MA request for Townicus

MA request for Townicus

Postby Townicus » Mon Sep 05, 2016 8:30 am

Background: 5'10", 190 lbs. I was a reasonably athletic skier with no formal training or lessons. I read the essentials book a few years ago given to me by a student of mine as we discussed pre-season ski fitness; I am a fitness professional residing in Avon, CO and my student was asking how to incorporate slant board training into his program. As I read the book cover to cover, I noticed a testimony in the book by my close friend and ski partner, Paul Kulas. Paul never mentioned his attitude towards the culture of PMTS until I mentioned the testimony, and he subsequently began to help me understand what I read, and how to get rid of bad habits that were never apparent to me.

I wish I had video from before I read the book. Nonetheless, I got a pair of Peak 84's in a 177, and TT80 in a 176 and began the journey. My goals are to continue to aspire to ski like the greats. Also, my spine is fused from T1-L2, I had a massive spine operation 20 years ago and live relatively pain free. I need to continue my progress to keep my skiing as efficient as possible to avoid complications.

Please give me constructive, critical feedback. I have no illusions of grandeur. What do I need to work on? Is this reasonable skiing, or am I off the mark? I want to go into the season with goals, but I need help figuring out what those are.

Thanks!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l6-sWmwSuU
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Re: MA request for Townicus

Postby willwingpang » Mon Sep 05, 2016 11:54 am

Hi Townicus

My name's Will and I'm new to PMTS but hope you don't mind me giving a MA.

The first six turns: The turns number 1, 3 and 5 (evidently turns to the right), I could see too extensions. The turns to the left were nice, you flexed during the float in order to get onto the new edges.

It seems on every turn there was weight on the inside ski, therefore this blocked the potential for more inside ski tipping movement. More CA and CB was needed in order to improve the inside ski tipping movement and stay relaxed and balanced over the outside ski.

I think also you may be suffering alignment issues, I could an A frame in your skiing.

I hope this was useful.
Last edited by willwingpang on Mon Sep 05, 2016 2:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: MA request for Townicus

Postby Obrules15 » Mon Sep 05, 2016 12:44 pm

Having T1-L2 fused seems like it would quite a significantly impact your cb/ca, could you comment on your remaining mobility. Does having L3 & down unfused give you any hip mobility?

I've read other posts where it was mentioned fusion might not be as bad as it seemed because the torso needed to move in an en bloc fashion but thought that was primarily CA. After reading WWP's post, I'm wondering if your inside leg management might be impacted, and if you are able to lift your pelvis w/o tilting your whole torso? Can you do the stair/pelvis lift exercise?
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Re: MA request for Townicus

Postby Townicus » Tue Sep 06, 2016 12:05 pm

The great news is that I'm a movement specialist. I run a full-time business in correcting faulty, and dysfunctional general movement incompetency. With my understanding, I have a great deal of sagittal plane mobility; most notably throughout my hips and the tissues of the back of my legs. I have very little transverse range of motion throughout my torso. All movement comes via femoral internal, and external rotation throughout the hip. Active practice of CA/CB (mostly CB) movements can sometimes cause minor pain. I have found in particular, CB/CA movement practice the most challenging for me.
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Re: MA request for Townicus

Postby Obrules15 » Tue Sep 06, 2016 12:57 pm

It sounds like I was correct about the limitations being more for your CB than your counteracting. From your description It seems like you would not be able to do the Foot Arch/Arm Shoulder lift exercise but that you could on the slant board do the CB as long as you were already counteracted and then bent your whole torso forward hinging at the top of the femurs?

I tried this on my slant board, and I am struck by how very specific the movement has to be to work. If there is inadequate CA, then I can't CB, but if I've counteracted enough, I can CB. As a movement specialist, you obviously know way more than I ever will, but it seems like these are such precise requirements that more time on a slant board wouldn't hurt.

And thank goodness this is not TTS as your only choices would be angulation, which would be a real problem. I love PMTS.
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Re: MA request for Townicus

Postby skijim13 » Thu Sep 15, 2016 5:48 am

My first advice is to go to have your boots alignined by a certified Harb boot fitter. Hard to see much from the video, but I agree with the fact that you are square to your skis, you should be CA and hold your CA unitil you start on your new set of edges. I suggest that your start with all the drills in Expert I book first then move on to the Expert II book followed by the Essentials of skiing. Also work on improving your flexibility and balance.
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Re: MA request for Townicus

Postby Bob_Y » Tue Jan 03, 2017 10:51 pm

Hi Townicus,

Say hi to Paul for me. (from Bob in Vancouver) We met at a Harb camp in Oregon back when they did the racing camps in the spring. Great guy!

Good thing you're a movement guy because you've got a lot of movement going on in this clip that needs analysis!

Just by chance this video of a WC GS racer showed up on the same page in youtube:

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

It's a perfect learning tool for your situation. Compare your movements to the WC racer. Always a brutal exercise for us weekend warriors but instructive all the same.

Here's a few hints of what to look for:

Compare yourself to her when the skis are at their highest angle to the snow. Look at:

- the relative position fore/aft of your hips to your feet
- the relative location of your ski tips (does one lead the other?)
- the angle of your shin to the ski of your stance leg
- the relative angles of the skis to the snow (are they equal?)
- where the knee of the stance leg is pointing

I think you'll see a dramatic difference in all these comparisons. What really matters is the movements that got you into these positions or I could say, got you into this predicament.

There's lots to work on here but I'll comment on only one of your movements. Look at Fenniger at the end of the turn. A relatively long, straight, stance leg. It flexes and the ski begins to roll to flat. When the skis are flat, the stance leg is flexed deeply and matches the angles of the other leg. You see her momentarily on flat skis in what could be called a seated position.

In contrast, you actually begin to roll off your skis before flexing. At different points in different turns you throw in your flex move. Some times you rise up, other times not so much, but none of what you're doing could be called a functional movement unfortunately.

I would suggest working on your release out of a good old fashioned garland. I think they call them banana turns or something now. Set out straight down the hill and tip your skis and get some arcing action. Flex the uphill leg to facilitate tipping and keep your downhill leg relative straight, kind of like Fenniger's. When you feel some pressure coming from your skis, flex the stance leg and release your edges with your feet and ankles. When you're doing it right, a mysterious force will carry you across your skis and down the hill. One secret is that you must release out of your counter. Most people relax their counter before they release their skis. The timing and coordination of the flexing action and the releasing action is the key. It's quite a subtle thing and I'm not sure I could really describe it much more.

Good Luck!

Bob
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Re: MA request for Townicus

Postby jbotti » Wed Jan 04, 2017 7:14 am

"One secret is that you must release out of your counter. Most people relax their counter before they release their skis."

This is not what we teach in PMTS. CA is worthless if it is "released" or given back before one releases the skis.
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Re: MA request for Townicus

Postby oggy » Wed Jan 04, 2017 7:43 am

@jbotti: you're misreading Bob's post, that's exactly what he says (most people relax the counter before releasing, but you must not do that).
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Re: MA request for Townicus

Postby jbotti » Wed Jan 04, 2017 8:18 am

oggy wrote:@jbotti: you're misreading Bob's post, that's exactly what he says (most people relax the counter before releasing, but you must not do that).


Well now we know why Harald is so specific with his use of words. What we say in PMTS is that we hold our CA into the release and into the edge change. That's clear. The above statement is not.
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Re: MA request for Townicus

Postby Bob_Y » Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:01 pm

Hi Oggy,

Thanks for actually reading my post and your support. As the stand up comic says, "It's a tough room!"

Bob
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Re: MA request for Townicus

Postby Bob_Y » Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:11 pm

Hi JBotti,

I understand your confusion. I should have stated that most people can't do a proper release to save their lives, so what most people do is wrong and this includes relaxing their counter. From what I've seen, a released transition seems to be the most difficult part of the technique for people to grasp. I guess it's difficult letting go!

BTW I understand you've had a lot of one-on-one with Harald/Dianna. How do they teach this element? Any new drills in this area?
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Re: MA request for Townicus

Postby jbotti » Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:33 pm

NSPP position (Inside arm extended, other arm and pole behind the stance ski boot) with huge and held CA into a deep flex and tip. All three should be exaggerated (NSPP position, CA and the flex).
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Re: MA request for Townicus

Postby DougD » Thu Jan 05, 2017 3:01 pm

The two new Angry Mother videos on the HSS website address this directly.
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