MA request for Alex

MA request for Alex

Postby alex_aku » Sun Feb 18, 2018 6:48 am

Hi PMTS community,

my first attempt / request for MA.
About me: ski ~10 day per year, attended a PMTS camp in Hintertux in May 2015, since then working with books & videos.

This the first time I had me filmed - and I am not amused - I thought my skiing is better. :oops: So please be gentle with comments :wink:

So what I would be greatful for - in essence an improvement plan that I can work on by myself. Of course analysis of what's not working well and how to improve. Also setting priorities - what to work on first (SMIM). Maybe for a change a few comments on what is already working better/ok (on my level). I can see following issue ... but pls don't limit your comments only to these ones:
- on my weaker side (left as a stance leg) - difficulties to enter a turn, at times an obvious wedge (horrible!) => how to fix it?
- perhaps rushing into turns too quickly - results in skidding
- flexing could/should be stronger (need to learn to exaggerate all movements first)
- fore/aft - I think I am still too much aft, so a pronounced pull-back could help.
- hands - not in the base position, no crispy pole plant, a bit all over the place.





P.S. I apologize for the very unstable image - videos were taken by my 11-year son.

Thanks
Alex
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Re: MA request for Alex

Postby Marc » Sun Feb 18, 2018 3:07 pm

Hi Alex,

I'll give you a quick MA so you have something to work on tomorrow if you still are at the resort:

I actually think your right turns (on left stance leg) looks better than your left turns. I think you need under boot canting on your right boot. Your right knee should be more on the inside. Tip it in with the help of a thin plastic sheet, e.g. a ski pass. Put it between your heel binding and boot on the outside. This should make your turn to the left better by alowing you to balance on that right leg. This should also remove the wedge on the right turn. And for the next video, to make it easier for us non-coaches to spot what your SMIM is, I suggest an easier slope where you do slow, wider turns.

Looks like you have some tipping, some flexing and CB involving your hip (good!). But what is missing in transition is CA. You should hold your CA from the old turn through transition until you are on your new edges. Now your hips are facing your ski tips. So work on CA. You need to adjust your pole plant so you don't undo your CA effort. You should not swing your pole at the ski tip. Search for the No Swing Pole Tap.

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Re: MA request for Alex

Postby Max_501 » Sun Feb 18, 2018 4:33 pm

alex_aku wrote:About me: ski ~10 day per year, attended a PMTS camp in Hintertux in May 2015, since then working with books & videos.


Are you in the same boots you had at camp? Did you have your alignment and footbeds done while at camp?
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Re: MA request for Alex

Postby Marc » Mon Feb 19, 2018 12:51 am

Be sure to remove any snow and ice under your boots. Use a ski pass for example. 1mm of ice in the wrong place will affect your alignment.
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Re: MA request for Alex

Postby ChrisC » Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:00 am

It's hard to do a proper alignment without all the measurements that are part of the HSS process.

But I can't see any obvious signs of this skier being bowlegged on his right leg, which is what would require being tipped in more than he is currently.

There's an alignment video on the HSS website which has tests for your alignment. They include straight runs balancing on each leg. Basically, if you turn inward you're knock kneed and if you turn outwards you're bowlegged.

It's very simple to do the checks in the video. Fixing the problem is harder.
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Re: MA request for Alex

Postby alex_aku » Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:43 am

Are you in the same boots you had at camp? Did you have your alignment and footbeds done while at camp?


Yes I am, no changes have been made to the boot/footbed setup since. I had alignment done by Diana, plates were added, footbeds not made (Diana said the old ones were ok).
A
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Re: MA request for Alex

Postby Max_501 » Mon Feb 19, 2018 9:13 am

alex_aku wrote:I had alignment done by Diana, plates were added, footbeds not made (Diana said the old ones were ok).


Great, so we can focus on the movements. What was your SMIM when you left camp?
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Re: MA request for Alex

Postby alex_aku » Mon Feb 19, 2018 12:52 pm

Max_501 wrote:Great, so we can focus on the movements. What was your SMIM when you left camp?


I didn't get any particular advice on a SMIM (or maybe I just didn't listen carefully enough?). But I recalled my recurring themes in the camp were CA and TFR, so I tried to work on essentials by myself:
  • I invested 1 full day on a baby/blue piste working on TFR till I could get 2 clean turns with my gloves between my feet. That was a breakthrough, although I must re-visit this drill from time to time to stay "tuned"
  • I spent another day on very easy runs working on OFR very very slowly. I broke down the turn to mini-phases and tried to stay in each at least 2 seconds (ride on a stance leg, flex the stance & ride on old inside leg LTE, roll over to the new stance leg; turn on the right leg worked much better)
  • I tried WR and could achieve as a pre-exercise one-legged skiing for an entire blue run (especially on the right leg), but didn't progress to full WR because ...
  • ... I decided to pay more attention to CB and CA. Lately, my oblique muscle ache after each session - seems to be a good sign
  • I also spent some time in smaller bumps training flexing/sucking up the legs
  • generally, I try to ride every run very consciously and paying attention to essentials (my kids complain it is boring to ski with me as I am too slow :))

P.S. even though it is clear to me I have a lot to improve, skiing has become much more fun for me already thanks to PMTS even with relatively low invest - I had perhaps just 20 skiing days after my PMTS camp. I am really happy and looking forward to your comments.
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Re: MA request for Alex

Postby go_large_or_go_home » Tue Feb 20, 2018 3:27 am

Alex,
TBH, it looks like your 'transition' needs work....

Overall the transition looks rushed..in most cases i see an extension - and where there is no extension, i see no flexing - which has the same effect as an extension...the net result is a pivot-type entry and a subsequent heal push to try and gain grip..everything else up the kinetic chain is a reaction to this...

you mention working hard on your TFR with a glove between your boots...this should be an integral movement pattern with your skiing - sadly i don't see it...

Re-visit the drills in flexing to release chapter.....then spend time on TFR/ Super phantoms and really concentrate on balancing on one foot throughout the manoeuvre with your inside ski pressed hard up against the stance boot - all the way till stop..then reset. eventually you can start to link them..

SMIM - flexing to release..
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Re: MA request for Alex

Postby DougD » Tue Feb 20, 2018 6:49 am

In addition to what GLOG just posted (with which I agree):

alex_aku wrote:[*]I invested 1 full day on a baby/blue piste working on TFR till I could get 2 clean turns with my gloves between my feet. That was a breakthrough, although I must re-visit this drill from time to time to stay "tuned"[/*]

This is good, but not sufficient. You need to do this drill for dozens of runs, hundreds of turns... until you can keep the gloves in place for the whole run. PMTS teaches movements by building them into muscle memory. That requires repetition.

alex_aku wrote:[*]I spent another day on very easy runs working on OFR very very slowly. I broke down the turn to mini-phases and tried to stay in each at least 2 seconds (ride on a stance leg, flex the stance & ride on old inside leg LTE, roll over to the new stance leg; turn on the right leg worked much better)[/*]

Great! Do it some more, except... don't ride the old stance ski after the turn is done. That dissipates the energy held by the bent stance ski, energy which can help you release. The instant your lifted, tipping free ski brushes the snow near the bottom of the turn, FLEX the stance leg and transfer balance to the LTE of the uphill ski. Then glide for 2 seconds, etc...

alex_aku wrote:[*]I tried WR and could achieve as a pre-exercise one-legged skiing for an entire blue run (especially on the right leg), but didn't progress to full WR because ...[/*]

Practicing one-legged balance is good, but the WR is too advanced at this stage. Don't jump ahead. Work the drills in order until you reliably own OFR and TFR.

alex_aku wrote:[*]... I decided to pay more attention to CB and CA. Lately, my oblique muscle ache after each session - seems to be a good sign[/*]

What drills/exercises?

alex_aku wrote:[*]I also spent some time in smaller bumps training flexing/sucking up the legs[/*]

Avoid bumps (and steeps) until you own OFR and TFR (which include flexing). Skiing challenging terrain while trying to learn new movements will just send you backwards. Bumps and steeps are for after you have a BPST.

alex_aku wrote:[*]generally, I try to ride every run very consciously and paying attention to essentials (my kids complain it is boring to ski with me as I am too slow :)) [/*]
[/list]

Have you tried challenging them to improve their own skiing? "Hey kids, let's see if you can do this..."
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Re: MA request for Alex

Postby Max_501 » Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:46 am

Try working on the Super phantom with touch-tilt, get some video if you can.

As in a regular super phantom, transfer balance to LTE of the uphill ski. Then, touch the inside edge of the lifted, dowhnill ski to the inside ankle rivet of the stance boot ("inside foot arch touches outside foot ankle"). Keep it touching while tipping the free foot further toward its LTE. Don't let that free foot touch the snow until the very end of the turn. VERY IMPORTANT STEP! At the end of the turn, when the free foot touches the snow on its LTE, immediately pick up the new free foot, and touch-tilt the new stance boot.
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Re: MA request for Alex

Postby HeluvaSkier » Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:02 am

Max_501 wrote:As in a regular super phantom, transfer balance to LTE of the uphill ski. Then, touch the inside edge of the lifted, dowhnill ski to the inside ankle rivet of the stance boot ("inside foot arch touches outside foot ankle"). Keep it touching while tipping the free foot further toward its LTE. Don't let that free foot touch the snow until the very end of the turn. VERY IMPORTANT STEP! At the end of the turn, when the free foot touches the snow on its LTE, immediately pick up the new free foot, and touch-tilt the new stance boot.


I will reiterate what Max said above and say that video is absolutely necessary. This is among the easiest PMTS drills to execute incorrectly and one of the hardest to get right. I have many runs of these on video and not a single one that I'd be willing to share publicly as an example of a proper demo. They are really challenging. If you think you got it on your first try... you didn't.
Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability.

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Re: MA request for Alex

Postby alex_aku » Wed Feb 21, 2018 12:08 pm

Guys, many thanks to all of you!
I agree with everything you said, WR is too advanced to bother for now, I will keep working on OFR and TFR.
Plan to go skiing on the weekend, will try to get some OFR-dedicated videos.
Alex
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