MA Request

[tlougee]

Please take a look at this and let me know what you would recommend I work on to improve while there is snow left!

 

[PTskier]

Hips over heels. No need to bend over this way. Stand tall with loose joints. Balance on the balls of your feet.

Hips way behind heels. Get your center of mass over your toes and find out how well your skis perform.
There's more, but getting correctly centered & balanced is always #1.

 

[Josh Matta]

PTskier do you have any video of you skiing? I keep hearing this dogma, and honestly there is no other way to say your wrong then asking for video of you skiing.

If your on the ball of your foot you are almost certain using a very open ankle....

by your logic used in this MA Mikela is clearly not standing on the balls of her feet(she shouldnt be) and she is backseat with her hips behind her heels.


to the OP the skiing is fine to improve it get your boot laterally aligned and then learn how to shorter your inside leg quicker into turn. Realistically the boot alignment will matter more than the technique on this one.

 

[fullStack]

Please take a look at this and let me know what you would recommend I work on to improve while there is snow left!

Overall nice skiing.
It appears your left arm is relatively static compared to your much more dynamic right arm...
Do you feel like your right turns are stronger than your left turns?

 

[karlo]

Compared to your 0004 video from (2013?), quite a substantial change, and I like it. In the earlier video, the turn initiation was more the unweight, then edge change, and that initial edge set was harsh. Now, you are "rolling" from turn to turn smoothly. The upper body is so much quieter. I think you must feel the difference, the skis working for you, much more fun.

In the video named "Good", I perceive a foot-shuffle, back and forth. I suggest doing less of that, with a focus on pulling the inside foot back.

appears your left arm is relatively static compared to your much more dynamic right arm

Maybe there was a transposition? I think the right arm is static, and almost dragging. Pretty clear as you ski away from the camera.

In "Short", notice how the skis are diverging? Try getting over the new outside ski earlier. Try this, something an instructor suggested I try, and I liked a lot. As you finish a turn, just before you flatten the skis for transition, shift over a bit, not a lot, to what is still the inside ski of the old turn, putting pressure on its little toe edge, then roll seamlessly onto flat of ski, in transition, then onto the big toe edge. That will also result in early lightening of what will be your new inside ski. I think you will find less divergence. Practice that on terrain with constant fall line.

In the videos, you are on interesting terrain, with undulating and variable fall line. Keep sight of every minute change and adjust your alignment. Seek perfection at every point.

As for the video of MS that Josh posted, she is flexing to release and appearing to sit back. But, she is in transition and nearly weightless. Look at her when the skis are pressured. There, she is stacked. Her ankles, knees, hips are flexed such that her COM is for sure over her feet.

 

[jimmy]

Compared to your 0004 video from (2013?), quite a substantial change, and I like it.




Maybe there was a transposition? I think the right arm is static, and almost dragging. Pretty clear as you ski away from the camera.

In "Short", notice how the skis are diverging? Try getting over the new outside ski earlier. Try this, something an instructor suggested I try, and I liked a lot. As you finish a turn, just before you flatten the skis for transition, shift over a bit, not a lot, to what is still the inside ski of the old turn, putting pressure on its little toe edge, then roll seamlessly onto flat of ski, in transition, then onto the big toe edge. That will also result in early lightening of what will be your new inside ski. I think you will find less divergence. Practice that on terrain with constant fall line.

Good advice here. I occasionally saw bracing on the outside ski and a stem. Be careful after you start moving pressure to the soon to be outside ski that you roll BOTH skis. Simultaneous Edge Change. Nice skiing!

 

[tlougee]

Compared to your 0004 video from (2013?), quite a substantial change, and I like it. In the earlier video, the turn initiation was more the unweight, then edge change, and that initial edge set was harsh. Now, you are "rolling" from turn to turn smoothly. The upper body is so much quieter. I think you must feel the difference, the skis working for you, much more fun.

In the video named "Good", I perceive a foot-shuffle, back and forth. I suggest doing less of that, with a focus on pulling the inside foot back.



Maybe there was a transposition? I think the right arm is static, and almost dragging. Pretty clear as you ski away from the camera.

In "Short", notice how the skis are diverging? Try getting over the new outside ski earlier. Try this, something an instructor suggested I try, and I liked a lot. As you finish a turn, just before you flatten the skis for transition, shift over a bit, not a lot, to what is still the inside ski of the old turn, putting pressure on its little toe edge, then roll seamlessly onto flat of ski, in transition, then onto the big toe edge. That will also result in early lightening of what will be your new inside ski. I think you will find less divergence. Practice that on terrain with constant fall line.

In the videos, you are on interesting terrain, with undulating and variable fall line. Keep sight of every minute change and adjust your alignment. Seek perfection at every point.

As for the video of MS that Josh posted, she is flexing to release and appearing to sit back. But, she is in transition and nearly weightless. Look at her when the skis are pressured. There, she is stacked. Her ankles, knees, hips are flexed such that her COM is for sure over her feet.

Thanks for the feedback Karlo! I am not sure which video you are referring to when you talk about the 0004 video. The two I just posted were taken just a week apart this spring. I may have posted a video a few years back on the old Epicski forum. Perhaps that's what you saw? The drill you mention sounds a little like the "up and over" drill which I should spend some time working on.

 

[tlougee]

PTskier do you have any video of you skiing? I keep hearing this dogma, and honestly there is no other way to say your wrong then asking for video of you skiing.

If your on the ball of your foot you are almost certain using a very open ankle....

by your logic used in this MA Mikela is clearly not standing on the balls of her feet(she shouldnt be) and she is backseat with her hips behind her heels.


to the OP the skiing is fine to improve it get your boot laterally aligned and then learn how to shorter your inside leg quicker into turn. Realistically the boot alignment will matter more than the technique on this one.

Thanks for the feedback Matt! I had those boots aligned a couple of years ago so I think the problem is with me not the boots as much as I wish it were the opposite. In terms of shorting the inside leg quicker I assume that would draw the COM more quickly inside the turn as a result. Is that what you think would help? I also agree with you on the hips thing. The best skiers in the world move there hips fore and aft depending on the type of transition, etc so the hips over heels thing just leads to static skiing and I want to be more dynamic, not less so.

 

[tlougee]

Overall nice skiing.
It appears your left arm is relatively static compared to your much more dynamic right arm...
Do you feel like your right turns are stronger than your left turns?

Yes the lack of a pole swing is very evident and something I need to work on, thanks!

 

[Jamt]

You already received some good advice.
In the long turns early in the first clip you become quite static in the turn phase. Keep shortening the inside leg until at least the fall line.
In the short turns. I would like to see deeper flex in transitions and a pole plant. Keep increasing hip angulation through the entire turn phase.

 

[tlougee]

You already received some good advice.
In the long turns early in the first clip you become quite static in the turn phase. Keep shortening the inside leg until at least the fall line.
In the short turns. I would like to see deeper flex in transitions and a pole plant. Keep increasing hip angulation through the entire turn phase.

Thanks for the feedback Jamt. I agree very much with both of the things you said. I think the lack of it makes my skiing look too passive. What I need to figure out is do I need to simply add range of motion or do I need to be more progressive with the range of motion I already exhibit, or probably both. I have noticed that for some reason I seem to reach a certain amount of flexing / extending / angulation and then just stop as if I have hit some hard limit. I think it is something in my head that just is not comfortable going past a certain point. It is something I have become aware of in the last couple of seasons that I want to work on.

 

[Tony S]

Second clip. Get a better videoographer!

 

[tlougee]

Second clip. Get a better videoographer!

Class action law suit coming my way for making ski instructors everywhere motion sick!

 

[JESinstr]

Thanks for the feedback Jamt. I agree very much with both of the things you said. I think the lack of it makes my skiing look too passive. What I need to figure out is do I need to simply add range of motion or do I need to be more progressive with the range of motion I already exhibit, or probably both. I have noticed that for some reason I seem to reach a certain amount of flexing / extending / angulation and then just stop as if I have hit some hard limit. I think it is something in my head that just is not comfortable going past a certain point. It is something I have become aware of in the last couple of seasons that I want to work on.

It might help to think of it like pedaling a bicycle but in reverse in terms of pressure. The pressure COMES to your outside (longer leg) as a result of you shortening your inside leg because this is how higher edge angles are built. Make this process span the entire turn. Let the inside be become the "driver"/"pilot"/"regulator" of the outside.

 

[markojp]

Agree with Josh's thoughts above about the hips... CoM isn't in the pelvis for most all males. To the OP, I also don't know that you have any particularly big lateral alignment issue. I see you move from outside ski to outside ski, but I see divergence at the end of each turn. I think the key for your next step up the curve is learning to pressure (not weight!) the outside edge of the shovel of your new inside instead of letting is hang out for the ride. Doing this will bring your COM up over your new OUTSIDE foot earlier in your turns AND help your inside ski track accurately through your arcs. Most importantly, this with help you to maintain pressure in the forebody of your outside ski as it starts to flatten in transition. We gotta get over the outside foot without pushing it away.

For fun, do some lane changes and vary the radius of your turns a bit to work on DIRT. When you can effortlessly change your arcs,then you'll be getting closer to snatching that proverbial 70's TV pebble.

 

[Stephen Witkop]

It might help to think of it like pedaling a bicycle but in reverse in terms of pressure. The pressure COMES to your outside (longer leg) as a result of you shortening your inside leg because this is how higher edge angles are built. Make this process span the entire turn. Let the inside be become the "driver"/"pilot"/"regulator" of the outside.

I hope you don't mind but I'm going to hijack the pedaling visualization to help smooth out the transition in my turns. I have a tendency to make a hard edge set to force the transition and the feeling of smooth pedaling stroke fits my minds eye.

Thanks!

 

[markojp]

One thing to be very careful of with the 'long leg, short leg" mantra is dropping your inside hip as you shorten the inside leg. DON'T DO IT!!! Don't be a hip dumper in the never never land of perputually inside, out of balance, and reliant on 'park and ride' to stay upright on limited, well manicured terrain.


Here's a good visual for you:


The same skier, different terrain, and slightly different ski, but the fundamentals are crystal clear:

 

[Tony S]

Nice skiing. Glad Stowe was warm enough that day for electronics to function. Josh! Chase!

 

[tlougee]

It might help to think of it like pedaling a bicycle but in reverse in terms of pressure. The pressure COMES to your outside (longer leg) as a result of you shortening your inside leg because this is how higher edge angles are built. Make this process span the entire turn. Let the inside be become the "driver"/"pilot"/"regulator" of the outside.

Thanks JESinstr for the tip! Definitely something to play with next time I am on snow.

 

[tlougee]

Agree with Josh's thoughts above about the hips... CoM isn't in the pelvis for most all males. To the OP, I also don't know that you have any particularly big lateral alignment issue. I see you move from outside ski to outside ski, but I see divergence at the end of each turn. I think the key for your next step up the curve is learning to pressure (not weight!) the outside edge of the shovel of your new inside instead of letting is hang out for the ride. Doing this will bring your COM up over your new OUTSIDE foot earlier in your turns AND help your inside ski track accurately through your arcs. Most importantly, this with help you to maintain pressure in the forebody of your outside ski as it starts to flatten in transition. We gotta get over the outside foot without pushing it away.

For fun, do some lane changes and vary the radius of your turns a bit to work on DIRT. When you can effortlessly change your arcs,then you'll be getting closer to snatching that proverbial 70's TV pebble.

Thanks for the feedback markojp! Let me see if I am picking up what your putting down. You are advocating getting pressure on the shovel of the inside ski correct? Actually I was given this advice by a trainer a couple of years ago. So I have two questions. First do you have a suggestion on how to accomplish this? I would say pulling the inside foot back combined with focusing on leading with the inside foot during transition, etc but maybe I am on the wrong track with that. Second, how would this help to maintain pressure on the outside ski as it flattens towards transition? One simple way to think about this is to say hey I only have 'x' amount of pressure to distribute between the two skis so any that is going to one is taking away from the other. On the other hand, you might be making the argument that by positioning myself to get to the front of the inside ski pressured I will be generating more pressure overall, etc? Finally, I got this feedback from Deb Armstrong on Facebook where I posted the same videos in the "PSIA Teaching Ideas Study Group." DA - "Hi gang, in my assessment the #1 area to focus on is the lack of foot to foot and fore aft movement. For more turn shape versatility and options finding the new outside foot earlier followed by working forward into that new outside ski tip for engagement and deflection." Others followed up with suggestions of drills using Stork Turns, etc to get more pressure on the front of the outside ski earlier in the turn. Do you think these folks are thinking along the same line as you but just wording it in a different way and going at the problem with a different focus? I am just trying to sift through all of the advice to see if I can arrive at a common denominator.