YOU ARE IN THESE VIDS SOMEWHERE...

A snowHead

Heyo Snowheads: Serious How-to Vids and Seasonal Platitudes from Whistler.eh

This is a link to Michel Aubin's yootoob channel. Dr. Ken is Ken Paynter who is a CSIA course conductor and a really nice guy.
He gives bang-on critiques of CSIA Level 2's that want to be 3's and 3's that want to be 4's. This is great stuff:

Some points to consider after watching ONE breakfast-vid this morning...
Hip Rotation: Over and over for many skiers in a row ( and after seeing only two turns...)
To Far Forward = The tail skids around the tips and skiers who do this use braking and friction to control speed instead of TURN SHAPE.
Quotes: ' When do skis and skier face the same way ? = In The Fall-line. Or: "Your legs are long when they should be short and short when they should be long".

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNbCSuzLworiaJdjM2PiDEA/videos
............
So I heard that the CSIA Level 4 exam has some part of their exam on Power-Plow/Pivot-Slips... because skiers who can do them well are probably good skiers. ( Skis should turn around the foot-leg-femur in the hip-sockets. The tips should displace toward the inside of the arc... )

I have no life and ski too much. Here is my yootoob link: https://www.youtube.com/user/G3FORC3/videos
ciao
Paul Rattenbury

A snowHead

Great link @gforce, I know what I'll be watching over Christmas.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

http://youtube.com/v/ITQx8Z_eUl8 Start this vid at 10 minutes in.
Expert analysis and discussion of what it means to be an expert skier with many points to work on for the rest of 'us'.
Too upright = too far back. No angulation = can't finish turns. Not enough leg flex = NO power to rotate the legs. Legs still flexed at start of new turn = loss of absorbtion.
Starts every turn with UP motion = must buy time to move skis into new turn due to poor of pressure control at end of turn.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

At 25:20 into the above vid Ken sez: " You can't get the ski to bite if the body rotates inside the turn. The skis just go flat and edge angle is lost. "
I am putting this stuff up for you Euro-Brits who can't ski fer s**t and keep posting ' Turkeys in The Amazing Alps ' videos on yootoob.
Damn you all for wasting my time as I search in vain for EXPERTS IN EXPERT TERRAINS IN THE ALPS. Here they go again skid-skid-fail; skid-skid-bail.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

@gforce,

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@jimmer, I would encourage you to watch them. One of the best insights you'll see into high end skiing. I've watched them all and found some others in addition. They're that good. Agreed gforce's comments were unnecessary and bewildering to be honest but don't let that put you off. Of course listening to a guy analysing skiing may not be what you want but if you're into that sort of thing then watch.

After all it is free

@gforce, chill dude, what's upsetting you?

What interested me in watching some of these videos is how many of the developing instructors are too far forward (according to Ken at least) and hence the tails are washing out (rotating more than the tips). I wonder whether there (generally) tends to be a progression that the beginner is typically in the back seat, as they get better, they get more forward, however take this too far and end up with too much ankle flexion and then need to get back a bit. Remember reading some stuff from Hugh Monney (founder and director of the BASS franchise structure) who talked about the target balance point being the middle of the arch of the foot. Funnily enough, he was also one of the guys behind the Skia sweetspot balance trainer that focuses in on balancing on that same point.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

In the CSIA we look at balance being towards the back of the arch just in front of where the heel joins it. From this point steering is achieved more effectively.

I think sometimes in the early stages there are lazy short term instructions to get forward which is misconstrued by leaners as leaning forward over the fronts of their boots (I've even heard this said by instructors working with better skiers - clearly not understanding the mechanics themselves) when actually it's an attempt to stop the pupil leaning back. Since many learners stop taking instruction very early, this notion stays with them and becomes the one thing they remember. Ask skiers about balance and there'll be a huge number 90%+ I would guess who tell you it should be forward with weight hanging on the fronts of their boots and an overly flexed ankle.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Interesting @Ade57. My comments were relating to instructors themselves (as in these videos), however obviously if their understanding is limited then so is the information being passed onto their students.

I dont presume that in CSIA you talk about being constantly / static:

snow reports

It's not of course a static position and fore and aft balance can be adjusted according to the needs of the situation but as you described Hugh Monney's mid arch so this is how we look at it. It's the athletic centred balanced default. If you actually analyse athletic performance then it's pretty much correct and in skiing terms if you look at pivoting, it's the pivot point through which the COM balances over the BOS and facilitates steering.

hanging on the boots and being out of balance fore is common in instructors and good rec skiers "trying to get forward" and causes tail washing and lack of ski engagement , the other thing he doesn't mention is that early stage instructors pop up at transition and don't effectively pressure the ski in the first third of the turn. But hands up didn't watch 30 minutes of some guy giving MA tips...

You know it makes sense.

@skimottaret, I guess some of us are just sad anoraks. He does talk about this in more than one of the videos. Timing is as you suggest often back to front with the 'pop' you describe giving up so much of the stored energy from the turn instead of allowing the skis to come underneath you then extending into the fall line.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Ade57, Oh I am high on the ski nerdiness scale, just don't have time at the moment, may do at some point and see from the 3rd post that he does talk about this , I am a big fan of the CSCF and how they coach and how that filters down to the CSIA..

A snowHead

Ken is a CSIA Level 4 assessor.

A snowHead

Old Canadian proverb say "Don't let the Alliance screw up your skiing" Laughing

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

You need to Login to know who's really who.

You can watch some of his vids on the link he posted. Difficult to see really as it's all on a Gopro type thing. I don't think it's the point though. He may be a good skier but why post the link which is great and really helpful then launch into the vitriol? Puzzling. Maybe having a bad day. It would be good to hear. Undoubtedly there are lots of people who ski with an overinflated self image and the majority of skiers have pretty poor technique but it's not personal and it shouldn't affect anyone else. It certainly isn't a uniquely British phenomenon. I came across all the same stuff working in BC. None of us is beyond improvement. None of us.

I've got lots out of the videos and feel its enhanced my understanding to listen to a real expert analysing pretty good skiers. I wish there was more of that sort of thing around.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I like the vids and the analysis, does anyone know of similar performance style courses in Europe?

Comments from op make him come across as a complete jerk, but maybe it's just a poorly expressed "I'm the best skier on the mountain" post. Not sure I'd ski with him as it doesn't look like he could keep up and watching his vids he reminds me of the gaper spirit animal with the go pro chest mount sans go pro.

You'll need to Register first of course.

This is part of the ongoing instructor training and not a course as such MT. It's available as a weekly programme to their instructors for free.

I think the OP looks like a decent skier. I don't like the Gopro vids and do wonder whether people understand how vulnerable their ribs are if they take a big crash. He obviously skis some difficult terrain and skis it well. Hard to see but in one of the vids, the shadow may be suggesting something going on in his left turn but too vague to be sure.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

I tried watching some, good MA, but still I applaud those who made it all the way through.

I wonder if we'll see gforce around again, watched some of his videos, unedited chest mount gopro of mediocre skiing, and he complains about other peoples videos!?

All brit ski schools I've been with offer it as part of course not just the well known names as a Std technique but is just one approach as there is only so much you can take. Ideally done on the hill on break or in gondola as more timely and evening sessions get tedious when there are other things to be done.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@TTT, It's not for the same purpose in these videos. These are for instructors to improve their skills in analysing skiers and developing appropriate tactics for improvement, hence the lengthy analysis which I agree would be less than ideal for a rec. skier on a course. All the attendees already work in the WBSS.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

snow reports

Thanks. I know. If you want to learn how to analyse video then a higher level instructor training course. My point was that using video to analyse skiers is not the preserve of a few well known names given that video analysis is part of instructor training as you point out and that it is just one tool in ski instruction not some secret panacea known only to a few instructors.

You know it makes sense.

This session is not as you assume, aimed particularly at teaching instructors how to analyse video, it's to improve the eye on the hill predominantly. Of course VA is a spin off but not the primary purpose. As I'm sure you're aware spotting things in good skiers takes a lot of work. Not sure where the notion of it being the preserve of a few comes from, neither am I convinced that many rec skiers make much use of VA as the immediacy is lost. It takes a certain level of learning to really be beneficial in my opinion.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@rob@rar, I'd say 100% of the various accomodation + ski course ski schools have included video analysis weather permitting but zero when just booked ad hoc instruction hours in resort so guess closely correlated to whatever that ration may be.

@Ade57, I would not assume it is just video analysis but improving visual analysis. Totally agree spotting things in good skiers takes a lot of training. For me htere is a difference between instructors and coach/trainers. An instructors takes you through a relatively set routine and can spot the standard errors/corrections. A coach/trainer can spot the finer details and give you the one thing that will most help you at that time - that takes a lot of training and skill and where I percieve race training helps. Agree that immediacy helps - best video feedback was straight after on the gondola and then in breaks. Personally not found long evening sessions helpful- fits into what customer wants rather than what needs category. I'd agree that as you understand more it becomes more useful.

A snowHead

A snowHead

Alright - I'm back...been skiing with the boys: no skiing falling or waiting. I 'pologize' for using the word turkeys; but if I weave a towel and you think it is cut to fit...
I still have not found any good homemade vids of solid skiers. I want GS knuckle dragging and high energy C-shapes in the pow where the skis leave the snow between turns.
Jim and speed - where are your vids ? " Put 'em up".
That being the case; good vids are rare because no one wants to wait while I get over the anaerobic shakes and set up from below. Gopro is too wide a frame to follow someone at GS speeds because if you are going that fast the tipping/inclination is hard to watch on screen. If i give someone the camera they hit 'play' or just keep skiing.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@rob@rar, think that is all fair enough. I think my comment was more a personal statement of what I prefer to do at the end of a days skiing than what works best if truth be told wink

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Understand. Sometimes though amall screen is enough to make a specific point although generally not. Some cameras either have a projector or some mtn restaurants there are TV screens you can connect video to. Find that great personally as can still see everything, more immediate and then done for the day. I know some prefer all the review and analysis but I am prefer to get it out the way and work on it straight away and spend the evening relaxing. For me when it gets overly formal and intense it feels too much like the thing I'm there to get away from but everyone is different.

You'll need to Register first of course.

So far as tech goes. Ken Sez: "if you can't get it in your head you can't get it in your sking".
After watching lots of these vids I changed my skiing. I used to rail everything, everywhere and ski with too much inclination. Now i use way more angulation and more pivoting force.
Getting forward on the ski does not mean trying to move along the ski to get over the tips. It means cutting off the turn. It means pivoting the skis across your center of mass path so you are always landing in the middle of the ski.
Pivoting around the feet/ turning the legs in the hip sockets needs more angles in the ankle/shin/thigh/back.
Ski Edge Angles come not from the knees but from increasing angulation of the hips as skis move across the fall-line.
That pop someone mentioned comes from the COM passing over the arc of the ski. RELAX and Absorb/retract/down-unweight at this point and you have those C-shaped pow-turns where the skis have left the snow.
Stacking-Pressure comes up right in front of the heel/rear of arch because this closer to the tibia than the lever of yer toes... and pressure on the front of the boot increases a bit to help with keeping you in balance.
Up-unweighting can be used to buy you time to get the skis pointed in the right direction because this is a slow process and delays pressuring the ski early in the turn. It is also a tiring way to ski. Combined with heel-pushing and using the knees for edging gives you skiing from decades ago.

Anyone ever try to ski with their bindings mounted one cm too far back? You can never quite ' get over the front of the ski' and so can never finish a turn where the ski zips out from under you into the next turn. How about skis that are too flat ( not enough base bevel ) ? You can never get your hips low and inside the turn because the hook-up happens to early in the turn. Too much base bevel and the ski hooks up too late and you have to use too much pivot to keep the skis underneath your COM.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@TTT, understand. Think we're saying pretty much the same thing: video analysis is a useful tool and like a lot of useful tools can be used if slightly different ways.

After all it is free

@rob@rar, yes only that I personally prefer to do video analysis on mtn in break if technology available.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Help!!

YOU ARE IN THESE VIDS SOMEWHERE...

snowHeads Forum Index >>> Bend ze Knees