Tipping Beyond What the Turn Requires

[jbotti]

In March of last year Harald showed me how to do some vert tight brushed SRTs (there's no secret here, just everything faster and more). They are amazing turns when done right, amazing on piste but incredibly useful off piste to control speed in steeps. But the one thing they require is a much higher level of tipping in the high C. Think putting the outside of the ankle bone on the tipping foot into the snow immediately at the top of the high C. So practicing these turns are as good a teacher as one can get. Don't tip enough, early enough and deep enough and the turn I am after does not happen. The other thing I have noticed is that like most people I normally tip the amount necessary to pull of the turn I need. Tipping a good bit, letting my CA take it further, tip a little further through the arc and this will get me some nice edge angles and will even get my hips reasonably close to the snow. But thats not how Harald skis and it''s the way I no longer want to ski. Now that I have taken my tipping to a much deeper level in the high C, when I do it in all my turns, it's unreal how much better every arc is and because when CA is added ones tipping always goes deeper, and if when the CA kicks in you then consciously tip further, its unreal how high edge angles will be produced. I am carving tighter arcs than I ever have before. And yes you need to nail the free foot pullback at the top of the arc.

Most of us are all working on other things than tipping. You learn this first and you don't progress at camps or in privates until your tipping gets proficient. And then you move on the other essentials, learning how to get and hold CA, free foot pullback etc. And some of this stuff takes years to perfect. But one way to boost your level immediately is by spending several days maybe twice a season, working on taking your tipping to the next level. There is a reason that HH says that tipping is the most important essential. And if you watch HH ski, its is the unrelenting increased tipping that he brings to every arc that makes those arcs so special and seemingly so effortless (believe me, he is working his A off in every arc and its starts with his high C tipping and progressive tipping through the arc).

I did not start out to improve my tipping. But it was required to do the turns I had been taught. But the results have been huge. I highly recommend it!

Just remembering that the Essentials Video has a whole section of tipping specific drills. These would be a great place to start.

[Jwthe2nd]

Happy New Year!!
Thanks for the great description of immediate tipping; place the tipping foot ankle bone to the snow at high C. It takes a certain phrase to make different people understand what is needed to achieve a goal. I guess that people are different and need different cues to understand a concept. I will ski tomorrow and am very anxious to try this out. Thanks again.

[jbotti]

That visual image came from Diana many years ago and I use it whenever I need a very high level of tipping in the high C. It's an image that has worked great for me.

[h.harb]

John Botti Quote;

"And if you watch HH ski, it is the unrelenting increased tipping that he brings to every arc that makes those arcs so special and seemingly so effortless (believe me, he is working his A off in every arc, and its starts with his high C tipping and progressive tipping through the arc).

I've watched, coached, and studied the best, Richi Berger to me is the most ideal. When I study these guys I find they do exactly the same thing John is describing. Did I learn it from Richi Berger, no! I developed it in my skiing from racing and training. Did I coach Richi Berger to do it, no! All international-level racers who either skied or qualified for the World Cup or Europa Cup do this because it works and it creates the highest levels of skiing.