I saw this post on Epic. Paul Lorenz from Australlia

[MarcS]

Thank you Harald, he must have your books.

[François]

As always, HH's video MA appears to be spot on. I guess it's easier for me to see when it's pointed out.

If you can stand to read a few comments from the peanut gallery.

I have read all the PMTS books except the instructors manual, and it's on my list. Although I can't really count myself as a devoted desciple, I agree with everything in your books, and they have improved my skiing (I'm just to lazy to devote myself to the endless drills - all work and no play makes Frank a dull boy).

Perhaps in the same thread with the Paul Lorenz video, I saw another video with Paul and J. François (no relation) and another skier, where JF was talking about adding steering, to his short turns. It's like you say, they cannot perfect their clean carving recipe when they use the wrong ingredients, no matter how good they may get at steering, but who am I to say, just a recreational skier who decided to perfect his clean carving some 45 years ago and is still working on it.

[h.harb]

they cannot perfect their clean carving recipe when they use the wrong ingredients, no matter how good they may get at steering,

This is accurate and below is a clip from the other thread on Demo Teams. It is appropriate here for these guys as well.


HH said:

The only way I can answer this is that the best Austrian racers don't knee drive and don't rotate. But even in some of their best ski instructor skiers, there is rotation and knee drive. So the only conclusion you can draw from this is, the Richie Berger types, figure out how to ski correctly. Even if they don't know how to explain it. I have heard Richie Berger explaining skiing in German, in an interview, he sounds no better than a PSIA instructor doing the same. However he can ski. So the two are disconnected. The more you work with some top athletes , not all, the more you find out their skiing and their knowledge don't always go hand in hand. There are 3 or 4 on the Austrian squad that are very good skiers, however they may not have the correct understanding. Don't forget this is ski school, not Austrian racing school coaching that the Austrian kids, like a Fenninger, get at Stams, the Austrian nation racing academy.

[Basil j]

Here is a more current video of Paul. He looks like he is working on staying flexed between turns much more than the prior video from 2014.
He always has good tunes if nothing else in his videos. I'd be interested in thoughts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MsOHbk29og

[MarcS]

I think I can see some stance leg steering, A frame and possibly minor upper body rotation but I maybe wrong.

[ToddW]

I'd be interested in thoughts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MsOHbk29og

Lorenz put out an instructional video (with McGlashan and Beaulieu) recently entitled Project Kitzsteinhorn.

Here are Lorenz's own current stated thoughts on his short turns from that video:

1. He worked hard over the last year to flex deeply with the goal of his hips coming directly across without rising in transition.

2. Flex progressively to maximize benefit of rebound; letting go all at once kills a turn.

3. When deeply flexed, his upper leg rotation gets locked out and his hip may come around. He replaces leg rotation with "foot twisting" when the legs are bent near 90*. He demos this with an inward twist of the toes in sock feet and then shows a video clip of pivot slips via foot twisting with knees flexed 90*. He argues that foot twisting is most important at the completion of the turn and notes that its tendency to reduce edging is desirable then.

[B.Mulligan]

I think I can see some stance leg steering, A frame and possibly minor upper body rotation but I maybe wrong.

?????????

This is good skiing. Yes, even great skiers can become greater through focused technical work and meaningful technical input from a sharp eyed and talented coach. But, I would leave critiquing of skiers like Paul to the upper level coaches on this forum. I know it's way above my pay grade.

[MarcS]

B.Mulligan. What do you mean by good skiing? As you said The MA is above your pay grade then why are you critiquing my observations just because you can not see the incorrect movements. PMTS has specific movements that can be easily observed and also noticable when absent, even in top level skiing.

[Max_501]

This is good skiing. Yes, even great skiers can become greater through focused technical work and meaningful technical input from a sharp eyed and talented coach. But, I would leave critiquing of skiers like Paul to the upper level coaches on this forum. I know it's way above my pay grade.

Agreed! It takes years and years of work to be able to accurately MA a skier at this level. And even then if you can't make the movements yourself there may be a misunderstanding in what you are seeing. For example, if you can't ski bumps in a similar manner you have little basis for understanding the movements the skier is making and WHY he is making them.

[MarcS]

I understand what you mean Max. I should have said I just see that their skiing does'nt look the same as Haralds and WC skiing.

[B.Mulligan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc270_1liig

I think this is his most recent demonstration.

[MarcS]

Yes, he is a different skier now. Looks the same as Reilly. I think only Harald could "MA" this. At this level I think it comes down to which style you prefer. Minor technique differences may dictate style and it could be something to do with age, speed and athleticism. Harald displays graceful, flowing skiing. "The man has style".

[Max_501]

Yes, he is a different skier now.

Basically the same movements as the previous video although more refined. He and Reilly are fantastic skiers.

[h.harb]

The Australians have put in the work and are skiing much better than even a year ago. The details, they are transferring the energy through a more refined flexing release, this in turn lets their body move into the next turn. Before they were still being launched, not managing the energy of the release as well, and had more twisting in the legs. This requires a later, harder hit. Now the connections are more fluid and the turns are rounder, with the skis in more contact with the surface. Refinements that are available, are they improvements or are the stylistic preferences? In my view, there are still some efficiency improvements available, less movement in pole use for one, to complement energy efficiency and upper body being quieter. Less pole and outside arm use or movements, also contributes to a cleaner body line in the lower loading phase of the arc. Look at Richie Berger for this example.

[DougD]

In my view, there are still some efficiency improvements available, less movement in pole use for one, to complement energy efficiency and upper body being quieter. Less pole and outside arm use or movements, also contributes to a cleaner body line in the lower loading phase of the arc.

Such a good insight.

I noticed this same issue in your recent blog post comparing Mario Matt to a developing racer. The young racer was extending the outside hand forward, reaching toward the gate for the block. This unwound CA, which led to several problems. Matt maintained CA with a quiet outside hand. He was patiently letting the gate come to him, concentrating on his skiing.