PMTS and Children's Learning

PMTS Forum

PMTS and Children's Learning

Postby Liam » Wed Nov 05, 2003 12:20 pm

My son, a five-year old, will be learning to ski in earnest this year. But as I contemplate a season's worth of ski lessons, I wonder if this is the right approach-especially since the PSIA wedge, more wedge, wedge with turn is the basis of just about every kids ski school out there. My question is, can PMTS be adapted to children's skiing? Are there any qualified instructors (preferrably in the East) using this method? Or do you think the mechanics of PMTS are beyond most children and they're better off learning in the more traditional manner? Just wondering,

a wedge-wary Dad :shock:
Liam
 
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Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2003 12:03 pm

Harb has the answer

Postby blazarus » Wed Nov 05, 2003 11:20 pm

buy Harold's book and DVD...#1 has a great section on teaching PMTS to kids...his son is pictured and looks every inch a budding FIS WC Star.
I just received both books and DVD's last week and have been devouring them. After all these years of skiing and lessons PMTS is like a revalation to me. It all seems to make so much sense based on my experiences and I can feel myself carving that high C, which has been so elusive by using the tools of PMTS.

THINK SNOW!
blazarus
 
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Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2003 2:04 pm
Location: Lake Tahoe

Learning Direct Parallel

Postby h. harb » Sun Nov 09, 2003 12:48 am

Thank you for the comments about my books and videos and about the effectiveness of PMTS. You sure won?t get an argument from me about the comments. I can say with certainty that skiers using PMTS are very satisfied. They respond to me by e-mail and by phone, telling me how happy they are having found the system after years of frustration. They find the system easy to use and effective. In fact, PMTS is so easy and effective that many teach it to other skiers and family members, although they are not instructors. Parents teach their children after they learn PMTS. I applaud this action, as I believe a good ski instruction system should be available to everyone at minimal cost. Many readers of my ?Anyone can be an Expert Skier? book and video series comment that they have more success from reading my book, than from taking regular ski lessons.

Introducing children to skiing with the right approach is essential and very rewarding. They learn to ski much more quickly, they gain self esteem and they begin to realize the fun of skiing early on, rather than after years of tedious maneuvers. I again have to respond referencing the comments and experiences of our readers, they say that when they use PMTS to teach their kids, the kids immediately stop the wedge. I feel sorry and bad for the kids I see on the mountain going straight down in a flying wedge, reinforcing the wrong movements. I know that any child who can ski straight down in a wedge has the ability to be making parallel turns, if they were taught correctly.

PMTS Direct Parallel (the method in my books and videos) eliminates all the wrong steps that take years to discard. The wedge progressions certainly handicap learning skiers of all ages by imposing unproductive and dead-end movements. But, it is really sad to see the ski industry plodding along at the same pace and doing the same old things they did thirty years ago. Skiing is specifically losing the younger generation because of the teaching systems widely used today. The traditional systems don?t address the needs of kids. A child?s motivation for skiing diminishes quickly when they wedge around the beginner slope for a day. They realize that they are in for a lengthy timeline of lessons and beginner trails before they reach fun and excitement. It doesn?t take them too many days to either, quit, lose interest or become snowboarders.

Skiing with PMTS is immediately rewarding, beginners of all ages experience and feel what it is like to be a real skier. PMTS incorporates a challenging series of balancing exercises and exciting movements that accelerate progress. Wouldn?t you select direct parallel and parallel on Blue slopes in three days compared to years of wedging? We see skiers excited and having success on their first day. ?Ski Area Management Magazine? did an article about the Sol Vista (Colorado Ski resort) PMTS Direct Parallel system last season. The article clearly supported the success of the PMTS program. I know these comments will cause a fervent backlash response from the instructor community and for that I am sorry, but everything I write here is true. I hope you have the opportunity to experience PMTS personally and again I thank you for your support. I believe you are helping thousands of skiers across the country by presenting views about PMTS and ultimately this will change and help the ski industry.
h. harb
 


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