Useful for PMTS?

[arnokamphuis]

I came across the following tool used for training the arm and upper body positions. It's called the Pole Position. Here's the URL:

http://skipoleposition.com/racing-training/

Here's the video:

Is this of any use for PMTS? I find it quite interesting, especially for video analysis. But I also think it is a bit counter productive for PMTS (just my feeling, might be wrong). I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

PS. I also find the price outrageous. A simple elastic rope would do the trick I think.

[Smackboy1]

I don't know anything about the Pole Position, but HH has already invented the PMTS Stick (tm)! HH showed us how to use it at camp this year and I can attest it's a great learning aid. Best of all the price is right: if you act now, for a limited time you can probably find one in your garage or yard for FREE (shipping/handling included). You may have to pay HH a nominal licensing fee

[h.harb]

We have used the flexible stick between the poles and arms for years already. It keeps the hands, arms and shoulders, in a more easily attainable correct position than the strap that is demonstrated in the video. This demonstration in this video, doesn't give the skier enough information about how to use it correctly, which way to face, or how to turn the upper body, when to change the upper body, how to co-ordinate the upper body to the releasing of the feet. Just because he's "Austrian" doesn't make it a complete program. It's actually a weak presentation. Knowing this from our own students over the years of teaching CA and CB idea, you have to give learning skiers more direction than is in this video, even with the stick approach we use at our Camps.. With this strap the hands can move in the wrong direction and it's much harder to control.

[arnokamphuis]

Thanks for the replies. As I said, I felt it had some good things in it, and indeed this is true since you use a similar thing. But I also felt it was counter productive since it still gives a lot of freedom (as you also stated in your reply)and it give you tension in your body. This last thing is something you almost have to avoid I think, skiing should be relaxing and not result in stiffening up your body.

[h.harb]

Relaxing movements and balancing are the two corner stones that connect all good movements not only in skiing in all sports. Holding a stick with slight tension connects the parts of the upper body that you want to move for CA and CB. The strap requires external pressure and tension from the arms, shoulders and back muscles. I'm always baffled when organizations like USSA Coaches Ass. comes out with technical papers where the first requirements are a balanced "position". That is an oxymoron. Skiing has no positions. It may have upper to lower body relationships or movements from one body alignment to the other, but a "position" sends the wrong message. Just as Doug Lewis said in the slalom telecast yesterday about Schild. "She has such a stable position". This is a fundamental error of understanding, not just a slip of words. He then said, "this is what I would tell ever junior racer, get a stable position on your skis." I hope no one takes him seriously. That is like telling a car company to "get four wheels on your car it's much more stable that way."

[BobH]

We have used the flexible stick between the poles and arms for years already.

Is this in any of the books??