Newbie question about Two Footed Release...

[hobieboy]

In this other post (viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2225), Harold mentioned that the two footed release is developed because some skiers couldn't balance on LTE and he also said that one must able to ski two footed release.

Being a newbie (I have only ski for 1 1/2 season ever so far), I am having real problem with the two footed release drill as presented in Expert Skier 2 and would like some help & advice.

On easy blue slopes, I am able to initiate the super phantom move (balance on uphill LTE, release & lift the old stance ski, pulled back & tipped). In fact, it worked so well that I surprise myself! For the 1st time, I am able to get on edge during the high C part and the more I tip the free foot, the tighter the turning radius (& thanks Harold for the great books!). But...

On bunny hill, I simply cannot complete the two footed release drill - my body/leg/foot simply refuse to transfer weight to the uphill ski/LTE, hence both skis just head straight down without turning,

So, should I simply forget this drill & continue with the Super PM practise? Or anyone has any advice to overcome this?

thanks!

P.S. In case it wasn't obvious - I am tota

[Ken]

my body/leg/foot simply refuse to transfer weight to the uphill ski/LTE, hence both skis just head straight down without turning,

Where is your weight balanced?...on your heels? Or even along the soles of your feet? If in doubt, put too much weight forward, then ease it toward the center until things work well.

[milesb]

Flexing the legs makes it much easier. Also, try it on something just a little steeper- gravity plays a big part in making it work.

[hobieboy]

Where is your weight balanced?...on your heels? Or even along the soles of your feet? If in doubt, put too much weight forward, then ease it toward the center until things work well.

My weight remains with the old stance (downhill) ski. By the time I forced my balance to be shifted, I have gone way more than 2 ski length down.

[hobieboy]

Flexing the legs makes it much easier. Also, try it on something just a little steeper- gravity plays a big part in making it work.

Thanks for the suggestion - will try it on a steeper run next time then.

[ToddW]

At the Harb Ski Camp I attended, many people trying to do the 2 footed release drill found it easier to to do the 1 footed release drill first and build up to the 2 footed release. Harald had them work on 1FR for a while before switching to 2FR. So you're not alone in finding this difficult.

The 2 footed release drill is a great diagnostic tool to identify weaknesses in one's skiing. You identified balance transfer as a problem in this way. Doing the 2FR takes practice and pays off in enhanced skiing pleasure. I spent 4 days early this season doing 2FR drills wherever traffic conditions allowed. It looked silly and one senior instructor tried hard to be polite about my bungled "pivot slips", but it was worth it.

You already have learned to do balance transfer in the super-PM in a binary on/off way by lifting the old stance foot. Doing it more gradually in the 2FR may require you to learn how to relax and flex your leg, more of a yielding to the weight at the low speeds of the 2FR. You can practice this in street shoes to get the feel of it by placing your weight on a stance foot and then relaxing it so your weight transfers to the other foot; repeat with new stance foot, etc. With practice you can do this as slowly or quickly as you want. Add tipping and counterbalancing to get even closer to the real thing.

If you have access to a video camera and a ski buddy to video you, post a sample of your 2FR attempts here and you're sure to get helpful, constructive feedback.

[Max_501]

I have done hundreds (maybe thousands) of two footed release on easy green runs. IMHO that is the place where one must master these.

[onyxjl]

I can echo the advice to include flexing in these drills and not to neglect mastery on easy terrain. The flatter terrain demands that the essentials are in place to do them well. The bonus is an immediate pay-off in your all mountain skiing from the sharp focus of the training.

[trtaylor]

Double your efforts. Seriously. Tip twice as much as you think you need. Flex twice as much as you think you need.

[ibMED]

On bunny hill, I simply cannot complete the two footed release drill - my body/leg/foot simply refuse to transfer weight to the uphill ski/LTE, hence both skis just head straight down without turning,

So, should I simply forget this drill & continue with the Super PM practise? Or anyone has any advice to overcome this?

thanks!

P.S. In case it wasn't obvious - I am tota

hobieboy,
First, keep posting. The forum needs people new to PMTS to ask more questions.

The two footed release drill from ES2 has perplexed many, including me, and you are certainly not alone. Whenever I practice it, it think I must look like an idot. Keep trying because this is the release off the weighted stance foot and is used in doing weighted release drills such as skiing on one foot.

My read is this drill does not involve a weighted LTE. At the start, all your weight should be on the BTE of your stance leg. As the ski releases, all your weight moves to the BTE of your new stance ski. The starting movement is to flatten your stance foot off it's edge. Much easier said than done as for a fraction of a second you are in a very unstable position. You can't force the skis to turn and have the drill work. Use the pole for support

I've had my best sucess focusing on letting the tip of my stance ski drift downhill - keeping the tail in it's original location.
When the tips drift just a little, gravity takes over and the turn happens very quickly. Learn to "let it happen". I also find that pitch of the slope helps, so don't try it where it's real flat.

Try very slow linked turns using the two footed release. The energy from skiing is a help.

Go get em.

[ibMED]

hb,

Check out this thread from 2 yrs ago

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1602

[Ken]

Where is your weight balanced?...on your heels? Or even along the soles of your feet? If in doubt, put too much weight forward, then ease it toward the center until things work well.

My weight remains with the old stance (downhill) ski. By the time I forced my balance to be shifted, I have gone way more than 2 ski length down.

I was asking about fore & aft balance, not side-to-side balance. Without a video, we have to do a lot of guessing to suggest assistance. With the weight on the heels, nothing works right. If this is not your problem, then you've got lots of good suggestions to work with. My take on the two-footed release is that it isn't how much you do but how little. Doing too much screws up the release. The correct movements are subtle and minor, but important. Many skiers feel a need for the security of being on one edge or the other. This release gets one accustomed to the momentary instability of two skis sliding flat across the snow. When you finally get this release working, you'll say, "Is that it?...that's all?" Yes, it is, and it is important.

[Max_501]

Yes, it is, and it is important.

Its one of the keys to high level skiing.

[hobieboy]

hb,

Check out this thread from 2 yrs ago

http://pmts.org/pmtsforum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1602

THX! Very useful & informative... I think the discussion on counteracting & my lack of patience (or perhaps trust in the ski) were the main problem.

Unfortunately I am not heading back to the hill till this weekend But will definitely dedicate more time to practise this on the gentle slope. It is definitely more difficult as more perfect balance is needed when there's no momentum to help but if its the fundamental moves, I'll make sure I can get it right.

[hobieboy]

I was asking about fore & aft balance, not side-to-side balance. Without a video, we have to do a lot of guessing to suggest assistance. With the weight on the heels, nothing works right. If this is not your problem, then you've got lots of good suggestions to work with. My take on the two-footed release is that it isn't how much you do but how little. Doing too much screws up the release. The correct movements are subtle and minor, but important. Many skiers feel a need for the security of being on one edge or the other. This release gets one accustomed to the momentary instability of two skis sliding flat across the snow. When you finally get this release working, you'll say, "Is that it?...that's all?" Yes, it is, and it is important.

Ken, I think I started with good "fore balance" but as the ski slides almost straight down the fall line, my side-to-side balance is still wrong, I cannot engage the new edge and as speed increases, the skis are running away (i.e. my balance more back).

Unfortunately, I have to first find a buddy before I can get help with video