Video of a PMTS student

[Max_501]

There have been requests to see video of a PMTS student. So, here you go. Feel free to comment on what you see (the good, the bad, and the ugly). You won't hurt my feelings.

These are shorter radius turns. Some carved and some brushed.

http://blip.tv/file/149564?filename=Max ... rns908.wmv

BTW, You need to press the play button to start the video (it won't start automatically).

[vseh]

Two different ski areas by the looks and perhaps even "different skiers".
I take it however that the second section is from camp with Harald ( at Mt Hood??) and the purpose of the video is to demonstrate improvement. The second half shows dynamic skiiing, stace leg flexion to release, nice balance and good use of poles . I'm envious!

[40below]

yaah Max, it inspires me to see your ski bottoms as you fly-by the camera,

especially
on the short radius turns, gettin ' em up on a nice edge like that

~

[Max_501]

Two different ski areas by the looks and perhaps even "different skiers".
I take it however that the second section is from camp with Harald ( at Mt Hood??)...

Same skier about 6 months apart. In the first section I am working on short quick turns on firm snow. No brushing at all.

The 2nd section is from PMTS race camp at Mt Hood. In the Mt Hood section the first bit is to try to do a very deep flex movement. In the 2nd bit its to get from one turn to the next as fast as we can. The snow is softer spring type snow so those turns have a brush in them.

[Max_501]

All that talk about carving really is what I expected. Rather than show us pure carves at higher speeds (which I am sure you can do as well), you have near perfect round turns that may be a little brushed here and there, but to me they look absolutely great.

In first part of the video those are pure carves. No brushing unless I hit a patch of ice. They are very high energy turns with the skis loaded and the transition would throw me if I didn't flex rather quickly. Also, I don't have any GS type carves on video. I'll have to try to get some. Much bigger angles.

While you are making a visible effort to extend into the turn and relax at transition (looks great), the relaxation looks a little forced and abrupt to me. I think that could be a little smoother.

Good call, I have been working on smoothing things out with a more gradual release.

Also, in the second to last sequence (quick short turns down the fall line), there is a bit of rotation from what I see. Yes it comes from a nice rebound and counter, but I think those skis don't come around without some help. PSIA would argue endlessly that this is the type of "rotation" they are talking about. Personally, I don't care what PSIA or PMTS calls it. I call it a necessary part of a very short turn. I do it too, but I feel that I actively make it happen (when necessary), while a PMTS skier may not. Hard to tell from the video alone.

All I can tell you is that I don't make any active rotary movements. I just tip the skis and they turn.

[Max_501]

For anyone that is interested the guys over on Epic noticed some items and asked some questions which I addressed.

http://forums.epicski.com/showthread.php?t=52274

[Ken]

It tells me that carving everywhere may be a goal, but "brushing" is just fine

Yes. Knowing carving movements opens options. If one only knows how to ski on a flat ski, i. e., "stack the ankle-knee-hip-shoulder joints above the outside ski," that skier will not have the option of letting the ski slice on its edge through difficult snow and other times an edged ski is valuable.

The Epic comments are interesting. I noted the one about one clinician showing Level II candidates how to release by flexing. Why wait that long? Why not teach that very early? The only real benefit I know for up-unweighting is for hop turns in dreadful snow.


Ken

[Ott Gangl]

Just a small correction to your post, Ken. Here is the quote and it comments on Max and his skill level and not about teaching anything to level2 instructors, I thought that this was quite a complimentary quote, matter of fact I think Max gets a lot better reception there than here.

Here is the quote:
>>>Other than that, your skills are quite good! I would expect to see that level of skill / performance in a good Level 2 instr candidate.<<<

If you have to comment, please be accurate.

....Ott

[Max_501]

If you have to comment, please be accurate.

I think Ken was commenting on this sequence of posts:

By the way, does anybody else notice how many PSIA/CSIA instrs seem to understand and accept the idea of flexing through the release on here...

Maybe someone has been slipping something in our drinks....

I was thinking the samething. Dave Kamke in central has been drilling us on this for years now and expects it on every Level II candidate.

[Ott Gangl]

It just peeves me that the great, generally complimentary posts you got over there could be turned into a derogatory remark.

>>>I was thinking the samething. Dave Kamke in central has been drilling us on this for years now and expects it on every Level II candidate.<<<

Does that sound as if the Central Division waits until the level2 exams to TEACH this maneuver as Ken asserts in this sentence:

>>>I noted the one about one clinician showing Level II candidates how to release by flexing. Why wait that long? Why not teach that very early?<<<

Everyone I ski with releases by flexing, just look at good skiers from the chair.

...Ott

[Max_501]

Everyone I ski with releases by flexing, just look at good skiers from the chair.

My experience is definitely not the same as yours.

[Ken]

Ott,
Not derogatory, just commenting on what I see. I see few skiers down-unweighting which I learned from
How to Ski the New French Way, Georges Joubert's 1967 book. We now call it flexing to release (and lots of recent stuff added which wasn't around in '67), just like the snowplow and the stem christie turn have been renamed. Most skiers I see up-unweigh, including the clinicians in the clinics I attend. The ski school director calls the up-unweighted steered turn the "money turn" for teaching. Again, my experience is diferent. The last learning-parallel skier I taught gave me a $20 tip after I showed her to flex to release, transfer her weight to the old little toe edge, and tip the new inside ski.


Ken

[Bob]

Over on Epic: Snow pro commented that:

If there is one single thing that I might suggest to make you smoother and even more effective, that would be to alter your pole touch timing.

You currently touch prior to the completion of the edge change/release, and it gets in your way as a result. You will not pass as smoothly across the skis if there is an obstacle in your path. Watch HH closely, and you will see his touch occurs after the edge change/release. You should also feel less jarring in the arms/ shoulders as a result.

Do others agree with this??

[Ott Gangl]

OK.

...Ott

[Max_501]

Over on Epic: Snow pro commented that:

If there is one single thing that I might suggest to make you smoother and even more effective, that would be to alter your pole touch timing.

You currently touch prior to the completion of the edge change/release, and it gets in your way as a result. You will not pass as smoothly across the skis if there is an obstacle in your path. Watch HH closely, and you will see his touch occurs after the edge change/release. You should also feel less jarring in the arms/ shoulders as a result.

Do others agree with this??

No, that is incorrect. I watched video of HH after I read that post and he clearly plants before the new turn. That said, my pole movement needs to be smoother. In the video I'm late in bringing the new pole forward which causes me to rush the pole plant.