A ski simulator is an installation or device which allows the user to mimic the actions of snow
skiing
Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International S ...
without a snow-covered expanse of terrain.
Intended use
Simulators are primarily used for endurance and technique training, which can take place off-season, indoors or outside the
snow belt. The level of fidelity ranges from home
exercise equipment
Exercise equipment is any apparatus or device used during physical activity to enhance the strength or conditioning effects of that exercise by providing either fixed or adjustable amounts of resistance, or to otherwise enhance the experience or ...
(simulating the classic
Nordic cross-country stride or the slalom side to side motion) to immersive
virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) is a Simulation, simulated experience that employs 3D near-eye displays and pose tracking to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video gam ...
systems in Olympic training centers. Indoor installations permit training to be done in any season.
Balance, control and strength are learned by practice and actively doing training drills and lessons on the ski simulators.
Other analogues feature
artificial surfaces or roller equipment.
Endless slope
An endless slope is a sloped
treadmill
A treadmill is a device generally used for walking, running, or climbing while staying in the same place. Treadmills were introduced before the development of powered machines to harness the power of animals or humans to do work, often a type of ...
that allows
skier
Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International ...
s and
snowboarder
Snowboarding is a recreational and competitive activity that involves descending a snow-covered surface while standing on a snowboard that is almost always attached to a rider's feet. It features in the Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympic ...
s to refine form and strengthen muscles. Practicing on this treadmill that simulates snow allows
carving
Carving is the act of using tools to shape something from a material by scraping away portions of that material. The technique can be applied to any material that is solid enough to hold a form even when pieces have been removed from it, and y ...
, edging, pressuring, steering, and balance on skis or a snowboard, allowing the rider to experience the same muscle workout as on the mountain while developing the skills needed to gracefully move on snow.
Revolving carpet ski simulators and indoor ski slope carpets have been widely installed since the early 1960s.
They can be used for introductory training or to improve skills for expert skiers, especially outside the
ski season
Skis are runners, attached to the user's feet, designed to glide over snow. Typically employed in pairs, skis are attached to ski boots with ski bindings, with either a free, lockable, or partially secured heel. For climbing slopes, ski skins can ...
.
An alpine skiing simulator is a conveyor having an inclined surface with a moving multi-layer carpet, made out of a composite material. The band’s movement is directed upwards of the inclined surface towards the skier. Using a remote control, an instructor can set up different skiing conditions. For safety reasons the simulator has a smooth start and a smooth stop of the carpet and emergency stop sensors.
To ensure good slipping performance the upper working layer of the carpet is moistened with water, sending a signal from a remote control. In addition to that, if the slipping performance needs to be increased, it is possible to treat the working layer of the carpet with a special concentrate.
See also
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Indoor ski slope
Indoor skiing is done in a climate-controlled environment with snowmaking, artificially produced snow. This enables skiing and snowboarding to take place regardless of outdoor temperatures. Facilities for both alpine skiing and nordic skiing a ...
*
Roller skiing
Roller skiing is an off-snow equivalent to cross-country skiing. Roller skis have wheels on their ends and are used on a hard surface to emulate .Bryhn, Rolf and Knut Are Tvedt (eds.): ''Kunnskapsforlagets idrettsleksikon''. (Norwegian Encyclopedi ...
*
Ski school
*
Alpine Racer
is a racing game, racing sports video game developed and published by Namco for Arcade game, arcades. It had a limited release in December 1994, followed by a wide release in July 1995. It ran on the Namco System 22 arcade hardware.
The player ...
References
{{Skiing
Skiing equipment
Skiing techniques