Video MA - New to PMTS

[HeluvaSkier]

Below is video that was taken today of my younger brother making some SL turns (current USCSA racer, and fairly seasoned skier). The conditions were pretty nasty (refrozen granular, ice, death cookies, and loose granular... aka eastern packed powder), but it is a fairly accurate portrayal of his usual skiing in good conditions (same movements are there). I started last season to introduce him to some PMTS-type movements and he has improved a fair amount, but I'm wondering where I should go with him next.

I started out with stance (which I think he still needs to work on) and then got him working on introducing more flexion into his skiing (which he also needs to work more). Should I run through some standard PMTS drills from Expert 2 and Essentials with him or introduce anything else? There are a lot of paths I could direct him down - just wondering what his next steps should be. I know his skiing pretty well so I have a lot of my own thoughts on it but I'd like to hear from everyone here.

He asked me to put this up for a general MA from everyone here - especially Harald - but I'm personally more interested in where to point him next as I seem to be coaching him more than his actual coaches (are we surprised?).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE_aWqErKrA

Thanks,

Greg

[Max_501]

Check out the turn as he passes the camera. Is that fore/aft stance typical of other turns?

[HeluvaSkier]

Check out the turn as he passes the camera. Is that fore/aft stance typical of other turns?

It's a bit aft of where he usually is, but I will tell you that getting his hips forward is not a strong point of his (he and I have the "backseat" discussion quite often).

[Max_501]

Time for a whole bunch of flappers. Traversing across the hill get forward and lift the back of both tails up as you slide. Up/down, Up/down, over and over. After that you bring the movement into a single turn and then into linked turns. Its hard but works wonders in getting the feeling of what it takes to get and stay forward.

[h.harb]

Alignment is way off, especially right leg, left turn. Slow it down and watch the straight leg without any tipping in High C.
Inside hand is low and droppng back. Needs more inside strong arm. This is typical of bowlegged skiers, they need to use upper body rotatation to bring the turn. This is my first viewing and run through of the video, but it's a start.

[Bolter]

Alignment is way off, especially right leg, left turn. Slow it down and watch the straight leg without any tipping in High C.

WOW! As plain as the nose on your face, when told where to look and pointed out by Harald!

[Jabberwocky]

did anyone else catch the spinal angulation for lack of a better term in his left turns?

Its appear thats his pelvis is quite level in his right turns but then his pelvis is quite banked in his left turns.

I dont know maybe I am seeing things but that would cause a straight leg in his left turns.

the better question I dont know is this. Is the banked pelvis due to the straight leg? or is the straight leg due to a banked pelvis?

[Max_501]

I don't see the connection between the pelvis orientation and the the bow legged alignment HH mentioned above. What am I missing?

[Jabberwocky]

I don't see the connection between the pelvis orientation and the the bow legged alignment HH mentioned above. What am I missing?

there isnt, he is indeed bow legged....but my connection was straight leg and a banked pelvis, and banked pelvis which is not present in his right(better) turns.

[Max_501]

I don't see the connection between pelvis orientation and a straight leg either.

[Jabberwocky]

I don't see the connection between pelvis orientation and a straight leg either.

you suppose to be someone with a GREATER understanding of skiing. bank your pelvis into the turn like he is on the left turns and your leg will be straighter. keep it more level with the ground and his leg will be more flexed. there really isnt much to understand there.

[Bolter]

I don't see the connection between pelvis orientation and a straight leg either.

you suppose to be someone with a GREATER understanding of skiing. bank your pelvis into the turn like he is on the left turns and your leg will be straighter. keep it more level with the ground and his leg will be more flexed. there really isnt much to understand there.

This is totally arbitrary and you are shooting blanks. More jabberwocky from Jabberwocky, please stop.

[Max_501]

Could Jabberwocky be BWPA from Epic?

Can a skier bank with a straight outside leg? Can a skier bank with a flexed outside leg?

Can a skier counter balance with a straight outside leg? Can a skier counter balance with a flexed outside leg?

Does the pelvis orientation affect the leg flex in any of those scenarios?

Hip flexibility allows the pelvis to move in a manner that is independent of the flexing of the outside leg.

[Jabberwocky]

Could Jabberwocky be BWPA from Epic?

who the hell are they? whats epic?

Can a skier bank with a straight outside leg? Can a skier bank with a flexed outside leg?

yes to both. this skier is banking only his lower pelvis and the bend is happening somewhere in the spine. Only on his left turns though his right turns arent to bad.

Can a skier counter balance with a straight outside leg? Can a skier counter balance with a flexed outside leg?

not sure which you mean by counter balancing. If you mean creating a C shape so that you over your outside ski instead of that 50/50 bullshit that instructors go on about then this is my answer. It would be much harder to counter balance with a straight outside leg because you would be bending somewhere in your spine to keep your shoulders leveled and balanced. If you look at both helvaskier and your avatar picture you will notice both of you are balanced on your flexed outside leg and both of you have a very level shoulder and pelvis.

Does the pelvis orientation affect the leg flex in any of those scenarios?

this video proves it. his right turns are much more counterbalanced and his inside hand is not dropping back as much as his left turns. when he goes into his left turns his leg is straight, his ankle is not flexed and the right side of his pelvis is higher up in the air. Looking for something anything from the skis he started pushing on both skis and moving way inside of the turn causing his stance to widen, because his balance is no longer on his stance foot but somewhere in between that an his free foot.

Hip flexibility allows the pelvis to move in a manner that is independent of the flexing of the outside leg.

I agree as harold said it is very likely a alignment issue, but I have friend who is missing a hip flexor and this is very much like how he skis.

I want a great understanding of whats going I am sure Harold will chime with a great response.

is it possible helva that this a problem from watching you from a couple years backs or if it runs in the family?

curiously your right turns use to be much stronger than your left turns as well.





I know from more recent video you no longer ski like this but at one time you did.

[Max_501]

It would be much harder to counter balance with a straight outside leg because you would be bending somewhere in your spine to keep your shoulders leveled and balanced.

One should not bend the spine to counter balance. The idea is to rotate the pelvis around the ball of the femur. Leg flex has nothing to do with it.

If you look at both helvaskier and your avatar picture you will notice both of you are balanced on your flexed outside leg and both of you have a very level shoulder and pelvis.

My outside leg is flexed because I'm a wimp and don't get it straightened as much as I should.

What happened to your avatar?