PMTS help (video)

[milesb]

I was trying here to do all my PMTS things, but after a couple of turns I was having so much fun with the terrain and snow that I forgot what I was doing! Which makes this a good video for help.
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictu ... 8631&idx=1
Edit: thanks to Ryan for the Super Phantom camera work.

[Ott Gangl]

Miles, I was jumping through hoopes to try to make the image move, nothing. When I click on ENTER, nothing happens. Nice picture of snow, though...

....Ott

[tommy]

miles, nice skiing, and nice conditions!

One thing though: there is a bit of "up-and-tall" in some of the transitions, particularly when you come out of the trees. Maybe I'm too sensitive about it, since this up-and-tall way was how I was originally taught to do transitions (by swedish & italian instructors), and I've still have to work on getting completely rid of it, even after having got loads of comments from Harald and Diana to "pull up the knees" instead...

Cheers,
Tommy

[Rusty Guy]

Ott......left click on the image

milesb,

Great skiing. I too really like use of video and folks $00.02

I will also add that terrain is probably steeper than it appears. We did a little video yesterday on steep terrain and when we looked at it I was amazed how flat it looked.

You asked from a PMTS perspective so I won't chime in.From a PSIA level III I'll simply say the snow looks mighty good, your skiing looks mighty good, I bet you had a big smile on your face, and I think any "criticism" would border on nit picking!

Where were those pictures taken?

If you want my "observations" pm me at epicski

[piggyslayer]

I am with Tommy and Rusty, these are very nice turns.
My suggestion is to load the skis early in the turn. This will reduce the smoke coming of your skis in the bottom of the turns. This is doable in the soft snow shown in this clip. The tools to do that (as I am sure you well know) are:
1) Flexing before/during turn transition (as Tommy suggested).
2) Pulling free foot/both feet back at the top of the turn.
3) Early counter.
4) Being patient at the top of the turn.
I believe flexing legs is essential element of being able to load the stance leg early.

Again, very nice turns with obviouls LTE tipping during turn transition. Loading the top of the turn more is something I have to work on as well (and probably almost everyone does).
Just came back from a week in Utah, it was great, lots of powder skiing. Now I wish New England had ANY snow.

PS. I had to register with imagestation.com to watch the clip, is there a way to do that without registering, can you advise other people here?

Robert

[*SCSA]

Yeah, you have to register.
Miles. Can you put it somewhere you don't have to register?

[milesb]

Just go ahead and register. Use a bogus name and a hotmail address if you feel the need. Lots of ski forum people use imagestation because of the free video hosting, so it's worthwhile to register.
Rusty, it was at Mt Baldy, 45 miles from Los Angeles.

[baldyboy]

nice phantom camera work.

[milesb]

Cmon guys, this doesn't work if you don't chime in....
Even if you don't have any solutions, feel free to list problems.
Here is some starting points:
1. Am I using the Primary Movements in all the turns?
2. How could I do the Primary Movements better?
3. Am I in balance?
4. Am I doing anything that interferes with balance or Primary Movements?

Remember, you learn just as much as I do by critiquing. So even if you ski below my level, speak up.

[trtaylor]

MilesB,

The link to the video appears to be bad. Can you re-post a good link?

Thanks,

Tim

[milesb]

try this? http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=2132828631 click "select all", then click "view image info", then click "download video.
Sometimes Imagestation gets overloaded, just keep trying.

[blazarus]

miles
I recently took some video as well but was unable to download yours until today. We look very similar so perhaps I shouldn't say nice skiing....lol...but you ski well. I will add my .02 based on my own responses to my similar look. I agree with piggy on flex,freefoot pull back,and counter. I need them all as well. I did find after exagerating a lower stance I was more able to sense and accomplish better flexion. This helped move my body mass over the skis more quickly and engage the new edge sooner. Has anyone else experience this? The lower stance also helped me control my strong tendency...from years of training...to up unweight...anyone? We also share the tendency to not concentrate on strong arm position which I believe is a small thing but causes everything else needed early in transition to not be preformed quickly. ...uphill hand drops...now we play catch up to the turn. I am reasonably new to PMTS...bought Anyone 1+2 last season, and had a full day lesson/alignment/footbeds last month from the excellent and talanted Maria Fermoile here at Sugarbowl Ca. (where we've had about 12' in 8 days) :}~~~~~~~~~~
I appreciate and snd share the passion for skiing PMTSians have....
BELsort ofSKISfast

[Harald H.]

Miles,

Skiing is a never ending pursuit, depending on your individual motivation one can continue improving until their last days on snow. I am always trying to find the ideal turn and movements. I try to make skiing as effortless as possible, but show dynamic, aggressive skiing on all terrain.

There is always upside development and improvement available for any skier. If skiing steeper slopes, bigger bumps or higher speed with control are exiting to you, they can be achieved. Notice I didn?t call any of those descriptors ?expert skiing? as we have some sensitive folks in the crowd.

You are a good skier. Let me say your skiing is very developed and you are competent beyond what most skiers aspire to achieve. This doesn?t mean you don?t have up side opportunities. There are one or two things that stand out that you can do to improve you efficiency.

I would further your development with focus on refining your release and movements into the ?high C? part of the turn.

1. Slow down the transition; give your skis more time to change edges, so your body can move across, before you turn your skis. If you begin turning (steering) you lose the engagement at the ?High C?. Remember skiing is not about turning the skis.

2. You still have some push off, it maybe small but it is noticeable, which comes from incomplete flex timing. (the push is part of the reason why your ski tails move back uphill at the beginning of turns) Bending, relaxing or flexing the legs and knees has to create the release from the old turn and the previous turn?s edge pressure. This release timing should flatten the skis and while in this low flexed knee position tilt to the new edge before extending. This flexing or bending should be fairly aggressive and dynamic. This is one of the more difficult concepts, most skiers stand when the skis are flat to the snow, which is wrong. Extension should happen when the new edges are engaged and balance is established. There is no up movement needed in skiing, only extension and flexing. Both flexion and extension movements are performed when the skis and body are at an angle to the slope.

3. Adding the next step gives the skier a lot to think about for one turn, especially if you are working on the advice above. But after you are comfortable with the release and flex timing then add some leg extension to pressure the skis in the arc. If you achieve extension during the turn, then flexing near the bottom of the arc, transitions will become easier and the turns will fall into place.

4. A word about counter acting movements. Counteracting movements begin before and while the skis are coming on edge for the new turn. This is not counter rotation. Counteracting movements line up the body to accept higher forces and angles in the turn, they align the skeleton and stack the body. They also help to set up the legs to unwind the lower body passively in releases for bump skiing, powder and steeps. Bode has the best active deliberate counter acting movements on the world cup.

5. There are also a few tips that can be added as you develop these ideas such as flexing the inside leg further during the turn etc. These tips will refine development and are only appropriate when properly applied during on snow sessions.

Have fun, Harald

[Ott Gangl]

Nice skiing , miles...Ott

[milesb]

Thanks, everyone, here is what I'm going to do next ski day.
I'm going to make a concious effort to engage the stance ski much earlier, no matter what terrain I'm skiing. I can easily do this if I think about it, but apparantly it is not a habit yet. Harald, I'm now thinking that if I try to do this as much as possible, eventually it will just happen, even when I'm just doing easy, relaxed skiing like in the video? Also, I'm going to be less passive in the flex/extend thing, even though I think it will tire me out.
Of course, if there is 2 feet of freshies, I'm not working on anything!