Demos

[HighAngles]

I ski with the "other side" every now and then. The clear message I get is that all the movements that we consider absolutely wrong they consider right - and they see no problem with those movements. They continually point out that they can ski "just fine" with their movements. They don't seem to be concerned about using more efficient movements and they aren't concerned about the kinetic chain, but they do think that they ski biomechanically correct because they say "quite frankly if it weren't correct they wouldn't be able to ski". I quit the "crusade" with these types a long time ago.

When it gets right down to it I looked at Harald's skiing and the skiing of others and decided I liked Harald's skiing best. Believe it or not there are some people out there that actually profess to not like Harald's style of skiing. Personally I think they're really just trying to justify their own poor skiing movements.

[h.harb]

Justification can take you a long way down the road of compromised skiing ability. It is fine for the athletes to ski inefficiently for a time, until they get older. But the non-athletic skier needs to depend on good movements or their skiing will not hold up as they try more difficult terrain and snow. I want to ski until I'm ninety my way, it's the only way it is possible at a high level. Sure anyone can lean and skid, as their physical abilities diminish, but to be a real skier at 90 years old, is a real goal, with PMTS it's possible, but not with TTS.

I like the ones that don't like my skiing, because when I hear that I know exactly how they ski and what they are justifying.

Justifying bad technique is like playing lousy golf, you drink beer on the course, so you don't have to account for your terrible game. Skiers do it by hanging with groups that ski as poorly as they do, so they can't be compared. And they are always being told how well they ski.

they ski biomechanically correct because they say "quite frankly if it weren't correct they wouldn't be able to ski"

Bring them up to the ridge on a 18 inch powder day where they have to control speed (40degree slopes) in tight radius turns and you'll ski how they ski. Or have them make BPST short turns off the cirque or Gad chutes at Snowbird. I don't think so.

[h.harb]

HH Quote: This is what happens when you use a concepts based system, rather than a movement based system. PSIA is concept based. They think the concept of steering, rotary movements, edging (which they don't teach) and pressure control: blended correctly, directs skiers to expert levels. I think we just saw how expert you can become with perfection of these concepts!

Direct Quote:
“The alpine team’s technical statement has always lived in a document we called the ‘Skiing Concepts’,”

[h.harb]

Lots of TTS skiers and instructors say they can ski. We know when the video comes up, it is a different story. I'd be glad to put up my video skiing anywhere, side by side with their version of "they can ski".

Let the public decide!

[h.harb]

As some of you well know, I am constantly working on my skiing. I never use TTS teams or demonstrators as my model, it's too ineffective and underdeveloped and they show no refinement. If you are going to demonstrate skiing you had better do it not just well but make it exciting and energetic, not by popping up and down, by engaging the ski.I used to look at Richie Berger. He is still a great bump skier, but in other situations I don't use him as a model any longer. I use the best of the Japanese and Koreans. I'd probably use some Austrians, but I have yet to see any good ones on You Tube besides Richie.

Has anyone seen any recent Austrian Demo short turns?

[HeluvaSkier]

Has anyone seen any recent Austrian Demo short turns?

Other than Richie - no. I'm with you - I use the Koreans and Japanese (and you of course) as a model for what is possible with good movements. Truly great skiers.

[MonsterMan]

ustifying bad technique is like playing lousy golf, you drink beer on the course, so you don't have to account for your terrible game.

Hey!

I take offense at that. Even if I am drinking Bloody Marys in Dubai

[h.harb]

I knew someone would be offended by MY POINTING OUT; YOU PLAY LOUSY GOLF WHILE DRINKING BEER. BUT THEN AGAIN, WHO CARES IF YOU ARE DRINKING ENOUGH BEER.

[BKSquasher]

ustifying bad technique is like playing lousy golf, you drink beer on the course, so you don't have to account for your terrible game.

Hey!

I take offense at that. Even if I am drinking Bloody Marys in Dubai

Hey! How do you get Bloody Marys in Dubai? Isn't alcohol illegal there Did you take your skis? How is that ski hill? Probably not as good as the glacier in Hintertux? And what are you doing in Dubai (besides skiing?)

[nickia]

In this day of DVDs, internet, You Tube and communication speed, you can't bu----it any more.

You can no longer fool those that don't want to be fooled.

Epic is still being fooled, many instructors are still being fooled, but skiers who want the real thing done right, can find where it is and see it for themselves.

I love the Internet, it has brought truth to skiing. I don't have to describe why TTS methods don't work, I can show them. I don't even have to show them, they show it every time they get on video and it goes up on the Internet. I don't think you'll be seeing anymore Epic Ski camps on You Tube.

This is so true. There is no point of debating about skiing technique because a video is worth a thousand words.

[Skiasaurus Rex]

The way HH's freeskiing looks is what hooked me.
I was drawn to Harald's you tube videos and after spending some time on this site and on some others, I've begun really watching the instructors at the mountains I ski on. Yeah, they link turns and don't fall down, but you're right they don't match the dynamic skiing of HH, or of the better videos I've seen posted here. heck, they don't even come close to the race coaches at my local hill, or the stronger high school racers I see tooling around and not just in gates, I see these kids free skiing bumps and trees and often still really working the sidecut of their skis.

Why do all instructors have that exaggerated wide stance? And what's with the hand pole-push lead they do on every turn (it's hard to describe but they sort of guide their turns by following their tips and sort of 'air guide' with their downhill arm)?

Brushed carves down the cirque at Snowbird, huh? That's an impressive feat and a goal worth striving for. Obviously, once the snow is in you have the mandatory air entrance regardless. I can only pedal hop that first 100 feet of vertical...on a good day with hero snow!