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Instructor training in New Zealand

CharlieP

Putting on skis
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Hi Charlie,

If I understand your question, no "standing" as in "stand on" as this is dynamic balance. So I say "press against" & "press the ski through" the turn. Hope this paints a better picture.

I've heard Ligety describe it as pushing but personally I hate that word when it comes to skiing unles I'm pushing for powder with my poles ;) .

Aug 19, 2017

Hi 4ster:

Ok, your answer clarifies things and reaffirms that which I'm doing and what I've been taught. "press the ski through the turn".

Think snow and thanks,

CP
 

LiquidFeet

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Mike, you said "The concept of sliding the outside foot back during the shaping phase is new to me; never heard it mentioned before. I'm not even sure I could do it! When might that be utilized?"

PM sent to avoid thread drift.
 
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mike_m

mike_m

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Try just letting the arch of the outside ski collapse/pronate smoothly and progressively through the shaping phase. No bracing; no excess effort!

Be well!
Mike
 

LiquidFeet

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Mike, I hope a write-up of the third week in the works... you've got a fan club right here waiting to read what comes next. Are you back home now and ready to synthesize all that stuff?
 

john petersen

working through minutia to find the big picture!
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great discussion you guys....I am impressed by the dialogue and spot on use of terms and definitions. Its nice to read well thought out and accurate descriptions.

thank you!

JP
 

Loki1

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With so much emphasis on "pulling the inside foot or feet back" during the last decade, "The outside ski slicing ahead" is an integral part of the equation often overlooked. Pressing the inside edge of the outside ski beginning early in the arc is what allows us to bend the ski & actually manipulate the shape & radius of the turn. Without sufficient flex in the outside leg early on, our ability to regulate pressure is severely limited.

There has been so much focus on the inside half lately that I think the outside half has been forgotten a bit. We must remember that is what drives the drive turn, while the inside should support the action of the outside half. One of the very core fundametals of skiing is moving from outside ski to outside ski. This is a skill that few posess these days. Many are so concerned with flexing through transition and staying low through transition that they forget the importance of having the ability to balance and pressure the outside ski at will. It shows in their skiing. It is a product of too much focus on repetition and incomplete mastery of technique as opposed to aquisition of skill through varied environments and skill development.
 
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mike_m

mike_m

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Week three begins... Reilly's training some Level 3 CSIA candidates so my coach this week is Josh Duncan-Smith. Josh is a new coach at The Rookie Academy but was named to the NZ demo team just this week. He's young, but knows his stuff, and his focuses are totally consistent with those of JF, Jonathan and Reilly (some good video of his skiing available on YouTube).

Our focus this week is individual feedback and consolidating the coaching from the last two weeks. Josh emphasized letting gravity and the skis do most of the work. An example was when we did railroad tracks. Most skiers have a lot of trouble leaving two pencil-thin tracks in the snow. Josh emphasized how being right over, and balanced on, the pronated/collapsed outside ski, tipping the boot cuffs over, waiting for the skis to start downhill without adding extraneous effort or imposed counter, and then just allowing the outside ski to drift in on its own would be much more effective then excess effort and forced activity. Yep. Best railroad tracks I ever made. So much of the emphasis of our training down here has been on accurate alignment and movements that allow good skiing to result. General rule: If it feels forced, abrupt or rushed, it's probably not right!

To be continued...

Best!
Mike
 
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mike_m

mike_m

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My pleasure. Thanks, Phil!

Today we focused a lot on an effective transition. Josh emphasized the need for an early shift in hip angle. It's a point of emphasis in many lessons that the angles of the body should match the slope of the hill, i.e., what's uphill in your body is lifted and diagonally ahead; what's downhill is lower and diagonally behind. Building on our previous exploration of the importance of the activity of the feet and lower legs, we played with the timing and accuracy of the activities necessary for an effective transition from one foot to the other.

There are several schools of thought regarding the pole touch. Being that our practice was primarily in ungroomed terrain, we used a committed touch that occurred while still on the inside edge of the outside foot. That touch was the cue to initiate flattening the skIs, giving in to the hill with both feet right under us, and simultaneously beginning the reversal of the angle of the hips relative to the hill. Doing these activities at that time allowed us to effortlessly commit early to balancing on the new outside ski, begin tipping the lower legs over and pulling the inside leg open early, and aligned us in functional counter early: all very useful things and all accomplished without rushing or forcing the activity. A welcome result of being balanced and aligned early is that the shaping phase can be very smooth and progressive. This stuff does work well!

Best!
Mike
 
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mdf

entering the Big Couloir
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"The outside ski slicing ahead"
I seem to remember a discussion of this in the first (straight ski) edition of Lito Tejada-Flores's "Breakthrough on Skis". If I remember correctly the context was getting just a bit more out of the bottom of the turn.
 
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mike_m

mike_m

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A good example of the transition move Josh was working on with us is on Reilly McGlashan's YouTube video "Long round short turn."

You can clearly see the legs relax right under the body in transition, the early reverse of hip angle, and the early tipping activity of the lower legs as the shaping phase begins. If you look at the YouTube videos of my other coaches (JF Beaulieu, Jonathan Ballou), I think you'll see that move consistently. It works well!

Best!
Mike
 
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john petersen

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With regard to pole touch....I wonder too, if a good blend of pole use will aid us in different conditions. could timing be altered to suit intent and conditions?

so much of what you are saying rings true in my recent experiences on snow, my reading of the great authors throughout skiing's history, your experiences here, your coaches content online and elsewhere, and from those in the know and who are current. Even if you are not current with this evolution, great athletic and balanced movements (and patterns) have so much in common....across many sports where we balance over moving feet, ect, ect.....

This is just awesome for me as I have given myself a challenge lately...and that is to read all I can and "mentally modernize" the content from the 40s, 50s, 60s, ect.....to see if I can pick out good movements from inefficient, what hierarchy the technology tends to dictate and what the differences are to approach and technique....its an interesting journey thus far, and your content is the current icing on the cake!

and I say this because of the depth of the content....not just the surface value of skiing with truly amazing coaches.....which in and of itself is intense!

thanks again!

JP
 
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mike_m

mike_m

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My pleasure! The coaches I've been working with down here at The Rookie Academy all have a fair amount of video on YouTube. You can find it just by entering their names (JF Beaulieu, Jonathan Ballou, Reilly McGlashan, Josh Duncan-Smith). Besides the excellent images shown in their skiing, most have also included snippets of lessons or key focuses. I think folks will find it very helpful!

I also can't end without recommending these clinics to any advanced skier looking for the best coaches and most accurate and focused instruction I know. Check out rookieacademy.com for more information and options for one-to-three-week courses in North America and New Zealand.

Look me up if you're visiting Copper Mountain!

Best!
Mike
 
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markojp

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Much bueno in this thread.

:beercheer:
 

jimtransition

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My pleasure! The coaches I've been working with down here at The Rookie Academy all have a fair amount of video on YouTube. You can find it just by entering their names (JF Beaulieu, Jonathan Ballou, Reilly McGlashan, Josh Duncan-Smith). Besides the excellent images shown in their skiing, most have also included snippets of lessons or key focuses. I think folks will find it very helpful!

I also can't end without recommending these clinics to any advanced skier looking for the best coaches and most accurate and focused instruction I know. Check out rookieacademy.com for more information and options for one-to-three-week courses in North America and New Zealand.

Look me up if you're visiting Copper Mountain!

Best!
Mike

Great to hear you enjoyed skiing with Rookies, If you like skiing with Josh and Reilly, you can also ski with them (and me ;) in Niseko, through the Hokkaido Collective.
 

JESinstr

Lvl 3 1973
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Mike, Thanks for you effort in putting this thread together. Great insights. Safe travel home.
 

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