Short MA (on big skis)

Short MA (on big skis)

Postby ginaliam » Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:53 am

Hey Gang,

This is the only video I have so far this season-One of these days I'll make a video specifically for focused MA (attempting specific PMTS drills) on appropriate skis (and not long,soft, fat-boys). But for now, all I have is this free skiing video.

This was taken Two tuesday's ago-just as the epic storm of 2010 was beginning. Here I'm skiing three inches of fresh on frozen groomer (reasonably steep)

Skis: Icelantic Nomad SFT (140-110-130) in a 181cm...I know, not exactly a PMTS ski--I knew what the storm was bringing and I wanted to get some time on the big skis getting used to them before the wet-heavy stuff arrived (next day the storm total hit 30 inches of heavy, deep, snow!).

I didn't notice it while skiing but I seem to always be leaving a leg a little behind through the transition-especially on turns to the left. I think it's due to an extension of the old stance leg. The two or three turns made as I get close to and pass the camera came out fairly decently-but consistency throughout the run remains elusive..

Oh, well, have at it!

here's the link:
http://www.vimeo.com/9908411

Liam
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Re: Short MA (on big skis)

Postby jclayton » Thu Mar 04, 2010 1:31 pm

Ginaliam says

“Leg left behind , especially on left turns “

00.12 - legs opening a bit , stepping onto the new big toe edge . You bring the free ski in but drift around almost to the fall line before you really get an edge . I see this being due to the small but noticeable extension and lack of a quick retraction and tip to the new edges while still facing across the slope .

00.13 – big tip lead tho’ the new free ski is brought back and tail lifted

00.15 – turn to left also noticeable but less extension , free ski pulled back and lifted to tilt .

00.16 – CA is there but CB is largely achieved by bending at the waist , not enough hip tilt .

00.17 – right turns do look better but a definite step and A frame . Watch how you step up onto the new stance ski through this second , the hip also starts to move up and around toward the fall line too soon , the edge change should be a lot earlier .

00.18 – engaging edges with the body lean instead of earlier with ankle tilt . Inside pole touching the snow instead of the outside one .

I guess some of these points are due to the snow , a nice platform to lean against and easy to do some “ mellow” turns with those wide skis .

Nice rhythm , definitely would rather be there doing those turns than writing this in my office .

I think that the main thing would be to get much more retraction and change the edges and pull the feet back much earlier . You do look to be pushing off a platform instead of changing from edge to edge cleanly .
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Re: Short MA (on big skis)

Postby ginaliam » Fri Mar 05, 2010 7:43 am

Thank, JClayton-all good points. Yeah, since this video I've gotten smoother on the bigger skis-but still not smooth enough.

I thought folks wood get a kick out of the quiet and uncrowded ski scene-this was late morning and still not a soul in sight (on a budding powder day). Most of the MA videos presented on this website are always full of crowds and it usually takes a few seconds before I figure out who the video is of! (No fault of the Posters, of course, just a function of where they ski). But I admit, I am shamelessly grateful about the lack of crowds I deal with on a typical ski day...and that's without having to resort to sneaking into the way out-of-bounds guerrilla glade runs.

On my vimeo site I have a few other vids shot at the same hill-and other than the subjects in the video there isn't another person skiing in any of them!
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Re: Short MA (on big skis)

Postby HeluvaSkier » Fri Mar 05, 2010 6:21 pm

There is something on your back. :shock:

:wink:
Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability.

www.youtube.com/c/heluvaskier
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Re: Short MA (on big skis)

Postby ginaliam » Sat Mar 06, 2010 4:14 am

HeluvaSkier wrote:There is something on your back. :shock:

:wink:



Oh yeah-I guess that explains all the snowballs the kids keep throwing at me :D
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Re: Short MA (on big skis)

Postby leopold_bloom » Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:04 pm

Hello ginaliam,

You're only a few inches away from a big breakthrough. These inches are the re-centering movement that you are lacking in transition.

In some of the turns that I could see clearly, I saw a flex-to-release movement-- or more accurately I should say a "flex-to-" movement, because it's what happens after you flex your stance leg that is holding you back.

Dictonary.com lists this as one of the meanings of the word release:

"to free from anything that restrains, fastens, etc.: to release a catapult."

This definition seems particularly apt for the skiing context. What you are failing to do is "free" yourself to move into the next turn.

You are not alone. I would say this is the "universal problem". I can't say I've seen any video submitted for MA on this site that demonstrates mastery of the transition phase of the turn. This is what separates the men from the boys--Mr. Harb, the Japanese fellow who's video is posted here and World Cup racers are doing something fundamentally different from the rest. They are "letting go" or releasing at the appropriate moment.

One of the positive side effects of releasing your edges and "freeing" yourself to move into the next turn is that you will gain a lot of re-centering action. You are restraining yourself in transition. You don't allow yourself to move over your skis fore-and-aft. Your weight is too far back for your skis to work as they were designed to do. You compensate by pushing your tails around the turn.

If re-centering were part of your movement, your skis would engage and pull you through the turn. As I said off the top, it's only a matter of inches when expressed as the relative position of your feet and hips.

There is a big psychological barrier to letting go of your edges and letting yourself be carried into the next turn. It's like learning to swim. Instinct makes us keep our heads out of the water. Once one learns to bury their face in the water everything gets easier.

When you find that elusive movement in transition, all the other elements like tipping and countering will fall into place. Until you find it, you will only be treating symptoms.

Good luck!

Leo
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Re: Short MA (on big skis)

Postby h.harb » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:03 pm

Well done, good comments, on the right track.
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Re: Short MA (on big skis)

Postby jclayton » Wed Mar 10, 2010 2:45 pm

I see a rush to get onto the new stance ski causing the lack of a re-centering action .

As Leo says , the flex and release movement is truncated , the " float " or " moment of stop " doesn't occur .

I agree not many posters have a " mastery " of this aspect but many are working toward it , ( from what I've seen Helluva , Bolter , JBotti and Max 501 ,to start with ,have it down pretty well ) . A lot of things are happening in a very short space of time .

The best way to work toward this , I would say , is by practising slow TFRs . Max 501 has shown the benefit of this . The float period corresponds to the period in the TFR where the skis go to flat . In the slow version there is a bit more time to collect ones thoughts , bring the feet back to re-centre , tip the free foot ( or " go beyond flat " as Diana says ) , prepare the upper body and start CB and CA ,
balancing on the new edges .

The " Essentials " are Flexing , Tipping , Fore-aft and CA/CB . The Flex starts the float , the others all start during the float which is like a flux which allows it all to happen successfully to start the new turn .
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Re: Short MA (on big skis)

Postby leopold_bloom » Wed Mar 10, 2010 6:33 pm

Hello all,

Thank you, Mr. Harb, for your kind remarks.

After reading jclayton's post, I confess I am a bit confused on the application of the TFR drill. Would you agree with his prescription or would you propose a different approach?

I think the gist of my analysis is that ginaliam (and others) are missing out on the momentum that is available to help re-centre. It would seem to me that a drill that generates some force at the end of the turn would be more appropriate. My (limited) understanding of the TFR is that it is a slow speed drill and momentum is probably not a factor in its mechanics. Or am I missing something?

Leo
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Re: Short MA (on big skis)

Postby jclayton » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:33 am

Hi Leo ,

The “ re-centering “ , organisation of weight distribution etc you refer to is performed in the “ float “ period , after release .

To get dynamic turns this has to be done virtually in mid-air in a very short period . A dynamic release is needed to achieve this as you point out . My point is that these essentials can be practised sequentially and more slowly during the TFR . That way the actions can become engraved and then developed during the more challenging release where a “ psychological barrier “ has to be overcome as well .

A lot of people mention the dynamic release as being quite scary and this is often the reason the weight goes back etc . ( in past personal experience I enjoyed the feeling but never seemed to get time to organise myself during this phase ) .

You also mention the timing of the release or "letting go at the appropriate moment " . I.e. where in the arc does the release occurs thus allowing more or less time for the transistion movements to happen . Is this what you mean ?

I have to say that some of my posts are perhaps a bit confusing as I unintentionally assume understanding of my train of thoughts . ( Perhaps a great literary heritage like yours would be an advantage !!! )

Let me know if I am missing your point .

Cheers
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Re: Short MA (on big skis)

Postby ginaliam » Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:39 am

Leopold Bloom,

You're right, I'm fighting against the stored potential energy set to be released (from the flex to release). On nice surface on my carvers I think I get closer to what you are suggestion again, never 100% of the time, but a few links here and there). But with the big skis, I'm far more tentative to make that commitment.

I must admit-I have some questions about the float and how much. On the one hand, especially in expert 2, it seemed holding and prolonging the float was desirable but in this forum I got the inspiration to combine the tipping and flexing to release movement (not so much in the above video however)-which certainly speeds up the moment of carving but shortens or nullifies the 'float' (and quicky puts you on engaging the new stance ski as JClayton points out).

Any clarification about transition and float would be appreciated.

Oh, and thanks for the MA guys. It's solid, as always,

Buck Mulligan
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Re: Short MA (on big skis)

Postby jclayton » Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:10 pm

There is a very good thread where Helluva and NYskier note their progression with release timing and the float . Max501 bumped it a week or so ago . 1st Video Post/MA Request

1st Video Post/MA Request
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