According to the Functional Asymmetry Principle, motor behavior tends to go through asymmetric development periods, thus, everyone may have the propensity to frequently use one corporeal side more than the other. In skiing, both sides are used but there is a preference for one since we feel more confident while turning, and especially stopping, using our dominant side. Although skiing is a symmetrical activity executed in the same way to both sides and movements follow a cyclic functioning, we may be aware of our dominant side.
Motor dominance could be genetically determined but it may also be acquired. We are not born left or right-handed but we acquire such condition by genetic trend or by the environment in which we grow. This dominance also influences the way in which we challenge new learning situations since for picking up new information, we have better access through our dominant senses and also, we best show what we have learned with the dominant hand or foot.
In addition, not only we favor limbs of one side but also an eye and an ear. For instance, it is designated as the dominant eye the one that has supremacy on the other. In relation to the head, our dominant eye tends to tilt it to the opposite side. Gaze orientation through head rotation (Tonic Neck Reflex) towards one side increases our muscle tone of that side creating laterality.
While skiing, certain faults come from motor dominance. Our weaker side is stressed and our skilled side dominates movements and posture. To compensate for this situation, simple exercises may be applied as stopping repeatedly on the weaker side or paying attention to what and how it is done with the skilled side, reproducing it with our non-dominant side.
The function of brain hemispheres in body asymmetry
Human body structure tends to be asymmetrical and the differences between both brain hemispheres influence this condition. Both hemispheres are used but one is preferred, especially in stressful situations in which both cease to communicate among themselves as they normally do; one takes control favoring one side of our body and this predisposes greater motor differences than non-stressful situations.
Lateral dominance according to the skier’s technical level
Many skiers use preferably the dominant side which could be normal up to a certain level. In beginner levels, it is observed how this dominance noticeably appears when practicing an activity requiring some strength or ability, and normally they tend to exert one-half of the body rather than the other. In more advanced levels, it might be assumed that the dominance level has been balanced.
Corporal laterality
We perceive our corporal laterality taking our body longitudinal axis as a reference and, being aware of both sides, we must relate them to the adopting posture in our trajectory direction.
In foot and leg laterality, it is emphasized that the Dynamic leg is the one used, for example, for kicking a ball; and the Standing leg is the opposite. The Dominant foot is the one used for kicking and normally we have a dynamic leg and a dominant foot on the same body side.
Crossed laterality is when, having defined laterality as right or left-handed/footed, there is a preference for the opposite hand or foot, e.g., writing with the right hand and kicking with the left foot. This could affect posture acquisition or increase reaction time during particular situations because we may doubt in using one or the other side.
Regarding laterality in direction changes, in addition to the dominant foot and leg, we must take into account shoulder and hip since the predominance of one of these joints could imply also the preference of posture on the turning side.
The lateral dominance of the lower limbs influences skiing. According to a study by Vaverka & Vodickova, left turns of skiers with the right dominance have longer steering phases and are used to regulate speed.
Mirror system motor functioning
To perform a movement, motor neurons allow executing actions and mirror neurons are activated when we observe other skier’s actions, providing brain information with the same intensity we ourselves would be performing those actions. This particular functioning system influences our skiing motor learning. Our movements’ planning is activated thanks to these neurons, with single skiing mental simulation (internal imitation), or while observing photos or videos of people skiing. These neurons induce simulating or imitating other skiers’ intentions helping to understand their actions and having the impression of being mentally skiing.
Kinesthetic empathy
For the common eye, watching a skier could be just a superfluous visual image but for the trained observer, looking someone skiing can get to be a significant sensory experience. This is called Kinesthetic Empathy, i.e., the ability to perceive muscle and joint sensations connected to movements as if they were our own by merely observing another skier. In this case, watching skiing in real time or in video includes not just our gaze but our entire body since it accompanies the observed skier’s movements.
Kinesthetic empathy is the embodied simulation by which the observed skier is understood by looking at his movements. It is the observer’s intent to experience actions through internal movements activating the same brain areas of the viewed skier.
