Bullet Proof Short Radius Turns!!

[jbotti]

I just came back from skiing with Harald and Max 501. My goal in going was to work on my off piste skiing and garner the proper technique and tools to ski moguls efficiently and with the proper movement patterns.

What was apparent immediately is that I don't have a bullet proof short radius turn and without it as Harald says so elequently "you are entering gravitational warfare without the appropraite weapons" How True!!

Max 501 has the bullet proof SRT and a lot more. He was an inspiration to watch, and he skied the most difficult terrain looking quite like Harald. I benefitted immensley from learning about Max's focus and improvement program. As he has said before, he does the drills, constantly. But more importantly he does them until he can do them perfectly. And he has focused immensley on the BPSRT.

After 4 years of reading Harald's books and spending hill time with him and Diana, the light bulb finally went off (which makes me feel very thick). The (BPSRT) is the key to all good skiing. More importantly, in order for me to go to the next level in carving, I need to master this turn with all it's nuances.

Let's be clear, we are not talking about instructor brushed/skidded turns. We are talking about truns that are very short radius, but done in such a fashion that the only way that you can tell that they aren't edge locked carved is by looking at the tracks. There is immense counter, flexing and tip pressure to initiate every turn. Max 501 is the only one that I have seen do these turns besides Harald, Diana and Jay (which is not to say that others can't or don't). This turn wil take you everywhere and enable one to ski with ease in all the toughest terrain.

The coolest thing to watch is Max and Harald using these brushed carved SRT's as a springboard (in the same run) for edge lock carved turns that have huge ski bend and are wicked tight. I had some experinece with this (no where close to these two) at the end of some runs where I was doing brushed SRT's and then went into edge loked carves. These were my best carved turns ever (and they have much further to go).

The beauty of all this is that I have seen in person, live with my own eyes what the BPSRT can do in the toughest most difficult terrain (double black bumps). We already know that Harald slays them, but so does Max!!!

He is way too modest online and in person. He is vastly improved from the video he posted earlier, which I have said many times is excelllent skiing and most that are making comments have no clue how hard it is to do what he is doing (and that goes in triple spades for his skiing right now).

So how do we all learn to ski like Max?

Do the drills. More importantly I am now on his program. I am starting with book one, page one and I will do every drill and dryland training exercise. I will do them until I can do them perfectly and then I will move onto the next one. In book two, I will do them until I can pass the test that says that I can advance.

I will also work relentlessly on the BPSRT, starting with mastering the one and two footed release drills in bok two. If you don'y have a BPSRT, this is the place to start. Get these releases to the level that they are perfect and easy.

Lastly, I will try to get as much video shot of me as possible. The video never lies and it clears up personal perception vs. reality. This is one of Max's best learinig tools and everyone should use it as much a possible.

I have often heard the critics say, yeah, Harald can kill it (and so can Diana) but what about the students. Max skies like Harald!!! I always knew the instruction was the best, but I never believed that I could ski like Harald or Diana. Max is living proof that someone can ( and in 6 years no less!!).

PMTS, simply the best ski instruction in the world!!!

[h.harb]

I can tell everyone without the slightest hesitation that PMTS expert skiing is available to most skiers. The excuse the few remaining Epic, PMTS detractors used for their lack of this success was, ?Well sure, Harald can ski like that, he?s an ex-national team skier?.

We have many skiers who ski with the skills I demonstrate, MAx501 happens to be one of a dozen skiers we ski with, that have transformed their skiing in a short time, and are able to ski expertly on most terrain. But there are hundreds who are on their way there, and can already make very clean expert PMTS turns on Blue, which is an extremely high level of skiing. What wouldn?t you give up to ski that well?

If you follow a logical program that we present, you can achieve it in a relatively short time. For some, even in a week. Max has improved dramatically in two sessions, but don?t be fooled, he is extremely dedicated and sticks to a program of PMTS every time he skis.

Jbotti in his recent posts, has tons of valuable information and details for improvement, for all skiers. Please read carefully what John writes, don?t brush over any of what he posted, take everything he says to heart, as he is living proof, and completely aware of what it takes to lift his standard.

You won?t find better first hand advice about skiing anywhere.

[dewdman42]

Do the drills. More importantly I am now on his program. I am starting with book one, page one and I will do every drill and dryland training exercise. I will do them until I can do them perfectly and then I will move onto the next one. In book two, I will do them until I can pass the test that says that I can advance.

Some very inspirational posts!

[Ourayite]

In all honesty I fought doing the drills until this season. I just wanted to ski and didn't want to waste time drilling. This year I wasn't able to ski early in the season, and my first day out there were bad conditions off-piste and good groomed skiing. I decided to do the drills for a full hour. I ended up doing drills all day and really started to enjoy them. They made me realize that I was nowhere as far along as I thought I was in learning PMTS. Also began to see an immediate improvemnt in my skiing. Doing drills is a now part of my routine every time I go out.
I was having problems taking PMTS technique off-piste and it was because I simply didn't have a solid short turn. I can see evidence that my skiing is improving every time I go out now. The drills provide immediate feedback.

[A.L.E]

Worth a sticky IMO.

For me this thread probably carries the most important PMTS skiing message and is worthy of a sticky at the top of this forum section or in the Classic section. The importance of the Bullet Proof Short Radius Turn in the quest for all mountain skiing proficiency cannot be over stated and John's post provides us with a reminder that the drills from ACBAES Books 1 & 2 cannot be skipped with the thought that they are completely covered by the latest Essentials book.

A link to Max_501's videos is also worth keeping as a sticky.
http://blip.tv/file/195915?filename=Maxskier-BulletProofShortTurn836.wmv

[h.harb]

Thanks A.L.E., will do!

[SkiDad]

Harold,

Two quick questions. I'm not sure if this is the right thread to ask them. If not, let me know if you would like me to re-ask them on another thread. Background: I'm in transition from beginner to intermediate. I've read the first chapter of your Essentials book (just got it last Friday).

Questions:

1. When initiating a turn, I often have a brief moment (.33 second) of indecision as to how to start. Previously, I would start with the just the outside ski, but from the photo-montage in your first chapter you appear to have both skis engaged right from the first instant. So this past weekend I focused on tipping the inside ski as well. Is the tipping supposed to be simultaneous, or does one ski take the lead? (it's fair for you to answer that I should continue reading in the book first).

2. My 7 1/2 year-old daughter started skiing only last year, same as me. She is fearless, skis down the slopes (greens) ahead of me happily, and rarely falls. But she uses the wedge to slow down and doesn't know carving. Should I (or, a competent instructor) try to change her now, or just let her go for another season or two?

Thanks very much.

[h.harb]

Your questions are covered as you suggest in my first book “Anyone can be an Expert Skier”, book 1. You can also check my web site in the Online Lessons section , look for the wedge lessons and the Blue section for the complete release. My Blog can also be helpful, it shows the "Two footed slow release" and there I will continue to build on my original and only authentic "Direct Parallel" approach to skiing.

But the short answer is: release the big toe edge ski and keep the other ski on the little toe edge.

This is the most important statement in the sport of Sking. It happens in ever Expert ski turn.

[ChuckT]

Is this a good example of BPSRT?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwJ7fuA3fsM

I suspect these turns are not PMTS but can't say why. There seems to be quite a bit of heel push or foot twisting?

[milesb]

Chuck, I have to say that I'm kind of stumped. There is some good things going on there, like tipping and flexing, but it looks also like there is some knee drive- but that look can come from proper movements. These really look like comp bump turns on groomers.

[fredm8]

From someone that lurks in the forum, reading most of the posts, this is an inspiration thread.
3 months 5 days counting down until Turoa opens in the land of the long white cloud.

[Hamy]

I agree with every thing jbotti has said but think there is something more that needs to be added. Every day you practice, in my opinion, you need to ski without consciously applying what you have practiced but just let it happen. Some call this being in the zone, others call it flow. Whatever you call it you will know when it happens and then your short turns or whatever you practice will seem effortless.
Last week I was teaching a group of seniors in Blackcomb and they were all good skiers. One of them asked me if I had heard of Harald Harb. I answered affirmatively and told him I had been at the teck camp in November/09 and was going to the June camp. He said that he has Harald's books and DVD's and wanted to learn to ski using that method. The others all agreed so we had our theme for the day. The were all slightly aft, slightly inside and some upper body rotation. After and hour and half of dragging the pole tips and doing the phantom move they were greatly improved. I had an hour and a half remaining. I decided to try to make them ski without thinking of what they had just learned and were doing well, my goal being to make them even better. I had them at the top of a pitch and asked them to map out a route in their minds and visualize going throught their route, where they would change directions, the feelings they would have, the sounds they would hear from their skis, and try to get in their minds the rhythm they would feel. To start you need to pick a route and I told them that Yogi Berra had once said " if you don't know where you are going, it is hard to get there." That always gets a laugh and has some truth to it. To get their rhythm started I asked them to relate each turn to their breathing, inhale on flexing, exhale on extension. Off we went. After going down about a 1000 feet I would answer questions about problems they were having but asked them to try to think of how they could correct themselves any problems they had. It was great to watch them ski, I could see them adjusting fore/aft, leaning out, looking out etc. and they were really improving. After one run, one lady came into the group and burst out " I just had the most amazing experience. I was looking ahead mapping out my route, moving in rhythm with my breath and my mind was some where else and then I realized that I was carving my turns and my skis were doing it by themselves, I had no effort and was just along for the ride." She was in the zone and skiing great, it was because the basic PMTS movements are so easy she didn't have to force any carves, they just happened. By the way the chap who asked if I knew Harald asked at the end of the class if we could travel together next November to A-Basin.

[Max_501]

I agree with every thing jbotti has said but think there is something more that needs to be added. Every day you practice, in my opinion, you need to ski without consciously applying what you have practiced but just let it happen.

This doesn't work for me. Rather than ending up with effortless turns I end up with lazy turns (confirmed by video) if I'm not consciously applying the Essentials.

[h.harb]

I have to work myself into good skiing everyday. I know how to do it, but it has taken me years to perfect. This is not trivial, I did the same in tennis and my game didn't wander far from what I wanted, once I figured it out, it's about being focused in your warm up routine. I am not a believer in free-wielded skiing. If I ski without a clear focus I get sloppy.

[BigE]

Is this a good example of BPSRT?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwJ7fuA3fsM

I suspect these turns are not PMTS but can't say why. There seems to be quite a bit of heel push or foot twisting?

I agree with you chuck. Look at where the pressure is when the edges engage -- it's back at the heel. In my opinion, this skier is not close to the front of the boot, or even cuff neutral.