by jbotti » Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:22 pm
Perhaps my video is causing more confusion and creating less clarity rather than more. Extending the inside arm in each arc is a way of getting some CA. It isn't worth much if the hips don't follow and create CA as well. As well extending the inside arm won't even create maximum CA and CB with the upper body, to get that you will need make sure the hips create CA as well. What I at times try for in this exercise to max out the amount of CA available to me (with my level of flexibility). That means hips pushed to their CA limit, inside arm extended as far as they will go and upper body countered as far as it will go. This is a very awkward feeling exercise an no one is going to ski this way all the time, but in PMTS we try to exaggerate the movements when we are working on them. Maxing out CA in every turn at slow speeds is a great way to feel the full range of motion available and to also engrain these movements into ones skiing. On some level this is the NET. When you move the NET into less of a drill (not maxing CA in every turn but still making sure plenty is there) and you do more skiing, managing the timing and amplitude between tipping and CA is what produces perfect brushed carved turns. In many ways this is what is going on with great off piste skiing, managing the speed and amplitude of all the essentials on terrain that is in constant flux.
As for what I was trying to show in the video, I think it's fairly clear at this point that I didn't think it through very much and this was a mistake. It was late, I was tired and I wanted to come back with some video. The only thing that I knew that I was focusing on was making sure my hips got full or close to full CA in every turn. Maybe I can do better next time. I have never viewed my skiing as a model for teaching and I now realize that when you shoot video (to demonstrate) you need to be very clear about what you are trying to show and accentuate and it has to be constant all the way through the video.
The one thing that I do think I accomplished is giving people a sense of what hard work on CA can do for ones skiing. That still shot above from Sunday was the first time in my life that I have looked at my turns to the left and liked what I saw!! I do think the difference is dramatic and I was beginning to believe that my bad side would always be marginally functional but not very good. Let's also bear in mind that I did this in 35-40 ski days (which in the grand scheme is not very long). Hopefully this will inspire others to get focused on CA. Again when you can tip, flex and manage your fore aft balance, CA may be the thing that will propel your skiing most!
It probably is also the case that if you are not where you should be with tipping, flexing and fore aft balance, you will probably reap bigger dividends improving those before dedicating all your time to CA.
Balance: Essential in skiing and in life!