Harb Ski Systems Technicians Alignment Course

[h.harb]

http://harbskisysems.blogspot.com

Six days of intense: studying, measuring, building, evaluating, testing, construction of footbeds, alignment and on snow validation. A real mind bender and what comes out it is the best trained boot technicians in the world.

[ToddW]

I did the alignment tech training a year ago. It's hardcore. The proof was a couple times during the week when serious junior racers came in the shop for alignment and bootfitting appointments. Everything that was done for these top skiers was covered in the course with hands-on practice.

[Spark]

I just completed this course. I now understand why it is a prerequisite for becoming an accredited PMTS coach. If you really want to understand the fundamental biomechanics behind PMTS and correctly analyze your students movements and the underlying causes it is a must do. It is amazing to begin to understand how many "normal" skiing behaviors are adaptive movements caused by misalignment. I can't imagine how anyone could properly fit a boot without taking it, and it is hard to comprehend how severely the ski industry is shooting itself in the foot by not paying attention to the fundamental knowledge outlined in this course. I can't wait for the Level 2 Alignment Camp.

[h.harb]

There is no boot tech alignment course, that includes footbeds, cuff adjustment and boot retrofitting, that is tested and validated, with on snow results in all of skiing, world wide, that comes close to this course. And that also is documented in a complete comprehensive manual. The manual alone could be a complete PhD or doctorate thesis. The original manual we wrote was 15 pages with the basics, the basics are also in Expert Skier 1, this has evolved into a 80 page book. And every year we evolve new approaches and get better results by tweaking and refining.

As Spark just noted, without this course under your belt, ski teaching is a wasted shot in the dark. This course should be mandatory for every ski boot manufacturer race tech.

[DougD]

I've not taken this course, but one visit to HSS in Dumont showed me that their knowledge far exceeds even the best on-mountain shops, including shops recommended by local racers, instructors, patrollers, etc.

Before finding HSS, I'd told a dozen shops and instructors about an old knee injury and how it affected my skiing. None could see anything amiss. The best of them recommended on on-snow evaluation by a L3 instructor they work with. Good plan. Unfortunately, despite knowing about the injury in advance, the instructor had no idea what to look for. His "evaluation" consisted of, "Your alignment looks okay, I guess... how does it feel to you?" Ummm... I already told you about my knee pain... remember? He simply had no knowledge base, no evaluation tools, yet charged me $250... for nothing.

Then I visited HSS in Dumont while helping a friend buy boots and enroll in a PMTS clinic. Diana greeted us and we chatted as we walked toward the fitting stand. "Say Doug," she asked, "when did you injure your right knee? Does it affect your skiing?"

HOLY MOTHER OF #$@&^^!!!! I'd never said a word to her about my old injury, yet she spotted it an instant. It never bothers me walking on a level floor. I'm not aware of a limp or any visible clue. What she saw remains a mystery.

What she did seems like a miracle. My right foot is fairly stable and doesn't need special support. My right leg does need canting, so she inserted a wedge beneath the boot sole. Presto! My once weaker ski leg, subject to pain in grabby snow, is now pain-free and as reliable as the other leg. I skied for 20 years with intermittent pain and without being able to trust one leg, all because the ski industry is ignorant... yet pretends to have special knowledge (and charges a premium for it).

The knowledge at HSS is real. From my perspective it's so advanced that it exemplifies Arthur C. Clarke's Third Law, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

Anyone who's serious about being a ski instructor, fitter or coach must take this course. I will never trust my gear or legs to anyone who hasn't.

[h.harb]

Thanks Doug, we try not to leave anything to chance, and we don't BS anyone. We tell people the truth based on the biomechanics, even when some people can't handle the truth, but we will not sacrifice quality and helping skiers to our best ability.

L3 PSIA and Canadian CSIA have no knowledge base of movements, or bio-mechanics, they only have their system, which is weak and convoluted.

[Icanski]

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/006/866/352ima.jpg

Can't wait to take the course. There's no one up here who does this, and my students need it. Very frustrating to get boots fit up here, I will only trust PMTS fitters.