PSIA Bump Skier MA

[bumperdude]

A week or two ago, MAX 501 put himself on the line for some MA over on EpicSki. That took a lot of sand.

So, though I have lurked around Epic for awhile, and here as well, I thought since I have had alot of PSIA feedback about my skiing, I'd be interested to see what you PMTS guys think.

I am not a PMTS student, most of my training has come through PSIA channels. So, for your humorous enjoyment, I put myself in front of you!

http://www.websurd.com/video/movie_0001.wmv

Give me your best shot, guys!

[h.harb]

Thanks for coming over and trusting the PMTS folks with your skiing. I have little to say about your bump skiing. It is very functional. It has a flexed release, tipping with the or toward the little toe edge first in transition. You could possibly try for a more developed edge angle higher in the transition, and more pulling of the feet back in transition, other then that it?s very good. I think it?s good skiing and a better model then I see from most instructors.

[dewdman42]

In my book, some darn decent bump skiing. Here are a few things I would point out, not necessarily PMTS, that you might focus on for improvement.

1 - Your pole plants are, IMHO a bit late at times. Further to that, you are planting on the frontside of each bump which is creating a blocking situation. This is helping you to swing your tails (ie, rotate your lower body) into the next turn (Which I will allow others to comment on), but its also pushing your upper body back a bit with each pole plant. I feel this prevents you from being able to fully mobilize your hips into the start of the next turn. I personally try to plant my pole on the crest or beyond it. I don't want my pole plant to block me at all.

2 - more flexion and extension in your legs. You can eliminate some of the subtle folding forward at the waist. You will hurt your back eventually if you are not careful. You did a pretty good job of keeping your skis on the snow, but quite a few times you absorbed some of the impact of the bump by folding forward at the waist or neck(did a head bob) instead of bending your knees enough.

3 - I feel that you could scarve better. You were side slipping down the backside of each bump and slamming into the next one with a hard edge set (which makes the above point more pronounced). If you engage your edges better on the backside of the bump and begin to scarve the skis all the way down the backside of the bump, you will have smother skiing that will seem less like slip-slam-slip-slam. No doubt you have gotten pretty smooth at absorbing the slam enough to make slip-slam look kinda smooth. But you can be even smoother if you utilize the backside of the bump to start scarving a turn instead of pushing your tails out and sliding down the back until you slam. I'm exaggerating your situation for the sake of discussion, but better scarving from the top of each turn is what I'm suggesting.

4 - Further to point#2, Using more flexion at the end of the turn, as you crest the bump, will help you perform a more effective transition which will then help you to achieve #3. The increased flexion will absorb the bump better AND help you move your COM across into the new turn and start developing scarving edge angles much earlier in each turn.

[bumperdude]

Harald/
Thanks for your generous comments about this video. I would like to clarify what I think you are suggesting I adjust.

1) Keep my feet more under me, rather than letting them jet out a little as I begin a turn?
2) Get on a more aggressive edge, earlier in the turn (first 1/3?

When this footage was shot, I was thinking about skiers who ski bumps with their feet really tight together. So I was having some fun trying it and having some zipperline fun. I thought I had my feet so close together, but the video shows otherwise.

I'm wearing Nordica Dobermans 150 and skiing on a 181cm ski. the boot flexes real nicely and then holds up real strongly when it gets to its stop point. Could this be a reason I'm not flexing my ankles as much as you suggest?

Thanks.

[bumperdude]

Dewdman-
Thanks for your comments. As I just wrote in a question to Harald, I was just kind of screwing around on this run, having a little fun skiing with a stance I do not use normally. (narrower)

I feel my poles didn't hold me back very often, and only when my balance was kindof needing it. But I felt the flow of my body was pretty smooth. Yes there were a few times when my head did get snapped a bit. I'm also wondering if my poles might be just a tad long (52").

I also asked Harald if my boots might have been stopping me from flexing the way you suggest. (nodica Dobermans 150)

Because I was trying to zipperline this run (not the way I usually ski), I can see how I was slipping a little more than I'm used to. it felt that way at the time too. I usually try to carve more precisely in the bumps.

thanks for your feedback.

[dewdman42]

Dewdman-
Thanks for your comments. As I just wrote in a question to Harald, I was just kind of screwing around on this run, having a little fun skiing with a stance I do not use normally. (narrower)

And looking pretty darn great too I might add!

I feel my poles didn't hold me back very often, and only when my balance was kindof needing it. But I felt the flow of my body was pretty smooth. Yes there were a few times when my head did get snapped a bit. I'm also wondering if my poles might be just a tad long (52").

Possibly shorter poles would reduce the block that was sometimes happening. its not so much that it pushed you excessively back. You are a strong skier and you were using your core to power forward. However, I feel that those blocking pole plants blocked that side of your body, holding it back a little while the rest of you moved forward. Not always. That reduces the effectiveness of the top part of the turn. Its subtle, watch it in slo mo.

Simply planting your poles a little further down the hill on the downhill side of the bump or on the crest at the very least will reduce a lot of that, even without shortening your poles.

I also asked Harald if my boots might have been stopping me from flexing the way you suggest. (nodica Dobermans 150)

Harald will have to answer that himself. Personally I did not think there is anything wrong with your ankle flex and I don't think Harald was trying to make your ankles flex more per say. Pulling your feet back is another way of moving your hips/pelvis forward. Right on the top of each bump there is a very slight moment where your feet are a bit forward.

I was watching a Warren Miller movie the other day, uhm, I think its the one called "Ride". check it out. There is some excellent film footage in there where they followed along the side of a WC bump skier and shot only from her neck down skiing through some bumps, from a side angle, following her down the slope. Its really great footage because you can see all kinds of stuff. I watched it in slow motion a bunch of times. You can see the feet pullback on the crest of each bump and you can see what the fore-aft is during the extension. You can see the extreme amount of flexion/extension they are doing and it looks reasonably as comfortable as getting in and out of a chair. Check it out if you can find it. But the interesting thing to see there in this context is how they pull their feet back as they cross the crest of the bump. Also, you do not see their boots flexing a lot. Most of the absorb is happening from knees.

I actually think that just a little bit more knee flex is what you need, not more ankle flex. BUT.... If you flex the knees more and don't deal with the previously mentioned fore-aft issues, then you very well may find yourself in the backseat.

So, pullback your feet as you crest the bump, reach further down the hill with your pole baskets and flex your knees more. All of that should help you develop the earlier edge angles to scarve down the back of the bump more effectively as well.

[ibMED]

Bumperdude

Some really nice skiing, far better than I. The CD from Expert Skier 2 has a lot of HH skiing bumps, just make sure you have a slow motion ability.

You commented on the stiffness of your boots.

In the same book, Harald writes, on p. 25.
?I prefer to select and adjust my boots so that I am in balance between the front and back of the boot. I ski in very stiff boots. The range of balance in my boots is between the front at the tongue and the back where the spoiler touches my calf. When I ski I rarely load the back or front of my boots unless I get out of balance. The beauty of a balanced posture in your boots is that small movements are all you need to make turns?.

This boot position is not discussed often in the forum. The whole concept of just standing centered, and not pushing plastic, changed my skiing for the better, an ah-ha moment. I, too, have stiff boots which I didn?t really like until I implemented a centered stance throughout all my skiing. Not pushing forward and then re-centering leaves me the time to focus on the other essentials, like flexing my knees to absorb bumps and start turns. It?s also a lot more comfortable. It?s ironic that I no longer think of my boots as stiff and I really like them.

I?m hoping others more familiar with PMTS will offer comments on this aspect of just standing centered.

[Max_501]

That's some very nice skiing.

Could you start the absorption and extension just a bit earlier?

[bumperdude]

dewdman-
I was watching some bump footage of Harald that was linked on another MA thread here. It seemed as though he was using a similar pole timing as I was. I do not have any skill using some of the computer features to place our images side by side to compare, but I thought I'd ask for more of your thoughts about the pole timing, or was it placement you are more interested in?

I appreciate that you guys think my skiing is pretty decent, but there must still be room for improvement.

[bumperdude]

MAX_501

Could you please elaborate on your idea of "starting the absorption and extension" earlier?

Thanks

[dewdman42]

dewdman-
or was it placement you are more interested in?
.

Yes. Try to eliminate the "blocking" pole plant.

[bumperdude]

dewdman
Ok, now I'm getting confused a little... I have always been under the impression that the timing of the pole plant determined if it was a blocking or a gliding pole plant, not the placement.
It has always been described to me that a blocking pole plant is one which occurs before the edges are changed from one turn to the next. A gliding pole plant is one which occurs after the edge change.
Neither of these definitions made placement a part of their description.
Could you please explain or describe your idea of how this works a little more clearly?

Thanks

[dewdman42]

The timing is also a factor. I observed in your video that your plants tended to be on the uphill side of the bump. If you are truly trying to get a late pole plant it makes a lot more sense for the plant to be on the downhill side of the bump don't you think?

Not only is the uphill side earlier in time than the downhill side, but the uphill side is something you can push against. And as you power through there, the bump and pole will conspire against you to hold that arm back, which holds your torso back, which holds your hip back, at least on that side. It immobilizes a clean release transition from happening.

[Max_501]

Could you please elaborate on your idea of "starting the absorption and extension" earlier?

In the following sequence notice the timing:

1) Nice extension

2) Hitting the bump still extended.

3) Skis starting to crest the bump and just starting to absorb.

4) Because of the late absorption the bump is exerting force against the body, note the legs are beginning to bend but not enough for the forces coming.

5) The upper body moves forward to absorb the force from hitting the bump because the legs weren't flexed soon enough or deep enough to absorb the impact.

6) Legs are bent for the absorption but too late, extension should already be starting here.



By starting the absorption cycle earlier (and with more range of motion) the upper body can stay quiet while the legs absorb the bump.

[dewdman42]

Great photo sequence and analysis Max. Bumperdude, also notice where you r left hand is in the last photo. Behind you. The basket is planted on the uphill side of the bump and it has pushed your arm back.