Whistler Presentation

[h.harb]

https://skiersynergy.com/index.php/blog-ski-instruction-pmts-harb-carvers16/58-technical-articles/325-harald-harb-whistler-presentation-2013

Can also be seen on my and Harb Ski System's Facebook Page.

[skijim13]

Great presentation wish I was there. I wish more skiers would realize that PMTS is the correct way to ski, riding the chairlift this weekend and seeing so much up movements, rotary and wide stance sking not only in our ski instructors but our race team coaches as well. My wife and I were out training PMTS and we heard the coach who was training the young racers to ski in a very wide stance, we could not believe what we were hearing. One of my friends is a coach on the race team I sent him the link to this talk I hope he sees the light.

[Basil j]

I saw the same thing at our ski school this weekend as well. the instructors were out in groups running drills. I watched them do javelin turn drills and many had trouble balancing on one ski through a whole turn. Almost all of them were skiing very 2 footed in a shoulder width stance. After watching soem of them for a few minutes I felt like the majority of them were barely better than strong intermediates.

[bowlhiker]

Good morning skijim13,

FWIW.

PMTS is perfect. The entire self-help system built over the past 17 years stands alone.

But how can a skier be "wrong"? They just spent the day in the mountains. It was beautiful, they had a blast. How is that "wrong"?

I spent years on wrong. Each time I would go home thinking I wasn't good enough. Instead of realizing my accomplishments, all I heard was what I wasn't doing. I was "wrong”. Or, that once I got “there”, then I’d be skiing well! Then, I’d be an expert!! I became obsessed over skiing how I should, over matching up to ratings. I was never in the moment. Skiing wasn't any fun.

After a few years, I said “##$%6 this bs”.

Consider this. For an advanced skier to change, they'll do so on their own. Not, because "they're wrong". Yes, they have banana skis. Yes, their technique is…not what you feel is “right”. But if they beat you to the lift or you can't keep up, to them, you're the one who's wrong.

My friend Ryan is a young fella, who writes fitness articles for the Vail Daily (aka, Failed Daily ). His latest piece is here:
http://www.vaildaily.com/news/9181528-1 ... -pain-weak

He wants to up his game, bring in PMTS. He found out about PMTS because a client brought it up. And, he skis with me.

I'm twice his age. He calls me on powder days, he calls me to make turns. We do laps, we ski hard. Even though I've never once beat him down Spider, he doesn't miss a chair waiting or me, either. Something has become attractive to him. Now, Ryan watches Harald's videos on YouTube, him and I talk about the Primary Movements. If I'd have told him he was "wrong", not only would I not be skiing with him -- he'd equate PMTS to being -- wrong.

Same thing with another ski buddy, Jonesy. Young guy, buddies with Ryan, we all ski the Beav. Jonesy has big fat skis. But just this year, he bought a pair of Raptor 130’s. Not because his boots were “wrong”. Because I talk about how much I love my Raptor 130's. I turned Jonesy onto Highlands, this year he packed the bowl. Jonesy now hears "PMTS", "Harb". He's not listening because he's "wrong", he's listening because he's curious.

BTW, one of the best tips I’ve ever got was from Jonesy -- “think two pole plants ahead”. Jonesy used to race. When I put that into play my skiing went up a notch.

Yes, the Primary Movements are what I think about when I ski. No, I don’t think steering is valid. No, I don’t want banana skis. But if others steer, or they want banana skis, good for them. They’re not, wrong. I watch wedge turns being taught and I shake my head. But then I get back to the moment. Because it’s about me, not about them.

For me, they’re the “Primary Movements”, not, “Exclusive Movements”. The terrain changes in an instant and I’m going to do what it takes to make those next two pole plants. My plan, is to use the Primary Movements. But I’ve been doing this long enough to know things don’t always work out as planned. Balance, is what I think most about. 15 years later, that equates to PMTS.

When I’m not skiing well it’s because…I’m not skiing well. Not, because I’m “wrong”. Some days I’m on, others not. That’s life. Yes, I push myself. When I’m off, I know what I need to do. 9 times out of 10, it's something vis-a-vis Primary Movements. It’s not wrong.

I go home each day thankful for being able to make turns, grateful. I’m not thinking that once I do this or that, or once my turns look like this, then I’ll be “there” — then I’ll “an expert”. Because there doesn’t exist — it’s not real. Consider that the term “expert skier” is a definition that some person made. It wasn’t found. So how can it be the truth?

I don’t want to miss being here. I don’t want to miss how the snow feels or the beauty of it all.

I read this forum because there’s some nuggets to be had. It’s my goto source for equipment and yes, gossip. I like to see what others are up to after all these years. I’ve found a way to continue to use the Primary Movements in the moment, to make it about me. It occurs to me there’s a lot of talk here about “wrong”. That’s where you he/she/its here are at, it’s exactly the way it should be. But myself, I tune it out. It doesn’t work for me.

Happy turns,

[h.harb]

Most skiers would love to have a path to fix what they are doing wrong, incorrectly, inaccurately, falsely, clumsily, and to enhance what they do right! PMTS provides it, a true path, what you want to do with it is your own prerogative.

It's a path and it is a journey, many love it, follow it until they are close to personal perfection. Follow it until you are in harmony with the slopes and snow. Otherwise, their is still a deep battle going on inside yourself and your body, you don't have a clue about. Until you free yourself of the restrictions, blockages, you haven't yet experienced the true beauty and symmetry that can be achieved from skiing.

Yes, there are levels of enjoyment that come from far less than the perfect skiing and connectivity between turns, but compromise even with these small miscues from perfection, it interferes with the ultimate quest of relaxed, connected skiing that I strive for on every run.

That's just the way I want to ski and many others seem to want to find the same thing. There is nothing wrong with enjoying skiing at any level, but there is another level of freedom, a deeper level, it comes with total relaxation from holding, misbalancing, and recovering. It's unexplainable until you experience it. So why limit oneself. Just a different philosophy.

All that said, there is a wrong way to "learn" skiing. And I am thankful for that, because Traditional Teaching Systems are creating thousands of new skiers and customers every year for me and PMTS.

[Ken]

bowlhiker, I wasn't born with a big dose of athleticism. I was poor at school sports even though I was in decent shape from hiking, biking, etc. I skied with just a bit more pleasure than frustration; enough pleasure to keep skiing, and enough frustration to really want to ski better. Harald's system has made me into a very good skier. I'll never be a great skier, it isn't in my genes (and now I'm getting old faster than I'm getting better), but I have a LOT of fun, and I have the tools to deal with any frustration I cause myself when I muff a ski turn. The old system was indeed wrong for me, and PMTS is right for me. I'm not going to tell the person with a huge grin making wedge turns on a green run that they're wrong, but if they ask me how to get better, I'll tell them what I've found.

[h.harb]

Well said Ken.

HH said:
All that said, there is a wrong way to "learn" skiing. And I am thankful for that, because Traditional Teaching Systems are creating thousands of new skiers and customers every year for me and PMTS.

I say this without malice, but I have the right to say it because I offered PSIA, the use of PMTS in 1996. But instead of working with me, they with Winter Park, tried to sue me because I was using the name that I invented.

[Ihamilton]

I just read this post at the top of Whistler. My feet are cold so I stoped for a coffee. I was at the presentation so I know how good that was. The post by bowlhiker has got me fired up. It reflects my own thoughts and feelings. What a great forum. Got to ski down now and I will relax and use my pmts intuitive movements.

[h.harb]

Miller credits much of his comeback to improved fitness and a new workout plan. Since the summer, he’s been working with Gavin MacMillan, of Sports Science Lab.

Sports Science Lab is a Southern California company specializing in performance and rehabilitation. MacMillan works with an extensive list of athletes that include a number of professional boxers, NBA athletes, national rugby teams and more.

MacMillan put Miller on a regimen focused on strengthening his knee. Unlike more conventional programs that put athletes in the weight room, MacMillan is a firm believer that traditional weight lifting negates power and speed. Instead, he had Miller work on plyometrics, balance and high-repetition strengthening.

This is from the Vail paper. It may sound revolutionary to many coaches, trainers and skiers. It's not to me, this is what I've been doing for decades. I've been against weight training in the formal sense for 40 years. I institute repetitive plyo training and specific movement and balanced training. I rehabbed my own knees, achilles, and shoulders many times. Many people think because I climb rock, ride bikes and ski, I'm a natural. Nothing can be further from the truth. I work hard and I've had serious debilitating injures in my years.

Diana is the same, PSIA told her once that she was not a good enough athlete to be one of their trainers. "Institutions do not create athletes." Diana became a hugely successful skier, and did it outside USSA and PSIA.

Bode did it outside USSA and the US Ski Team. We are doing it for thousands of skiers outside of PSIA. I know first hand Shiffrin is doing it outside USSA coaching. The Skills program for development athletes USSA has instated recently is a failure, it involves no skills and it involves no training of movements. It's just another way for coaches to eliminate what they think are the weak ones, and remove themselves from the responsibility of not producing good athletes. It's a copout, you heard it here and won't hear it anywhere else because everyone is so worried to speak out for fear of retribution within these systems. Its a sad situation, but as with many institutions it's the norm, not the exception.

[Ihamilton]

Today was one of my best on snow experiences ever. We have lousy snow and it was foggy and my experience was as an observer but it will be hard to top today.
A few weeks ago when Harald made this presentation, I felt that he and Diana were treated very poorly by the WB SS. I posted my feelings on this forum and used strong language. Some of you read it (about 30) before I yanked it. I am ambivalent about whether I should have taken it off, but I did and today I got some quiet retribution without even trying.
Some history is required here. There is a program at WB called the "Adaptive Ski Program". That program teaches skiing for people with physical and cognitive disabilities. Last year we had a PMTS camp at WB and 10 instructors got their green certification. The day after the camp finished, Harald and Jay donated a day of their time teaching the leaders of the Adaptive ski program how to teach "Direct Parallel". The Adaptive program consists of 4 full time leaders and 75 volunteers. It is heavily subsidised by WB. WB pays the leaders and each of the volunteers gets a free pass. Each volunteer must teach 22 days. WB supplies equipment such as sit skis. The program is very successful with both adults and children. Each volunteer must pass a teaching course which is not connected in any way with the CSIA. The Adaptive program operates outside of WB although it is subsidized by them.
My neighbour Dan and I car pool to go skiing. We live in Squamish which is a 40 minute drive to Whistler Creekside. Dan retired last year as a fireman. He is a typical TTS skier. He is aware that I am a PMTS practitioner. Last week I was doing a CA drill and Dan asked why I was doing the drill and I explained it to him but he didn't ask for any teaching so that was the end of it. Last weekend Dan took the Adaptive course and he is now one of the 75 volunteers. On our ride up today he told me that the program has adapted the "Direct parallel" (that is what they call the teaching method) taught to them last year by Jay and Harald. Dan went on to say that Adaptive program has the CSIA teaching manual but they find it doesn't work. Those with physical disabilities find the wedge difficult and those with cognitive disabilities can't get the idea of moving in a wedge. The program leaders have determined that the direct parallel method is easy to demonstrate and follow with out having to rely on explanations which those with cognitive difficulties can't follow. Once in a wedge it was almost impossible to get a skier with cognitive difficulties out of the wedge. Dan asked me to show him how to teach shuffle turns and step turns. I went through the steps with him at the top of Whistler and taught him how we teach tipping. Dan's skiing was noticeably improved and he has skied for over 50 years.
Dan was taught the Adaptive course by another retired fireman who is one of the programs leaders and he was taught direct parallel by Harald and Jay last year. His name is Gil and he also lives in Squamish. Around 10:30 this morning Dan and I ran into Gil. Gil had his Adaptive jacket on and he was teaching a boy about the age of 10. The boy has a cognitive disability. It was the boy's first day on the snow. Gil had another young volunteer with him. We ran into them on lower Whiskey Jack, a green run. Gil was teaching the boy to ski on one ski. They were doing traverses. They then moved on to linked turns with the volunteer in front and Gil behind, reminding the boy to tip like the lead volunteer was. The boy was laughing as he went down.
We have a huge learning area at WB. All beginners without disabilities start there. A wedge progression is taught there. If they start you in there, you are lucky if you can get out in 3 days. When the skier does get out they are usually taken to Whiskey Jack where they wedge their way down. Whiskey Jack is not a long run but for someone just out of the learning area it usually takes 2 hours to get to the Emerald chair the first time.
This is not the Daily Show and I am not Jon Stewart but I couldn't help seeing Jon waving his arms and yelling "what, what, what, what". The kid with the cognitive difficulties is taken directly to a green run and in one hour has almost made it to the Emerald chair. The kid doesn't have to unlearn anything. The kid is laughing, having fun. Those beginners who also started at 930 and who don't have any disabilities are taken to the learning area to learn the painful wedge? When they get really good at wedging which usually takes 3 days, they get to go to a real ski run, where they are a danger to themselves and everyone else? So the people who are smart and physically able are taught a method of skiing which prevents them from skiing well and they can't wait to quit? Those who are slower to learn or have a physical disability are taught a simpler method and they get it right away, have fun and want more? WTF? I really enjoyed following that boy down. He had some wedge turn entries but he had only been on skis for an hour. Those two adaptive coaches and the boy were very inspiring. Thank you Harald and Jay for sharing your time with these people.

It gets better.Dan told me on the lifts that as part of the adaptive course they spent a half day with a level 4. The 4 wanted to teach them how to wedge, which they immediately rejected as unusable. The L4 wanted to teach them to pivot which they rejected as un teachable and unnecessary as the skis would turn when tipped. I wasn't there but I gather that the L4 learned how they taught but allowances were made because their clients had disabilities and couldn't learn the regular way. The L4 actually listened and watched? What, what, what, what? If Harald, or Diana or Jay had told the L4 that they would have been told to stay away because they were overly aggressive. If I had told a L4 that I would have been dismissed as a low level cert.
In February, 2014, the British Army is sending over 30 soldiers harmed in the Afghanistan war to learn how to ski. They are to be here for 10 days and they will be taught by the Adaptive program. I am free skiing with Gil and Dan on Wednesday. I will volunteer my time to teach any adaptive volunteer who wants to learn how to teach the shuffle, step turns, etc.
It was a great day on the slopes.

[pbuddingh]

So true -Terrific Post

[Ihamilton]

I am guessing that the CSIA 's opinion on the wedge is the same as Megyn Kelly's on Santa's skin colour, ie., "just because it makes you uncomfortable doesn't mean it has to change".

[h.harb]

Actually, Irwin I had more like 15 adaptive instructors and I was alone, in 2.5 hours, I gave them the PMTS beginner progression. Jay would have been a great help if he had been available.
I remember the group well, very smart people who were totally into the program and they saw immediately how PMTS was superior to TTS for adaptive skiers. I guess in Canada Adaptive skiers get better lessons than the high end guests that attend ski school. And that's only fair.

[richk]

Irwin,
That could be the funniest, and saddest, post in the history of the PMTS forum!

RichK

[Max_501]

The 4 wanted to teach them how to wedge, which they immediately rejected as unusable. The L4 wanted to teach them to pivot which they rejected as un teachable and unnecessary as the skis would turn when tipped.

If you get the opportunity to ask one of theCSIA L4 instructors why they wanted to teach a wedge and pivot please post their answers.