I am with PSIA-Central even if I have been into PMTS since Harald's
book (at the beginning it was one book, with a yellow cover)
first appeared.
Yesterday, I went through the process of my certification with PSIA (just level 1; I am ready for level 2, but cannot attend all seminars and teach the hours my ski school requires to let me go through the certification process) and a little to my suprise I heard the following:
1. "There are other approaches to direct parallel (PSIA is beginning to move in that direction too, at least judging from their most current pubblications): for instance PMTS, Elan and Rossignol..."
I have no idea what the Elan and Rossignol methods are supposed to be,
but I know the first one
2. Several times the concept of retraction of the inside leg to be under the hips and creating a progressively increasing angle was stressed.
3. Some instructors at my ski school told me that at level 3 (getting harder and harder: 4 passes out of 26 students!) they've got a hard time because they were not skiing with their skis together. And they told me that I was right when I claimed that feet together is the way. I explained to them that it is not an idea of mine but something I've got from PMTS!
I was the world champion of wide stance! And it took me only (!!) 2 years
to ski with my feet very close together or really together.
4. I had little doubts about passing the exam (level 1 is fairly easy) but I wanted to see my scores in free skiing. Well I have got 5, which out of a 1-5 grade system means (constantly exceed the standard required by the level he/she is trying to get certified for) and we skied in pure ice, not icy conditions, pure ice, after a rain the night before. I could not even dig with my pole into that ice! Sure my skis chattered a little bit, but I did not slide a single time on a 1/4 of a mile run. Turns were nice and round, at one point I even got cocky and got into short turns! I felt sure enough to take my chance during the exam. The tipping action of my inside leg, the flexion and retraction, made me capable to hold on to my edges for dear life. I wish Harald saw me, for I think that my pole plant has never been so much on time. But that's a story for next year. And Harald says I could flex more. I cannot wait to see the results if I truly learn to flex even more. Triple blacks get ready for I am coming!
5. 3 people at my school (a PSIA thing) bought Harald's books since I
began advertising. And some top guys are beginning to be puzzled by my
progresses and entertain the idea to have Harald to hold some kind of seminar on snow. Eventually this maybe a decision driven by committee but the interest in some people in my PSIA-oriented ski school for PMTS
cannot be denied.
So, I think that the dicothomy either with the PSIA or against is a little bit less hard than it looks.