We are ready to shut this site down.

[Doghouse]

Please don't take this site down. As others have said, it's an amazing source for consistent and organized PMTS reference material. It's also a virtual link to the experiences of others who value this site and the PMTS method as we all try to become the best skiers that we can. I check it daily and contribute occasionally if I have something valuable to share. Thank you for your tireless efforts for many years with this forum and all of the PMTS materials that have been produced!

[DougD]

Another person here who refuses to give his life to Facebook for them to sell to the world.

More impotantly, another vote for keeping this treasure trove of information available... even if only read-only. I too check in daily. As others have said, lack of new postings does not indicate lack of interest. Value is not indicated by the quantity of content. It's indicated by the quality of content.

[l2ski]

I read the site every day and am constantly searching through the treasure trove of expert skiing
knowledge. Please keep it going! I plan on posting some video on the MA thread this season
(hopefully within the next month).

[meput]

This forum has been the knowledge and technique center for my skiing over the past 8 years. It was instrumental in stimulating my interest to attend 3 camp sessions and a 4th camp next month. As a non Facebook member (and not about to be, for a variety of reasons), shutting down this forum would represent a big loss as a source of information and as a way to stay informed as to the activities of the PMTS community. As a rare poster and very frequent (daily during the ski season) reader/lurker, I too, ask you, Harald, to reconsider your thoughts of abandoning this forum.

I look forward to seeing you, Diana and the rest of the crew next month,
Jim

[JBurke]

I am also not a Facebook fan. I've attended 4 camps and access this site daily for inspiration. Please keep this site going.

[Louis]

Every winter when my skiing season starts I visit this forum almost daily and look for new posts or read old ones. It is a unique forum, where PMTS Skiers can help each other! The amount of information about PMTS is enormous and to see that get lost would make me sad. Please keep it up, I thank you very much for your effort!

[richk]

I think that this site serves different functions than the other sites.

1. more detailed technical discussions of PMTS movements. While HH's blog photos and discussions are great, the MA and kinetic chain analysis here is invaluable. And there is way more interaction and follow-up questions here than on the blog. Others have referenced the value of the message archive, which is a huge asset.

2. builds a strong sense of community. At the simplest level, the "posse" function has been very helpful in helping PMTS folks find others to ski with. I personally have made connections at Alta and Jackson Hole and formed associations with forum folk at ABasin and in camps. More complex, but perhaps more important, is that this a place where one's appreciation for PMTS is validated, which sure doesn't happen much elsewhere in both the virtual and real worlds. One can ask questions, or make statements, with a sense that you're among friends and therefore can be more open and not fear having a crowd jump down your throat.

3. enhances the camp experience Many new-to-PMTS folks first hear about the camps here. Many more learn what to expect at a camp from the reported experiences of campers. It encourages some to enroll and helps others to manage the doldrums, when giving up old movements hasn't quite been replaced by new ones, yet. Furthermore, since camps fill up in June long before the ski season starts, it serves as a bridge for those who are shut-out until the next enrollment period/skiseason comes around.

4. helps with navigation through the enormous body of PMTS materials HH's prolific efforts to document and explain the system are "unparalleled." Sorry, couldn't resist. Unfortunately there is so much material it is hard to know where to start, or go next, or find something specific. The institutional memory of this group identifies the most relevant materials or citations, in books or videos.

Here's an analagous situation which validates the utility of a separate site: For my recent XXth high school reunion, we had a FB site, which got a handful of members, some casual posting of grand-child pictures and very little self-disclosure. Fun, but limited. To enhance turnout for the reunion events, I put up a real website with some info held private but 90% public. There was a huge response with personal stories, recollections, personal photos, discussions about hobbies and huge turnout for the reunion with a very strong sense of bonding with each other. By comparison, my grade school cohort in another town did FB only, and had very little of the good stuff, and didn't know what they were missing.

My thoughts are that this site, even sporadically used, is still really valuable for ongoing interactions. It doesn't dilute the other sites and I doubt the other sites will accomplish the very useful functions listed above. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water.

Richk

[h.harb]

In this case, to keep the forum going I was going to introduce the 6th "Essential of Skiing". But decided it would be interesting to see who can come up with it. A pair of skis will go to the one who can come up with it.

[AnI]

Let me make a wild guess... Pole plant?

I think global warming and poor snow conditions in much of the US, as well as in Europe in the past two-three years may have contributed to a shift of focus of many visitors and reduced the number of posts on this discussion board, just as on any other forum. Colorado was still in a reasonable shape through these years, but I can't say the same thing about Pacific NW.

I actually have been copying posts from this forum to local files, with a plan to put together some kind of a PDF file which can be as valuable as any of the published books. This forum has been, and is, extremely valuable source of information beyond books.

As for Facebook... Never used it. Do not like its interface. Wasn't it made for teenagers to begin with?

[richk]

I'll bite.

"Coordination" or "Rhythm" or "Synchronization"

The Big Five essentials are not performed in isolation in skiing, but need to be synchronized or timed properly to get them to work. For example, I coach skiers to pull the free foot back, press it against the stance boot, and tip--all at the same time. They often then do them in sequence, so I have them do practice a single movement that incorporates all three, feeling while stationary what it is like to do all three.

Also, at camp, when we do work on all the essentials, I have them rehearse "the dance" before starting a run: that is, coordinating all the essential movements turning from side to side while standing on level terrain. Even having mastered the individual movements, getting them to work together is non-trivial.

Richk

[Robert0325]

Umm.. I thought there were 6 already
1. Tipping
2. Flexing and Extending
3. Counterbalancing
4. Counteracting
5. The complete upper body
6. Fore/Aft Balance
Is it though that “The complete upper body” is not really an essential as it’s covered in 3 and 4?

Anyway, if I was adding another essential it would be along the lines of of your quote in one of the sticky posts. “release the big toe edge ski and keep the other ski on the little toe edge.”
Might be a bit too specific for an essential and possibly falls under “Tipping”, but I find it a really useful to keep in mind for all types of releases.

[byron]

Hi forum. Long time lurker here. This thread and Harald's challenge have finally gotten me off the sidelines.

Could Essential # 6 be related to mobility/range of motion?

I've recently become more aware of my own range of motion limitations, particularly in ankles and hips. I really enjoy Harald's blog posts analyzing world cup racers. I realize I'm held back from achieving those incredible angles by my poor technique (PMTS is the cure) but also by physical limitation (which could be improved with better mobility). I'd love to see a discussion develop on how to improve mobility to be able to achieve greater tipping angles needed for expert skiing.

[meput]

Alright, my turn at bat for Essential #6: RELAX

If this is not correct, at least we can all relax that it appears the forum will continue.

Happy New Year to all and think snow!

[sujo]

I think the next essential is boot press or close stance. Every other essential seems easier to me when I keep my boots pressed together.

[Carl R]

Please don't shut it down.