by John Mason » Wed Jan 03, 2007 2:14 pm
One of the things about PMTS that helped me so much is it's focus on one ski drills. But, the addage you hear the PMTS instructors say, "lifting is for learning, lightening is for experts" applies. The Super Phantom is a great tool for progressing from one legged drills to linked ski turns. But ultimately both feet come down and you learn how to ski on either foot at either time.
HH and many other race coaches have their students ski down on one foot only for both turns. Kindly he normally doesn't have us do that because it's tough. But the point is, as has been said, the Super Phantom and the pure weighted release are opposites, yet the common movement patterns are flexion of the stance ski combined with tipping. It's just how much flexion and how fast. The weighed release, tipping while weighted into the entry of the new turn is harder for me than a more super phantom style, but I feel the more weighted release approach really grabs you into the next turn compared to the more passive super phantom.
The point is, and Ott described a pure Super Phantom in his synopsis of a PMTS style turn in the now locked thread, that PMTS teaches you how to ski on either leg at any time and use all 4 edges. Many outsiders looking in on the PMTS world just see the Super Phantom and don't realize that thats one style of release.
In addition to the weighted release and the super phantom release and the varations between those extremes there is also the very passive beginner 2 footed release. That beginner release is not carved, certainly does not allow carving the high-c portion of the turn but is a great turn to get a total beginner up to the blues on their 1st or 2nd day.