HuskerDu wrote:My question is, what does bad habit removal look like? Sounds like we are talking about performing anything from a frontal lobotomy to employing a Vatican priest for an exorcism. Am I assuming correctly that indications of movements “entrenched” from too many miles of reinforcement is why you might be suggesting extra difficulty in learning PMTS? That may be my first worry. For starters, on my first full season return (next Dec) I am prepared to isolate my ski experience away from skiing with the “posse” or people with whom it impossible to both ski with and focus on new fundamentals and skiing primarily on beginner terrain. Getting the course material in advance is of no question for me at this point.
For many skiers (yourself included) it isn't so much "bad habit removal" as starting from the beginning and learning how to ski again. The best approach really is to start with Expert Skier 1 and begin working through it from the beginning. Even the most basic drills, such a simply standing in your boots and establishing the motions of tipping feet are very worthwhile. In starting from the beginning, what you will be doing is building a new way to make turns in order to replace what you are doing now. Literally, do nothing but the drills up to the point where you have built a turn. Then go ski with what you have built for awhile--that turn, those movements, nothing else. Then move on in the progression and build some more. Ski and repeat. The commitment lies in being willing to stay with skiing in this new, different way, even if it seems less fun or effective in the short term.
The difficulty will be that for a while, your new skiing seemingly won't allow you to do the things you can currently do on skis. You will have to resist the temptation to ski at speeds or in terrain that your new skiing won't yet support. Moreover, learning to ski with balance and precision is best done on gentle terrain at slow speeds anyway. You are starting over as a beginner skier and, as you have recognized, this will make you incompatible with your normal ski buddies. Really, free skiing as you know it is a thing of the past. Instead, it becomes about always skiing with a focus. Being aware at all times of what movement(s) you are actively trying to develop and whether they are working. When things aren't working, you take action to correct the situation. That might be anything from a simple stop and reset, to moving to easier terrain, to spending some time with drills to reestablish the movement. More than anything, you have to stick with the new and resist the temptation to go back to the old. The fastest progress will occur if you are willing to ski 100% with new movements--regardless of how well you can actually make them work. Be willing to look bad. As a few students have told me, "I can't look any worse than what I was doing..." That is the attitude that will help you the most.
You have to be willing to accept all of this as you work to redevelop your skiing. If you are going to be successful, it is important to start realizing that the process itself is fun. Certainly, experiencing success and improvement is the goal, but there will likely be times where things aren't going so well. Being able to still enjoy the moment is critical to perseverance during such times. I know one of the best side-effects of going through this process (for me) is that I no longer depend on conditions or terrain for my enjoyment of the sport. For me, it is all about bending the ski and I can do that no matter where I'm skiing or what the snow is like.
If you are serious about this, finding some coaching is likely going to be necessary. As good as Harald's materials are, we regularly see students coming to camp with some misunderstandings that need to be cleared up. Getting some coaching early in the process can be very beneficial and pay big dividends with respect to immediate improvement. If getting to a camp isn't in the cards, continue to take advantage of the MA forum. Skiing with fellow PMTS skiers can also accelerate your learning. You might be surprised at the quality of "second-hand" coaching that you can get from camp attendees.
HuskerDu wrote:Finally, with this season’s end fast approaching and only a day or two ahead of me, would it be best to hold off absorbing the material until next season while I am skiing? Can any of it be applied through alpine inline skating?
It depends on how you currently view the thought of rebuilding your skiing. If it seems exciting to you and you want to dive right into it, then by all means do. OTOH, if you are currently viewing the idea with some trepidation, I'd say wait until next season to start working on snow. My advice would be to do whatever will end your season on a high note.
As far as roller blade training goes, Harald has some exercises for this. See:
https://www.harbskisystems.com/index.ph ... Itemid=356. Also, slantboard training is an excellent tool for the off-season. See:
https://www.harbskisystems.com/index.ph ... Itemid=182. There are good exercises around building balance in Expert Skier 2. Finally, as you go through Harald's material, there are many opportunities for practicing movements on dry land. Many drills that demonstrate specific movements can be easily adapted to dry land on a flat surface or a slant board. Time spent in front of a mirror practicing movements can pay big dividends on snow. And while practicing in ski boots is ideal, if it seems like too much effort, don't discount practice in stocking feet. You can get a ton of tipping practice in that way.