Some questions from a newb!?

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Some questions from a newb!?

Postby canuck34 » Tue Nov 29, 2005 12:49 pm

Hi all,

Really glad to have found this website. I wanted to ask a few questions that will probably be a bit basic to those of you who have been here a while, so I appoligize in advance.

Foot width: Am I correct in thinking that you advocate a narrower stance where ski separation comes as angle of the ski to the snow increases?

Initiating turn: Am I correct in thinking that you advocate lifting the "downhill" ski before the turn and tipping it in to initate the turn?

If this is not the case, please let me know as I have been visualizing these techniques since reading them here. I would consider myself an advanced skier bordering on expert, and I do feel that I already applied some parts of this system when skiing, but it is nice to see it so well laid out here. It simply makes sense to me. I watch WC racers and to me it is easy to see that they are doing the exact same thing.

I'm going to order your video off of amazon. BTW, any chance a PTMS instructor might make their way up to Blue Mountain north of Toronto this year? My fiance is taking up skiing and I would like her to learn this method.

Thanks!!
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free foot movement

Postby Harald » Tue Nov 29, 2005 4:08 pm

The PMTS system doesn?t have a set stance width that is predetermined for all skiers, that is not the intent of bringing the feet closer. We use the feet closer approach for exercises and different needs of skiers for alignment and balance. Once balance is understood and achieved, stance width can increase or vary depending on the energy developed through the turn from the releasing bent ski.

Energy from a turn is developed when the body is skeletally aligned, the ski is carving (not twisting or steering or skidding) and you are balanced over the stance ski. The energy you develop from proper balancing is then used for the release, to move the CG into the next turn. I put emphasis on proper or quality balancing as there are many instructors and systems taught where they believe stability equals balance. In PMTS we have a higher standard and we won?t put up with methods and understandings like these that hold skiers back.


If a skier does not develop energy or enough energy for their stance width, then the CG will not have the momentum to move. As a result the skier either: twists, stands up, or is forced to push the CG. These are all detrimental to long term success in skiing.

Stagnation of the skier?s development is also a major result of this approach; therefore in PMTS we start from the beginning teaching proper balancing and appropriate stance width for balance enhancement.

When you ski with a wide stance at slow speeds and skid a turn there is no possible way to transition other than by twisting, pushing off or extending. Look around at skiers on most slopes that is exactly what they are doing, as that is what they were taught. The sad thing is the instructors don?t recognize what they teach is causing that surfeit of inferior movements. Have a look at some previous threads on this topic here, as there are many that explain stance and stance width.

If you widen your stance for the sake of achieving deeper angles, or stability with balance, you will block yourself from achieving the very skiing qualities you seek. It is for these reasons skiing can be counter intuitive, that?s why it is very important you look for instructors that really understand the sport rather than manufactured instructors from the TTSs.
"Maximum Skiing information, Minimum BS
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Re: free foot movement

Postby NoCleverName » Tue Nov 29, 2005 4:56 pm

Harald wrote: I put emphasis on proper or quality balancing as there are many instructors and systems taught where they believe stability equals balance.


This is a major "compare and contrast" bullet that suddenly puts an number of things in focus for me. You can see the deep philosophical difference between TTS and PMTS: stability ("don't take any chances") versus balance ("balance is a risk, with risk comes reward"). Mediocraty or achievement.

But enough of the metaphysics; save that for a discussion about powder.

The mention of "wide stance at slow speed bad" reminded me to ask about "wide speed at high speed good". You see that during WC downhill and super-g (of course, they narrow-up when the turns get tighter). I'm thinking that you could use a chapter that explains to people what they're seeing when they watch WC. For example, at the top of a super-g you see guys making wide-track, no-angulation turns sort of like TTS guys do with the railroad tracks. Of course, the speed is significantly different (you don't get a sense of the speed watching TV). A slob like me wonders "Why are they skiing like that? Should I?" A "recreational skier's guide to watching WC skiing" would be useful.

By the way, I tend to find the women's WC more illuminating than the men's. You see more technique and less brute force. Besides, some of those girls are hot!
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I was watching live WC today

Postby Harald » Tue Nov 29, 2005 6:13 pm

NCN

Thanks, I think a piece on how to watch the WC by event would be very appropriate and will be in my new book. I was at Winter Park today watching the Nor Am race, women?s slalom. The field had at least 5 world cup slalom winners and fifteen world cup regulars in it.

The winner was Gerg from Germany, skiing on the Head slaloms, by-the-way. Also a Swiss woman was in the mix at the top, also on Head skis.

Since slalom is much closer to the skiing most recreational skiers do, (shorter turns, bumps, speed control) on most mountains, most of PMTS is focused on the needs for a slalom type turn.

Today?s slalom skiers are traveling at about thirty to thirty five miles per hour, most recreational skiers ski between twenty and thirty. We actually did a speed gun test to verify these speeds. You have to remember the better skiers are skiing faster than thirty as that is the (descending rate vertical feet per second) at the speed gun, rather then the rate of speed actually carrying the skier in the turns.

Giant Slalom speeds are forty MPH often approaching and exceeding forty-five mph, this is not what regular skiers do and it?s not appropriate to base recreational skier techniques on speeds and forces generated by WC skiers at those speeds. Super G and DH speeds are ridicules, so let?s not go there. Even in 1970, my average speed in the Lake Louis DH was sixty miles per hour.

When you see Super G and DH skiers much of the wide stance is used to get the CG lower for aerodynamic needs, rather then for technical reasons.

The women we saw today were terrific. One of the junior racers we have been doing boot alignment for the last two years (who is now on the US Ski Team) actually beat some world cup racers today by placing sixth. This was very exciting of everyone.

The trend is definitely toward narrower stances, both in transition and while on edge or angled, vertical separation is more important than horizontal which I have been advocating since the beginning of shaped skis, more so now than when I wrote my first book.

This tells me that WC skiers have evolved and understand better now how to achieve more pressure under the skis, rather than just using the shape to go faster. Remember how extremely wide some of the early WC racers on shaped skis skied in slalom. I was always anti this approach. The narrower stance skiers were always faster, but some of the wide stance skiers were more consistent, risk vs. reward.

Not any more, as there are too many skiers skiing narrower and making the finish, so the wide stance skiers can?t afford the steady, stable approach any longer. We have to keep in mind narrow by these standards is six to twelve inches horizontal, wide is eighteen to twenty four inches. Some skiers have to stand this wide, due to their boot alignment.

The skiers at this level are all balance geniuses. If a ski system can teach skiing that includes more capability with balance, then regular skiers will achieve higher performance, that?s the goal even for low or beginning skiers with the PMTS system. We have developed this methodology so it can be fun, safe and productive. Are any of you having fun yet?

I will stop here, as I don?t want to give it all away before the book comes out.
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Re: I was watching live WC today

Postby Max_501 » Tue Nov 29, 2005 7:37 pm

Harald wrote:Are any of you having fun yet?.


Every time I hit the slopes Harald, every single time!
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Postby Belskisfast » Tue Nov 29, 2005 10:47 pm

More fun than I've ever had in my life, with the sport that's been my passion since I was 12.
Harald your PMTS is showing me how to be the skier I've always wanted to be. That you and your PMTS even have detractors and nay sayers BLOWS MY MIND. I have to wonder if these folks even ski.

Not only that but this PMTS forum has attracted such diverse and cool people.

And thank you Lord ........it's
game on in Tahoe!!!! :D :lol: :D :lol:
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Postby canuck34 » Wed Nov 30, 2005 6:15 am

Thanks for the reply! I watched some video on this site and looked at some video a buddy of mine has of me skiing last year in Whistler, and I guess I could say that I do some of what you are talking about.

I certainly am a far bigger proponent of "balance" over "stability". It shows in the hours I spend kneeling and standing on the swiss ball and wabble boards every summer!

However, I certainly do use the old school style of "standing up" between turns which I would love to change into a smoother style.

Looking forward to seeing the video! Is there one in particular you would recommend I start with?

Also, I was still wondering if you have any certified instructors anywhere around Toronto as I would love to get my fiance some lessons!
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Joseph

Postby Joseph » Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:34 am

Hey, Canuck

We are your closest thing. We ski in the Mount Washington area in New Hampshire--probably 5-6 hours from Toronto. It's been a while since I drove there, so I'm not exactly sure how long it takes. In addition to teaching PMTS, we are the only Harb certified alignment center east of the Mississippi. So that gives us an advantage over all the other coaches out there, who haven't been trained by Harald. Welcome to the forum, good luck and I hope that we can find a time to ski with you this season.

Joseph Perreault--Vice President, North East Ski Systems

http://www.neskisystems.com
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Postby Max_501 » Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:57 am

canuck34 wrote:However, I certainly do use the old school style of "standing up" between turns which I would love to change into a smoother style.


In PMTS you actively flex (meaning to pull the leg up towards the chest) the downhill ski when you are ready to transition to a new turn. This is accompanied by tipping that downhill ski (which is about to become your new uphill ski) to the LTE and pulling the foot back to keep it under your hips. These basic movements take your body across the skis and into the new turn. Its a nice smooth progression. You can use greater flexing, tipping and pulling back to tighten up the turns.
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Postby Ken » Wed Nov 30, 2005 10:04 pm

canuck34,
I've got all three of HH's books and the videos from two...awaiting the DVD for the PMTS Instructors manual. I feel I got the most benefit from the Instructors Manual than from the other books.

I have now skied two days on footbeds from a PMTS trained fitter, Maria
Ski Wizard Fermoile. I previously had well made old-style footbeds. The new footbeds are more comfortable and I'm skiing better. I recommend them.


Ken
Rooster today
Feather duster tomorrow

VIDEO OF NOT ME
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