A Frame

A Frame

Postby A.L.E » Thu Jan 16, 2020 10:53 pm

I get to ski about 15 days a year and one of the numerous things that are a constant problem for me is ski boot separation....ie "A Frame".
The still below from the video up at Big Sky a couple of weeks ago could be taken from any of my short turns on this run in the chopped up powder.
What steps should I take to address? The Sponge drill? Angry Mother? Concentrate more!!
I've got a week of skiing at Telluride at the end of next month to practice.

Of course, I see numerous other issues with this video, pop extensions, poor CB & CA being three others I've always had.
All of which I think I do a bit better at on more even terrain.

On the positive side, I'm enjoying the Blossom White Outs skis a few here on the forum use!



Image
User avatar
A.L.E
 
Posts: 407
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2005 12:18 am
Location: sydney australia

Re: A Frame

Postby skijim13 » Fri Jan 17, 2020 4:33 am

If you have Haralds Expert II video work on the Super Phampton drill. One of the reasons the feet separate (also have your alignment checked) is not having good uphill LTE balance. Once you starting tipping to the new free foot pull it back an press it against the stance boot while tipping thought out the turn. Make sure you own this before moving onto harder terrain.
skijim13
 
Posts: 528
Joined: Wed May 22, 2013 9:17 am
Location: Nazareth PA USA

Re: A Frame

Postby A.L.E » Fri Jan 17, 2020 6:39 pm

Image

Thanks Jim.

John Botti calls it too.

I've been doing these, can't go to the steeps without a super phantom, where it & CA is the big focus, but clearly it's not translating into my skiing elsewhere.
User avatar
A.L.E
 
Posts: 407
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2005 12:18 am
Location: sydney australia

Re: A Frame

Postby ToddW » Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:26 pm

A.L.E.,

If you skied in those conditions like this guy skied on a Colorado groomer, you wouldn't have much of an A Frame problem.

Image
Image
Image

When those photos were taken, he had just spent a few days working with Bob Hintermeister to develop CB and flexing. His focus and results were posted here http://pmts.org/pmtsforum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1625&hilit=hintermeister+counterbalance. (Of course, Max_501 had some constructive next steps in that thread to help the guy to the next level ... which are worth reading.)

When you're balanced over the outside ski, there's much less need to resort to an A-frame to "save" your turn. When you're not balanced out over the skis, your weight shifts inwards and the skis want to go wide to keep you upright. This tendency gets progressively stronger as the turn progresses. The pop up in transition would be less tempting if your balance over the skis were stronger so you could easily acquire the LTE or balance through a flexing 2FR.

But you are the guy in the groomer photos above, just a few seasons older. Those images are etched in my mind years after seeing them ... and I imagine that you remember those turns too. Read your old post and think back to your lessons with Bob. See if you can replay those lessons for yourself but double them to handle ungroomed conditions. If you have room for an extra thought, let it be "relax."


Since you get 15 days a season on snow, practice upper body (CB, CA) and flexing to release on a slant board at home. (Harald has tons of slant board YouTube videos if you need specific guidance.) When you do so, channel any thoughts or images that you recall from Bob's coaching and adapt them to the slant board.
.
ToddW
 
Posts: 511
Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2007 8:41 pm
Location: live: Westchester (NY) / ski: Killington

Re: A Frame

Postby Max_501 » Sat Jan 18, 2020 10:01 am

My guess is the small A-Frame will go away with a few changes.

1st - work on the flex to release drills. Hammer those until you lose the extension (when we extend at the top of the turn we end up BTE dominant which can result in the A-Frame look).
Reminder - hold flexion until the skis are on the new edges, after that extension of the outside leg should be gradual and only as needed to maintain contact with the snow.

2nd - work on tipping the inside ski early and keep tipping throughout the turn.

3rd - work on CA drills, especially the Angry Mother progression.
User avatar
Max_501
 
Posts: 4124
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:39 pm

Re: A Frame

Postby A.L.E » Sat Jan 18, 2020 5:07 pm

Ahhhh Todd, thanks for that........I've gone backwards!!!! :oops: :lol:

I can still get similar angles going on groomers, probably with better pelvis raising work and fore/aft. But as we know, non ingrained Essentials often disappear in short turns. I might be a decade or so older than those photos but I'm no less fit or flexible. I play a lot of other sport. So I can't blame the movement failings on old(er) age.

In recent times I've been trying to get more time in the bumps, where I am improving. I have good absorption ability so I've been pleased with that. My knees still go well despite 50yrs of playing competitive soccer. An A Basin bump camp or a short turn camp has been something I've been eyeing off.

That bump skiing improvement has given me some added skiing enthusiasm. So now's a good time to get back to some concentrated drills. Flying from Oz to the USA is a long way if only to struggle with poor movements.

Thanks for your good advice and thanks for the little trip down memory lane re-reading that thread. That was a cool family trip. Tahiti was a great stop off on the way home. Not done that since.
User avatar
A.L.E
 
Posts: 407
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2005 12:18 am
Location: sydney australia

Re: A Frame

Postby A.L.E » Sat Jan 18, 2020 5:40 pm

Thank you Max for your input, your advice is always on point & appreciated.
One day I might detour over to the NW coast for a ski on-route to or from Big Sky.
A memorable highlight from my recent Montana trip was a day at Yellowstone Club as a guest of a friend of a friend.
The tree skiing after a big dump was exceptional. As was the sugar shack & schnapps tree!! :D
User avatar
A.L.E
 
Posts: 407
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2005 12:18 am
Location: sydney australia

Re: A Frame

Postby A.L.E » Sat Jan 18, 2020 7:52 pm

Hmmmm.. It's interesting to me to look at the lead up to the A Frame and I see lifting of the inside ski.
But I've come into the turn with an extension and I'm probably not, as you say Todd, "balanced over the outside ski." There is an extension and a late tepid flex lift happening and I'm not concentrating on keeping the old outside ski pulled in against the other boot. So as Max says: "1st - work on the flex to release drills. Hammer those until you lose the extension (when we extend at the top of the turn we end up BTE dominant which can result in the A-Frame look)."

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
User avatar
A.L.E
 
Posts: 407
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2005 12:18 am
Location: sydney australia

Re: A Frame

Postby HighAngles » Mon Jan 20, 2020 7:20 am

Give yourself some credit. The slope you're on and the snow conditions are definitely going to stress your PMTS fundamentals. What I find in deeper snow is that ANY active pivoting/twisting still in your skiing is going to create more obvious problems that will then lead to "falling back" to some old movements to "save" your skiing. I think a focus on early and strong tipping along with the required flexion is key. Use your upper body movements (CA/CB) to support that strong tipping and flexion.
User avatar
HighAngles
 
Posts: 792
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2009 5:46 am

Re: A Frame

Postby A.L.E » Tue Jan 21, 2020 11:50 pm

Thanks HA.
User avatar
A.L.E
 
Posts: 407
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2005 12:18 am
Location: sydney australia


Return to Movement Analysis and Video

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests