I learned a lot

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I learned a lot

Postby Ken » Tue Dec 14, 2004 8:57 pm

I just completed my first two days of new-instructor clinic from a totally PSIA school.

I learned that I hold my arms too wide and my feet to close together. I didn't learn why...just that I'd ski better that way, but no reason given.

I learned that when doing one-foot skiing for balance drill with the feet wide apart it's OK to kink sideways at the waist to balance.

I learned to demonstrate wedge turns skiing like a frozen robot.

I leaned to hold the arms in a near-complete circle in front of the body with flying elbows.

I learned to keep my mouth shut and bite my tongue (something really new and different for me).

My goal is to get the teaching job, and the ski pass, and stealthily slip PMTS basics into the lessons I give. This is at one of the concession ski schools in the Seattle region. That's a big deal here. This school isn't the biggest and has nearly 700 students signed up for 6 to 8 week lessons. I'm not going to start making PMTS waves...I'm not even the new guy yet, just an instructor candidate.

My wife, who's a terminal low level intermediate, has seen Lito's and HH's videos and read their books and skis their style as best she can. She laughs at the PSIA stuff, too.

When I read all the steps and drills and progressions in the PSIA method the picture that comes to mind is a group of ancient theologians arguing about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.


Ken
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Postby MD » Tue Dec 14, 2004 11:10 pm

I have thought of doing the CSIA (or Australian) equivalent too but I can't reconcile what I have learnt at the Harb Ski School with what the instructor program teaches. I would consider myself to be an advanced (but far from expert) skier, ie can handle most double blacks. As an example of the different approaches we were taught at one ski camp (taught by CSIA trained instructors) to steer (quite agressively) with the downhill ski and drive my downhill knee uphill to carve. We also did a drill involving snowploughs! I did these drills, but couldn't understand why they were taught and why we weren't simply taught to tip the uphill (free-foot) ski to turn. I saw a lot of people start their parallel turns with a wedge which is a very hard habit to break using the PSIA/CSIA taught methods.

In addition, a friend of mine went sking for the first time and could not comprehend why he and his kids were taught to ski in the wedge. He thought it was a very unnatural and strenous way to ski.
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Re: I learned a lot

Postby Tommi » Sun Dec 19, 2004 11:53 am

Ken wrote:I learned to demonstrate wedge turns skiing like a frozen robot.

I learned to keep my mouth shut and bite my tongue (something really new and different for me).


I remembered Ken's words today.. We were at a bigger center abt 100km north from where I live. We were there with my son, it was snowing (it still is ;-) and temps are near zero, it was very wet so there were not so many people around.

I noted a skiing instructor camp being held. Young (future?) skiing instructors were getting education in instructing skills..I saw beautiful racy turns on the steepest slope and perfect technique from all of the youngsters as they demoed their own skill level. Many of them are probably former (junior) racers.

After some time I saw them making 'frozen robot wedge' stuff, one by one, on another slope .. I had to smile.

Later when I went to the parking area in order to switch my skis to midfats, I saw the youngsters going to the bistro cafe. I could not avoid hearing their conversation: Oh my god, that wedge stuff is DIFFICULT to perform correctly... it is HARD... etc etc.

I could not help myself, I said to the instructor student that was just beside me: Could'nt avoid hearing your conversation, it may well be that the wedge is not needed at all for at least most students. There is a lot going on in the states, you should see pmts.org in the web. He was very interested, and even verified the URL from me.

Maybe he'll have a look. I sure hope so. What a funny coincidence, it's just a couple of weeks since I got the books and found this site.

I must add that advanced ski lessons that I have got in the north have been excellent. So if there is something to be improved in finnish ski instruction, it is probably teaching the basics. I think the best instruction is available in the racing and freestyle clubs.
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