into his run.

Philou Poirier looked like he was better suited to throw down in the NHL than on skis but he got it done with style.

You just got to own it.
Sep 3 2014 9:35AM
10 0
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SnowshoeThompson
Posts: 1095 - Karma: 1,433
no you just suck
Sep 3 2014 9:49AM
2 15
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TurquoiseGrizzly
Posts: 1819 - Karma: 13,149
SnowshoeThompsonno you just suck


That's not nice. Stop cyber bullying, you cyber bullying BITCH.
Sep 3 2014 9:56AM
60 1
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danderson.
Posts: 6560 - Karma: 5,252
I'm like 6'0 or 6'1 and suck dick skiing, but I think that's just 'cause I suck dick skiing.
Sep 3 2014 9:59AM
16 1
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SnowshoeThompson
Posts: 1095 - Karma: 1,433
GrizzlyBurrThat's not nice. Stop cyber bullying, you cyber bullying BITCH.

eat dirt, nerd
Sep 3 2014 10:05AM
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auski
Posts: 730 - Karma: 1,033
Bobby Brown and Russ Henshaw are both about 6'2"
Sep 3 2014 10:14AM
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toastyteenagers
Posts: 1834 - Karma: 6,793
MinggYeah it's definitely easier to be shorter because your center of gravity is lower. Doesn't mean you can't be as good/ better than them though.


silly ming it dosent work that way.

it's like if you have a big wood board and balance it, the center of gravity stays the same, if you balance it right. So most likely OP's center of gravity is almost the same as yours.
Sep 3 2014 10:34AM
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CashmereCat
Posts: 2211 - Karma: 2,394
Railersailersilly ming it dosent work that way.

it's like if you have a big wood board and balance it, the center of gravity stays the same, if you balance it right. So most likely OP's center of gravity is almost the same as yours.


Um no... Shorter people have a lower center of gravity. It is probably around the same part on a persons body, but that part will be closer to the ground in a shorter person. That probably didn't make sense, but the shorter the person the lower the center of gravity.
Sep 3 2014 10:45AM
21 0
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powerbong2000
Posts: 737 - Karma: 1,802
harder to not look like a donk in the air when you are really tall. I am 6'3". Look at bobby brown do the same trick next to henrik.
Sep 3 2014 12:01PM
3 2
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montanan
Posts: 1787 - Karma: 1,346
John Spriggs is fucking huge and he still slaying it hard. and a lil ways back around Leval 1s movie High Five, that era etc. emil coty was a beast and slayed some sick handrails , and Liam Downy had some sick seggys and he is a beast and he is still killing it. just depends on the person i think and there skiing ability .
Sep 3 2014 12:56PM
8 0
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reedwj
Posts: 344 - Karma: 1,262
Its not a coincidence that 90% of tops skiers in the game at any moment are Short AF

Anyone who doesn't understand the value of having a lower center of gravity just isn't looking at the physics of skiing.


Some big guys kill it. Bobby Brown, John Spriggs, etc
But the fact is that they are killing it despite a physical frame that makes tricks that much harder to throw.
Sep 3 2014 1:46PM
10 4
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Mingg
Posts: 13977 - Karma: 49,314
reedwjIts not a coincidence that 90% of tops skiers in the game at any moment are Short AF


Take Henrik Harlaut for example.
Sep 3 2014 1:52PM
16 0
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TurquoiseGrizzly
Posts: 1819 - Karma: 13,149
Louie Vito is teenie tiny but he snowboards. And a bitch.
Sep 3 2014 1:54PM
6 3
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reedwj
Posts: 344 - Karma: 1,262
or Wallisch, or Carlson, or Hall, or Candide, or Dumont, or the Wells brothers or, Torin Yater-Wallace...

all of them are like 5'6" or 5'7"

You can still be tall and crush it but the taller guys fall into the trap of looking mechanical.(Goepper and Brown for instance)
Sep 3 2014 2:08PM
10 0
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LC.
Posts: 5952 - Karma: 2,423
It's all relative & proportional. A low centre of gravity doesn't matter. Engineers, feel free to refute this. I'm 6ft4 by the way.

In gear though, we are disadvantaged. Not enough long skis out there.
Sep 3 2014 2:08PM
7 0
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TurquoiseGrizzly
Posts: 1819 - Karma: 13,149
reedwjor Wallisch, or Carlson, or Hall, or Candide, or Dumont, or the Wells brothers or, Torin Yater-Wallace...

all of them are like 5'6" or 5'7"

You can still be tall and crush it but the taller guys fall into the trap of looking mechanical.(Goepper and Brown for instance)


That's what he's trying to say man. All of those allstars are average sized where the mechanical lanky kids like BB and Goepper are mechanical.

Will Wesson is a pretty big dude though and he has mad steeeez.
Sep 3 2014 2:28PM
3 0
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-RB-
Posts: 1225 - Karma: 941
I've noticed this too, considering I'm 6'1", it's taking me longer than I feel it should to get tricks down but it's not hard, I mean take Brown for example, he's 6'1" and fucking kills it.
Sep 3 2014 3:13PM
0 0
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ktd619
Posts: 927 - Karma: 96
@TY_URLICH
Sep 3 2014 3:21PM
1 1
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gravel
Posts: 5518 - Karma: 42,202
You're tall relative to other people, but you've also been familiar with your size for your entire life. You might have a higher center of gravity relative to the short dudes, but you're also not used to having the lower center of gravity. I guess the point that I'm trying to make is that people say that it's easier for people with lower centers of gravity to do tricks, which might be true, but it shouldn't be THAT much more difficult for taller guys because they are familiar with their own centers of gravity. It's all relative.
Sep 3 2014 3:22PM
6 1
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eheath
Posts: 61603 - Karma: 123,093
If you're under 16 and over 6ft tall you should be playing a real sport like football/basketball.
Sep 3 2014 3:24PM
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DrewPeacock
Posts: 1003 - Karma: 1,763
Dr.NitrogenI'm like 6'0 or 6'1 and suck dick

ha gay
Sep 3 2014 3:25PM
10 3
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DoctorNitrogen
Posts: 37 - Karma: 19
tall skiers are disabled, not disadvantaged.
Sep 3 2014 3:27PM
2 3
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TurquoiseGrizzly
Posts: 1819 - Karma: 13,149
pussyfooterIf you're under 16 and over 6ft tall you should be playing a real sport like football/basketball.


Amen
Sep 3 2014 3:30PM
2 5
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Slush
Posts: 1914 - Karma: 12,942
I made a thread like this a while ago

https://www.newschoolers.com/forum/thread/756481/The-tall-advantage

Maybe there are some contributions to your question in here
Sep 3 2014 3:58PM
0 0
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Mingg
Posts: 13977 - Karma: 49,314
pussyfooterIf you're under 16 and over 6ft tall you should be playing a real sport like football/basketball.


Sorry, I didn't realize skiing wasn't a real sport.
Sep 3 2014 3:58PM
6 7
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eheath
Posts: 61603 - Karma: 123,093
MinggSorry, I didn't realize skiing wasn't a real sport.


Sorry. *A sport you can turn into a successful career.



Lets be honest here, 99% of skiers who want to be a "pro skier" will not succeed and maybe 25% of them will get sponsored, get good, etc but won't make a career out of it.

The only way you can make a career out of skiing is to be like tom, or simon, tanner etc which is .1% of freestyle/newschool skiers. Its very unlikely, especially being over 6ft tall (name a very successful tall professional skier) for anyone to be a professional skier and actually be very successful.

Being over 6ft tall and being young is a huge physical advantage and look at football/baseball/basketball players that are successful, they started out very athletic as they were young (usually bigger/taller than their classmates) and now they play a sport they love and are practically set for life. Of course the odds are low here as well but I'm just saying, every kid who skis thinks they should be a pro skier, when being a pro skier isn't even that legit compared to a "real sport".


Of course not everything in life is about money, but if some kid tells me he 13 and 6ft tall, hes probably going to get taller and should try out a sport like basketball or football and not worry about skiing. If you do well enough in high school you can go to college for free, thousands of student athletes get free college educations and thats 1000 times better than anything skiing can offer (unless you're a ski racer, but thats decently rare compared to football/basketball/baseball/tennis/golf etc)


This is a skiing website but I feel like at times we should explore other sports, we can ski the rest of our lives.
Sep 3 2014 4:13PM
17 7
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BungHole.
Posts: 698 - Karma: 1,422
Its all relitivity. If you have the muscle to make up for your height then you are not disadvantaged. Just work out and you'll feel the difference.

I'm a little tall (5' 11") bit I'm lanky as fuck. I used to be lankier but when I started going to the gym everything started feeling a whole lot better.
Sep 3 2014 4:29PM
2 0
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moon-moon
Posts: 89 - Karma: 832
pussyfooterIf you're under 16 and over 6ft tall you should be playing a real sport like football/basketball.


so are you just permabulking?
Sep 3 2014 4:43PM
8 0
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Turkelton
Posts: 2829 - Karma: 8,558
pussyfooterIf you're under 16 and over 6ft tall you should be playing a real sport like football/basketball.


when will they learn?
Sep 3 2014 4:43PM
0 0
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madmike09
Posts: 9 - Karma: 6
Yo I'm 5'3'' and 15. The thing about being tall is that you get more airtime being tall, but you can't spin as fast. Being small you can spin fast, but can't get that much air. So it evens out in the end.
Sep 3 2014 5:01PM
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Basil91
Posts: 123 - Karma: 593
I'm 6'2" and struggle to find steezy enough tall tees, so yes
Sep 3 2014 5:09PM
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APunx176
Posts: 1189 - Karma: 2,628
Bobby Brown is like 6'3" and he's one of the best skiers in comp right now.
Sep 3 2014 5:12PM
1 1
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zulis
Posts: 531 - Karma: 1,644
I have a friend hes 6.3 but hes still steeziest skier on hill and almost europe.Offcourse 5.8 feet tall skier looks way better on handrail in street thats why taller guys have to hit bigger rails/drops/wallrides but on jumps it's almost the same.
Sep 3 2014 6:01PM
1 1
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wasatch_rat
Posts: 1772 - Karma: 2,951
no and don't make excuses. bobby brown, andreas hatveit, will wesson, and john spriggs are all super tall and they rip. don't think about why something is impossible or more difficult, think about how to make it possible. i'm 6'3 and never felt held back by my height
Sep 3 2014 6:05PM
2 0
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hosmejo
Posts: 158 - Karma: 329
Ive wondered about this as I am 5'9, but I don't see myself as being super short like my 17 year old friend who is 5'3. I think once you reach pro level (especially guys who compete in x games, stuff like that) it does not really matter, because they have work outs and ways to use there bodies that let them do the same stuff as shorter guys.
Sep 3 2014 6:28PM
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.FRY.
Posts: 5620 - Karma: 22,861
nfordI'm 6'2 and 13


i'm calling bull shit
Sep 3 2014 7:03PM
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tiger5167
Posts: 96 - Karma: 482
well im 6ft 3 (14yrs old) and the thing that disadvantages me is finding boots that fit me (im size 15 in australian sizes)
Sep 3 2014 7:14PM
0 0
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TACO-DOG.exe
Posts: 11988 - Karma: 12,261
not sure if it makes you better or worse than skiing but i know for sure it makes crashes worse and whiplash more severe.
Sep 3 2014 7:42PM
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snomaster
Posts: 3344 - Karma: 5,748
john spriggs, nick mcnutt, ryan halverson, nick martini to name a few I've stood besides seem to ski fine being over 6 feet. there are plenty other examples too.
Sep 3 2014 7:49PM
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Slush
Posts: 1914 - Karma: 12,942
Basil91I'm 6'2" and struggle to find steezy enough tall tees, so yes


I know that feel
Sep 3 2014 7:50PM
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PowGnarShred
Posts: 9 - Karma: 41
i'm 13 and my penis is measured at 7 inches. soft. I do not find myself disadvantaged in any way shape or form. I have most tricks dialed.
Sep 3 2014 7:58PM
17 0
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BG12
Posts: 202 - Karma: 316
Im "6.4 15yrs and one disadvantage about becoming tall is having to buy new boots and sometimes pants every year other than that you can't blame a high center of gravity on being a bad skier
Sep 3 2014 8:01PM
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Bum.Life
Posts: 507 - Karma: 2,608
PowGnarShredi'm 13 and my penis is measured at 7 inches. soft. I do not find myself disadvantaged in any way shape or form. I have most tricks dialed.


General rule for dudes who feel the need to post their dick size, subtract 3 inches.
Sep 3 2014 8:04PM
0 0
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RubberSoul
Posts: 11249 - Karma: 14,642
being short and having a low center of gravity certainly doesnt hurt, and yeah, it's probably no coincidence that most pro skiers are sorta small guys, but let's be real here, is a difference of like 5 inches max and a few dozen pounds really a make or break difference?

the scale of everything in skiing is big, i have a hard time imagining physics-wise that a 6'2" 180 lb dude is really that much more challenged than a 5'9" 160 lb dude when theyre hitting a 50 foot jump. what's the supposed key difference, a 5 inch difference in center of gravity? the weight? momentum? this isn't gymnastics, the difference between successful and non successful skiers isn't the ability to cram an extra 180 into a small time/size frame

i'd love for a scientist who is knowledgeable on the subject to chime in but ive actually never met someone who could apply their education to skiing in a useful way re: physics of jumping and spinning
Sep 3 2014 8:11PM
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