Speed control

[Matt]

It is well known that PMTS speed control comes from engagement in the high C and and/or brushing the carves.

However if I am carving edge locked down a narrow corridor and decide that the speed is too high, what is the best way?

If I start to brush the turns at high speed the turning radius increases and that is something that I don't want.
If I make the turn longer the speed is reduced but I no longer fit in the corridor and I don't want that either.

I suppose the answer is that I should brush the turn but with a very powerful engagement early in the turn and then increase tipping until the carving is more or less edge locked. I find that very difficult to do though.

Any tips or ideas?

[HeluvaSkier]

Max or Harald might be the better people to answer this, but your answer is brushing at least some of the turn, or improving your carving. I'm going to assume you're on a slalom ski, so changing equipment to get a tighter radius wouldn't really be possible.

On the brushing side, likely what you are doing is not continuing to tip once you begin brushing. In my expereince with other PMTS skiers, this is very common. If you continue tipping once in your brushed turn, you will be able to tighten the radius, and reach the point where the edges hook up a lot as you approach the fall line. Do not force pressure in the top of your turn as this will cause a push. Stay relaxed, balanced on your BTE, and continue to progressively tip the LTE through release.

On the carved side of the equation, there is a good chance that flexing and foot pullback, combined with commitment to tipping, CA and CB will go a long way to helping your speed control. If you get to a narrow corridor that requires speed control and don't commit to large movements, you're going to end up out of control. In other words, don't back off anything when you're in a tight spot.

If all else fails, get some video and post it in the MA forum. Many here will be able to target where the movment breakdown is occurring.

[jbotti]

If I start to brush the turns at high speed the turning radius increases and that is something that I don't want.
If I make the turn longer the speed is reduced but I no longer fit in the corridor and I don't want that either.

Your comments are counter to what you should be experiencing. First off the point of brushed carved turns is to control your speed before you get going too fast. If you are at the top of a steep pitch, start your brushed carve turns at the top and prevent your speed from accelerating too much.

I don't understand the second comment. Longer/wider arcs increase ones speed.

Brushed carved turns done properly decrease the turning radius (tighten the turn) and that is why we use them. My guess without seeing video is that you don't have a true PMTS brushed carve turn and you are doing a skid/pivot without much tipping and without some other necessary essentials (like CB, CA and flexing).

I agree with Heluva, post some video.

[Matt]

Your comments are counter to what you should be experiencing. First off the point of brushed carved turns is to control your speed before you get going too fast. If you are at the top of a steep pitch, start your brushed carve turns at the top and prevent your speed from accelerating too much.

I do that also, but sometimes I want to try to carve a steep hill edge locked, but if the speed increases too much I want a graceful way of reducing the speed without skidding and starting over with brushing.

I don't understand the second comment. Longer/wider arcs increase ones speed.

Poor choice of word, I mean longer as in time. To stay in the turn until the skis point more across the hill

I agree with Heluva, post some video.

I will. Access to video camera and friends to shoot is limited but it is coming. I have some old footage in the MA forum but nothing brushed or steep. I think I have changed a few things to the better since the last MA video so I am looking forward to shooting some more to see if it also looks better. I know very well that feelings can be deceiving.

[HeluvaSkier]

Matt,
When you shoot your video, get both brushed and edge locked turns so we can help you with both.
Cheers.

[Matt]

Thanks for your replies Helluva, I will keep your advice in mind when I go skiing tonight.

[Max_501]

I do that also, but sometimes I want to try to carve a steep hill edge locked, but if the speed increases too much I want a graceful way of reducing the speed without skidding and starting over with brushing.

Doable but risky. Basically you've exceeded your speed limit by that point and trying to take that momentum into a good BPST, which will be a tighter radius than the warp speed carves, it is going to bounce you hard. Best to stop and start over.

My favorite approach to carving a good pitch is to start with smooth brush and work that into a full edge locked carve.

[skifreak]

Would not it make sense to take ski with a radius as small as possible, for example the SS 160 cm with radius 10.7 m?

[Max_501]

Would not it make sense to take ski with a radius as small as possible, for example the SS 160 cm with radius 10.7 m?

Depends on the skier's size and the pitch of the slope. But in general it is difficult to edge lock carve a good pitch on short tight radius skis. On a good pitch the 10M radius is going to quickly bend into an arc that is very tight. Takes a Heluvaskier to handle that type of rapid release. Very hard on the body.

[milesb]

One key to controlling speed on steeps is a very strong pullback with both feet at transition to engage the front of the skis.

[Max_501]

For speed control all the Essentials need to be dialed. Miss even one of them and you are lost.

[MonsterMan]

maybe re-tune your base bevel to 0.500 at the tip to 0.501 under foot??

[HeluvaSkier]

maybe re-tune your base bevel to 0.500 at the tip to 0.501 under foot??

You Aussies are great!

[ToddW]

maybe re-tune your base bevel to 0.500 at the tip to 0.501 under foot??

And vice versa in the Northern Hemisphere.

[h.harb]

I heard Rhino horn juice really makes them turn quicker.