by h.harb » Sun Feb 03, 2008 10:15 am
That is actually true, in the stationary Two Footed Release, leg relaxation and foot tipping to flatten the skis, allows the legs to move over the skis, into the new edge angles. Inertia developes when the feet flatten the skis so the legs can move from their starting angles to flat. The doesn‘t offer a great deal of energy. It is for this reason in connected turns that tipping to the very end of the turn, until just before release; is so critical . The bigger the ski angles and leg angles you develop at the end, the increased travel range you have through the de-angling movement or release. Keeping the legs bent through this movement is critical and staying bent through the transition is often lost to extension. Extension is the killer of good skiing. .
The PMTS approach develops more leg bending to achieve more angle at the end of turns, is not only good skiing, but to PMTS skiers it’s “the system“, as we don‘t initiate leg twisting, rotary or steering to redirection the skis. Opposite of what the PSIA approach focuses on.
The other factor is that as you move in connected turns, you can relax more and commit more because of momentum developed, which means you don’t have to be as precise standing directly over the skis, as you do from the stationary release.
The stationary release is an eye opener, as it requires complete balance over the skis, not allowing for any pushing of the CG. Pushing of the CG comes from extension movements and it pushes the GC out of balance. There is no extension, especially no up extension (to create pressure) in good skiing, if you look at skiing this way and use only leg lengthening (to the side, at an angle to the slope) to keep contact, you will develop into a much more balanced skier and a smoother skier.
Skiers often think that they are in balance just because they can stand up from turn to turn. This is likely due to understanding from instruction given them by unknowing instructors. Take away the momentum and you will quickly discover you need a different standard or real balance, as I call it. Once a skier stops pushing their CG around, into turns or up; instead lets it move through transition; they begin to realize the efficiency of relaxation, lower body, ankle and foot control.
When they do, they become very different skiers. I can see this level of skier from a 100 yards down the slope, as it offers a totally different image. Skiers like the PSIA and Epic followers don’t understand this and never will, as they are stuck with leg rotation and leg extension habits and directives. Their arguments in support of these movements only serve to deepen their dependency on these movements and it demonstrates their limitations. What they don’t realize is they don’t make theses movements by choice, after awhile, they become dependant on this form of skiing and they can’t shed. This is a very limited way to ski and it lack the ability for this skier to become versatile. In an attempt to protect there way of skiing and the limitations they deal with, PSIA instructors cover up their deficiencies, instead of facing them head on. They argue that, “this is the method for all good skiing“. It’s not the method that produces good skiing this is obvious for anyone with a eye for skiing, and it’s definitely not any part of good skiing.
If you focus on the two footed release in the manner described in my books and on the forum, you will achieve versatile skiing, good skiing, to expert skiing.