Bump lesson from Takao

[geepers]

Takao - insane foot speed.

Foot placement is huge for bump skiers.

Like this?

One reason why I typically do not like most Asian ski teaching and I ll say it again is that for them its art, not science. Which is fine if that how you want it to be. but many things they do are entirely subjective based.

Perhaps. Then again here's commentary from some-one who has been participating for 5 years.

 

[jack97]

Takao - insane foot speed.

One of the reasons Takao has insane foot speed is because of his foot placement or what others would call foot containment. That frontal shot of him shows how he keeps his feet under the hip. Although not shown, fore/aft wise he has to keep them near under center so that the skis don't jet out.

 

[karlo]

Where does one go to buy bumps like that? I've never seen them at my hill,
Must be some factory somewhere selling them, they all look so much alike. ;-)

Japan. In Japan, there is one way to ski. Hence, only one type of bump is "manufactured".

 

[David]

I wish we had bumps like that in Michigan!

 

[CoPow]

I will fully coincide that riding big berms like this is one of the few times that I think hips should square up with your skis. @LiquidFeet might remember us talking about while skiing woods with similar berms at stowe.

I still dont know why its good on an open groomer though...

One reason why I typically do not like most Asian ski teaching and I ll say it again is that for them its art, not science. Which is fine if that how you want it to be. but many things they do are entirely subjective based.

Well first of all, it basically only snows enough for ski areas in Japan in East Asia although there are several manmade snow areas outside of it, so everything is basically Japanese. That said, I agree with you. Japanese Technical Competition focus on form on neatly groomed snow too much, some of the techniques not appropriate on more "natural" conditions. They even added "Artistic" points this year. However, this video seems to be genuinely what he normally teaches, and really through. I'm personally a person of drills and practices, not giving tips while skiing somewhat normally type of a guy but there is so much to this one that should be respected, imo. And there is no denying he's a super skier, maybe not at the top WC level but in his own way.

 

[CoPow]

I've just skied with a Danish demo team member who has skied with Takao in China -- one of Takao's big things is foot placement. But he also believes in a connection between the outside hip and the outside foot. He coaches that there is some impetus from the hip to the outside foot at the initiation of the turn. So while the video shows a lot more rotation of the hip, his more recent coaching shows hip rotation only at the initiation to the shaping phase of the turn. I believe that the Interski presentation covers this.

Mike

The thing about Japanese skiing is that there is a bit too much marketing going on and every time the textbook changes, their style changes. Several years ago it was about using the inside foot and skiing without too much flexing and countering. I remember Paul Lorenz's blog post about how it's a bit too much. Now the guy who was in charge of that trend is out and they are back to outside ski pressure and countering, to a degree. You kind of need to read between the lines when you see their skiing.

 

[Mike King]

The thing about Japanese skiing is that there is a bit too much marketing going on and every time the textbook changes, their style changes. Several years ago it was about using the inside foot and skiing without too much flexing and countering. I remember Paul Lorenz's blog post about how it's a bit too much. Now the guy who was in charge of that trend is out and they are back to outside ski pressure and countering, to a degree. You kind of need to read between the lines when you see their skiing.

Sorry, but I'm going to call bullshit on this dissing of the Japanese skiing. You may not like their style, you may not like the competitions, but these guys rip. And they were profoundly influenced by Richie Berger. Richie also rips. Diss them all you want, but until you post video of you ripping a bump line like them, or pulling a bunch of pain in the S's, get over it.

There's definitely more than one way to ski, but the Japanese tech skiers definitely can do so,

Mike

 

[abcd]

call this carving through the bumps, or a version of carving. But I doubt there is a pencil-thin line.

I've heard somewhere that he describes his skiing as "half moon to half moon", i.e. he tries to make the track wider in the apex.

Nice find. I really like the skiing Takao shows in the recent Rookie vids -

Yes he does......

What is mind-blowing about the Rookie videos is the ability of other instructors to mimic his style. I didn't appreciate how good they are until I stumbled upon a video of some random training he gave at Whistler. People there who ski behind him are good skiers, but they mostly ski their own style, not his style.

 

[jack97]

Japan. In Japan, there is one way to ski. Hence, only one type of bump is "manufactured".

Inbound trail in all resorts are manufactured to some degree, such as grooming, park features, setting up gate for races and sprinkling salt to harden the surface for race events. Natural trails are not immune either, my local hill had a fallen tree that took near the width of a natural/bump trail under the lift, within a week they cleared it.

I wish we had bumps like that in Michigan!

Seems Japan and other Asian areas like to seed the bump formation with "grass" sticks, not sure what the official name of these are but that's what some call them. Marker 1:08 is when they start planting them on a groomed surface. Then skiers make turns or slips after a storm to the cadence of the sticks. Starting at 8:00, there's a great shot sequence where it follows a skier down when the bumps are "ripe".

 

[LiquidFeet]

^^THAT is a fascinating. What a great way to make a consistent bump field.
It looks like everyone helps with the work of shaping those bumps.

 

[Mike King]

^^We need to have that going on at some of our resorts!

 

[karlo]

^^We need to have that going on at some of our resorts!

Would be nice. The problem is this part,

It looks like everyone helps with the work of shaping those bumps.

In the States, how many skiers are going to follow the protocol on how and where to ski through the sticks?

 

[karlo]

What is mind-blowing about the Rookie videos is the ability of other instructors to mimic his style. I didn't appreciate how good they are until I stumbled upon a video of some random training he gave at Whistler. People there who ski behind him are good skiers, but they mostly ski their own style, not his style.

Looking at the last segment of skiing, him and other instructors, is it the way he poles, or does he have shorter poles than the others? I've been skiing with standard length poles; hold the pole under basket; forearm parallel to ground (with boots on and skis off). But, I've been thinking I should use a somewhat shorter pole.

 

[SSSdave]

Especially liked the second video showing tucked in knee and foot placements. Some bump skiers with a skeleton to do so, can use the surf technique, knees somewhat advanced with feet parallel, less edged, in the familiar glued together like technique. I can only do that on limited bump shapes using a more full body length, rapid gumby countering style. Otherwise, my skeleton does not easily allow such. So with dynamic upper to lower body separation to keep my below legs closely parallel, I have my two legs and feet in a continuous dance of subtle left right positional oscillation, legs in close smooth following contact with each other, that at the end of each turn have the unweighted ski slightly advanced tucked in against the weighted ski quite like demo'd in that video. By repetitively practicing turning like that, especially on groomed, keeping my legs close together and thus tracking more stably, it becomes second nature and at an advanced level in moguls allows evolving a perpendicular downward countering pressure that better grips snow through turns.

 

[James]

Looking at the last segment of skiing, him and other instructors, is it the way he poles, or does he have shorter poles than the others? I've been skiing with standard length poles; hold the pole under basket; forearm parallel to ground (with boots on and skis off). But, I've been thinking I should use a somewhat shorter pole.

Your poles are too long. Go 2 in shorter. At least. Bumper might be 4-6 shorter. Park rat 10-12.
The whole 90 deg thing - we don't ski standing straight up.
Racers want long poles for the start. Then they just think that's the way poles are once they stop racing.
Get an adjustable pole and experiment.

 

[Mike King]

Looking at the last segment of skiing, him and other instructors, is it the way he poles, or does he have shorter poles than the others? I've been skiing with standard length poles; hold the pole under basket; forearm parallel to ground (with boots on and skis off). But, I've been thinking I should use a somewhat shorter pole.

As mentioned by @James above, variable length poles are really useful. I find I use a different length for teaching, training short radius dynamic turns, and bumps. It's quite useful to be able to adjust depending on the task.

 

[Mike King]

I just went back to watch the Projected Productions "How to Ski" segment with Takao. It is well worth the roughly $6.50 (USD, or $10 AUD) price of admission. Personally, while I love the skiing of Paul and Reilly, I think Takao's is much more functional, and achievable, for the vast majority of people.

All Access Video Pass | Projected

The worlds best ski Instructional vidoes. Improve your skiing today! Projected Productions

www.projectedproductions.com

Mike

 

[jack97]

Especially liked the second video showing tucked in knee and foot placements.

When I saw the Takao's short turns, first thing I thought was S. Fearing. That knee tuck is classic old school. Its practical in terms of making a quick turn in a narrow corridor. Vid below is something I always watch, getting stacked with that knee tuck is power and control.

 

[Scruffy]

^^THAT is a fascinating. What a great way to make a consistent bump field.
It looks like everyone helps with the work of shaping those bumps.

That's usually the way freestyle comp bumps are formed. They made some the other day at my home resort for a weekend comp. There they used brush gates to outline the course. They took a cat up the slope and pushed a bunch of snow around and made two jumps. This made the snow as rough as an avalanche run-out; big rock sized death cookies. They laid the course out with brush gates and had the comp kids stomp ( boot pack ) the course flat enough till they could ski it. Then they skied it for two days turning at the brush gates until the course was complete with comp bumps. Then they shove smoothed the jumps and skied that until it the whole course was ready for the competition.

 

[karlo]

I just went back to watch the Projected Productions "How to Ski" segment with Takao. It is well worth the roughly $6.50 (USD, or $10 AUD) price of admission. Personally, while I love the skiing of Paul and Reilly, I think Takao's is much more functional, and achievable, for the vast majority of people.

All Access Video Pass | Projected

The worlds best ski Instructional vidoes. Improve your skiing today! Projected Productions

www.projectedproductions.com

Mike

did you purchase that video for $6.50? The only choice i see is a subscription for $9.99/mth, to view all videos