MA - Work in Progress

[Robert]

Thanks to forum members and Harald for all the feedback on the first MA I submitted. Over the past week I've been working on improving my skiing taking into account the feedback. Yesterday I fracturied my knee cap in an accident on my first run of the Masters Race at Thredbo (so I didn't even get a time to compare against last year) so looks like I won't get much chance to work on more PMTS skiing this year but I would welcome feedback on this MA whilst the skiing is still clear in my head.

I've attached 3 video links. In all these videos I'm now skiing on 175mm, Fisher WC Comp GS race skis (not race stock) .

I worked primarily on;
1) tipping more and more up till release as recommended , and
2) working on sufficient conter balance - not so obvious in my MA video as it in my attemps at master racing last year and the masters race training this year.

quote="h.harb"]Hi Robert, ................The skis go flatter rather than getting to a higher edge angle, which would be more favorable. One of the PMTS axioms is “tip the skis at the beginning of the arc, tip more in the middle and tip the most (just before release) at the end............. [/quote]

Great to get this feedback. I didn't realise that I've created a wrong division in my interpretation of PMTS into 2 separate release/turn types and I've obviously been stuck back at this stage.

1) I was specifically practising what I thought was the one footed release and flattening the ski gradually towards the end of the turn as the release. The only thing that would ever save my skiiding was a good LTE edge of the super phantom move and on good days would mostly manage it. I'll give up the flattened ski thing thanks.

2) The tipping more and more with a flex at the end I have been practising seperately thinking it was the 2nd available type of releases. Basically the power release. It certainly works really well (and seems almost like cheating) since a lit bit of extra tip flex and elax and the skis cross under you immediately, you can even get them to lauch slightly into the air for the transition just by being a little less subtle (if I've got this right).

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5cKYO4abWIw
This video link is me working on this greater tipping immediately prior to release (but not so much the skis jet underneath me). I'm overfinishing turns in this clip and not starting to release at about 45 degrees as Harald suggested which I found makes a better more rythmic turn when I did do it.


There were some aspects of Haralds MA of my skiing that I would like to clarify .

One part Harald that I'm having trouble getting clarified in my own head is this MA observation.
quote="h.harb"]
................Your skis show the opposite, they go flatter near the end, with a skid. Yyou use a big toe edge downhill ski "dig in" move to grip. That stops the ski from skidding and then you step out of the turn. Some times you will notice the “A” frame at the very bottom, just before you step out of the turn. This happens because of your push off. This is an engrained habit and unfortunately not an easy one to change. Now that you know what is happening; you can begin the process of changing to a more fluid connected movement from turn to turn................ [/quote]

One of the most meaningful principles I got from PMTS when I first started was to relax the stance ski to begin the turn. This of course makes even heavy powder and bump sking infinitely easier and it's the thing that (I think) I'm always watching I do. When I come off the bottom ski I always watch that it is only via relaxation. I relax it and if/when it does come up it is only because I relaxed into a lift motion (rather than pushed off it).

Is it possible that the A frame you refer to is an alignment issue? or am I really just missing the subtlety of the sort of stemming principle I think you are referring to? It does get less clear to me as I do more of a power release action were the last tipping / flex move is so actively strong to bring the ski up under me like the ground pushing. But then I don't think that can be misread because the change is in unison with both skis - and pushing off one ski can never achieve that. Obviously an idcea I'm missing somewhere here.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6Iy6zkWXlN4
more turns trying to get ready to take them into the GS gates

and
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GKHSSsk_g1U
brushing turns to see if I've removed the incorrect flattened ski syndrome

The remark of Harald's about "Sensing the performance of your skis, behind the heel peice is where you should concentrate. Ask yourself, while sking, are the ski tails spreading butter or are the tails pushing the skis forward" was a really helpful way of feeling ski performance and fore aft balance at the time when my fore/aft balance was right enough to get this big difference.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NZsGqgVh_9s
The masters race (at least the part I completed). Does seem to match with Harald's quote from another thread “One more thing to remember for all skiers, when the feet get wide, the butt goes down.”

[Ken]

Two things stand out to me ---

--- You aren't light enough on the inside foot. One shot on the course shows your outside ski diverging. That happens when too much weight is on the inside. Flex that inside leg more deeply. As you're tipping more and more and more, you need to flex the inside leg deeper and deeper and deeper (and pulling the inside foot back farther and farther and farther). The inside leg is making increasing movements in three directions.

--- Look at the movement of your old outside knee at the end of a turn. The clue to flexing is that this old outside knee bends, not straightens. You're straightening yours. When I flex at the end of a turn it feels to me that I'm pulling both knees up to my chest. Of course, what shows in the video is just smooth movement, but to me it feels like a huge exaggeration. And then, after a while, it just feels right.

[h.harb]

First, congratulations with your improvement in such a short time, you show improved earlier tipping, now it happens at or just before the falline. You also have higher ski angles toward the end of the arc. Your release is more functional but can still be improved by using flexion rather than extension.

The tipping efforts are working and this shows up by the way your skis are inscribing in the snow and is clear by the access you have to the ski sidecut, which is engaging. The tails are definitely following more closely the arc the tips are going through.

This doesn’t mean it can’t be better. The next big step is to work on a “weighted release”, this will teach you to stop your extension move into the new turn. Your extension is a little different than most. It’s a hip extension that moves your hips forward and at the same time helps you to pivot the skis. If you are extending or extended, you can’t tip your skis. Which makes the skis late engaging, because everything else doesn’t stop and wait until you are back on the snow. When you extend you have to remember the skis have not stopped their direction change. While extended the skis are light and not tipped. By the time you contact the snow and create pressure through tipping; the upper part of the arc is already over, you are now facing downhill. You missed engaging the upper part of the high C. The tipping transition from one set of edges to the other should happen while the skis are headed in the same direction as they were before you began tipping. Most skiers don’t understand this. Get to the new edges before changing ski direction.

Your newer release is different from what you were doing in the earlier video that’s good. That old video had a one footed, step, push off, the more recent version of your extension is better, but still too exaggerated.

If you have my Essentials book, work through the dryland tipping exercises on the inclined board. . These will teach you to move down with the hips and up with the knees while tipping to the new edges.

Back to skiing: after the skis are on their new edges, be patient and hold the feet back to get your hips to move forward, rather than by extending the hips up and forward.

I’m sorry to hear about the fracture. Good luck with recovery.

There are some issues with your GS run. One of them is releasing, of course, as mistakes show up 3x more in racecourses than in free skiing. Also, Notice how you lose your counter balance in left turns. I think everyone can learn from your reactions here. There was an extended discussion about the merits of counterbalance vs. inclination in earlier threads. Notice how in the GS run, when turning left you lose you counter balance on a number of occasions. This basically results in leaning into the hill and losing pressure. I find it funny that so many coaches will tell their racers they are leaning in, but never know what to tell them to stop leaning in. After you get back to skiing work on your counterbalancing exercises to correct this balance loss.

[Volkskier1]

Sorry about the accident. That's a big improvement you have shown. There is still quite an extension and also some upper body rotation. You can see it on the steeper pitches.

[milesb]

This is what tipping until the release looks like-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhd41llV ... hp?t=70920

watching this I can feel just how hard Harald is tipping his inside foot.

[Robert]

You aren't light enough on the inside foot.

Yes, I can see that is the case.
At times I find it hard to continue tipping and suspect that I’ve put myself into some sort of locked body position, maybe being too far back

--- Look at the movement of your old outside knee at the end of a turn. The clue to flexing is that this old outside knee bends, not straightens. You're straightening yours. …. .

Yes, good observation, An easy way for me to spot how little I’m flexing at that critical point. I am doing that very definitely in the racing video so it is an action for me to watch vey carefully in my free skiing.

[Robert]

First, congratulations with your improvement in such a short time, you show improved earlier tipping, now it happens at or just before the falline. You also have higher ski angles toward the end of the arc. Your release is more functional but can still be improved by using flexion rather than extension.

The tipping efforts are working and this shows up by the way your skis are inscribing in the snow and is clear by the access you have to the ski sidecut, which is engaging. The tails are definitely following more closely the arc the tips are going through.

This doesn’t mean it can’t be better. The next big step is to work on a “weighted release”, this will teach you to stop your extension move into the new turn. Your extension is a little different than most. It’s a hip extension that moves your hips forward and at the same time helps you to pivot the skis. If you are extending or extended, you can’t tip your skis. Which makes the skis late engaging, because everything else doesn’t stop and wait until you are back on the snow. When you extend you have to remember the skis have not stopped their direction change. While extended the skis are light and not tipped. By the time you contact the snow and create pressure through tipping; the upper part of the arc is already over, you are now facing downhill. You missed engaging the upper part of the high C. The tipping transition from one set of edges to the other should happen while the skis are headed in the same direction as they were before you began tipping. Most skiers don’t understand this. Get to the new edges before changing ski direction.

Your newer release is different from what you were doing in the earlier video that’s good. That old video had a one footed, step, push off, the more recent version of your extension is better, but still too exaggerated.

If you have my Essentials book, work through the dryland tipping exercises on the inclined board. . These will teach you to move down with the hips and up with the knees while tipping to the new edges.

Back to skiing: after the skis are on their new edges, be patient and hold the feet back to get your hips to move forward, rather than by extending the hips up and forward.

I’m sorry to hear about the fracture. Good luck with recovery.

There are some issues with your GS run. One of them is releasing, of course, as mistakes show up 3x more in racecourses than in free skiing. Also, Notice how you lose your counter balance in left turns. I think everyone can learn from your reactions here. There was an extended discussion about the merits of counterbalance vs. inclination in earlier threads. Notice how in the GS run, when turning left you lose you counter balance on a number of occasions. This basically results in leaning into the hill and losing pressure. I find it funny that so many coaches will tell their racers they are leaning in, but never know what to tell them to stop leaning in. After you get back to skiing work on your counterbalancing exercises to correct this balance loss.

Thanks Harald,

Loads of good feedback. I'll reread it few times before asking anything. Thanks also for the encouregement.

[Robert]

Sorry about the accident. That's a big improvement you have shown. There is still quite an extension and also some upper body rotation. You can see it on the steeper pitches.

Yes. I can see the Extension. Really bugs me in the racing video and I can see that has to go. .

Thanks

[Robert]

This is what tipping until the release looks like-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhd41llV ... hp?t=70920

watching this I can feel just how hard Harald is tipping his inside foot.

I've seen this video before on Max's site - it is great for watching the increasing tipping action of Harald. I understand what you say about how hard Harald must be tipping his foot. It certainly makes for a really smoth turn.

Thaks

[MonsterMan]

Hi Robert,

hope you got my quick text, my mobile battery dies quickly in the cold. I was looking forward to skiing with you. Have a speedy recovery and maybe another time.

Geoff

ps we all had a beer for you at Sundeck at lunchtime, so you owe me $22

[h.harb]

A summer day skiing in Australia, $240.
An Ozzi beer on the sundeck, (when it's sunny, like Hintertux?) Priceless.
What about the figs man?

[MonsterMan]

Searched high and low, alas; no Wodka Ficus

Nice work on Mike and Julie at Hintertux by the way Harold, they are looking great. I hope it was ok to let 'em know about the two foot pullback, I thought they were ready and it has really got them more confident on the steeper pitches.

How about an update on your knees Harold. Hope all is going well. We all need you in good shape, and don't get too close to those killer pussies of yours.

Geoff

[h.harb]

Thanks Geoff

Sure, anytime you want to pull a two footed release pull back action (you are officially verified and bona fide to dispense PMTS information) is great.
The knee is slow coming back, but that might be a good sign.

[MonsterMan]

bump

Interesting to watch your pre injury v recent skiing Robert.