What worries me about that is that the inference less experienced/technical skiers could easily draw from the way you put forward your case is that skiing without poles means they don't have to think about their arms - and for many that will equal dropping them to their sides (a common issue). No one has actually suggested that - not you, me, no one - but my concern is that some reading will think "well that's me off the hook for having my arms up - it was difficult anyway, hooray" ... and continue with them by their hips - whether they're holding poles or not.
Isn't the incisive point that skiing with one's arms in "pole position" (low'ish, outward'ish and forward'ish) is best for stability - whether holding poles or not, whether planting/touching poles if you have them?
I'm happy you've written that I've not suggested that.
And I agree that what you call "pole position" is integral to stability on skis.
I just feel that the physical action and thought process of flicking the pole is unnecessary for the vast majority of recreational skiers.
That final statement is the one that we will disagree on until the last person to leave turns the lights out
per ^ your sentences :
1. good - you haven't, no-one has but some will think it
2. indeed - and that is the foundation of pole planting, whether you do it or not
3. that is the moot - now better defined
4. so be it
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
flowa wrote:
Mike Pow wrote:
I've already responded to this false claim of yours.
I thought your previous response (particularly the last line) did nothing but reinforce my point of concern, which is why I didn't respond to it, and you have continued to insinuate this is your brilliant idea since. It's irritating and insulting to other instructors.
Why are you concerned?
If you've interpreted that I'm claiming not teaching pole plants as my own "brilliant idea" please let me categorically state that is not the case.
There are other instructors who don't teach pole planting.
I've taught pole planting in the past, I re-evaluated it, and I don't teach it now.
I know that better instructors don't start teaching pole planting until the student can perform consistent, linked parallel turns on pisted blue / red runs.
They introduce the action to help their students progess to more difficult terrain like moguls, steeps, powder and varied snow conditions.
My interpretation from what you and others have written is that the ability level of my students and the snow conditions and terrain that they and I ski and learn in is does not warrant the need for pole planting but if they and I progress to more difficult terrain and more challenging snow conditions then we'll perform better if we pole plant.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Haggis_Trap wrote:
Most arguments about ski technique arise when someone doesn't consider the bigger picture.
In this case Mike Pow assumes that pole plants wont help students, even when skiing in moguls or steeper terrain.
That is very questionable.
Keep on digging a deeper hole
Mike Pow, great - with each new post things are getting clearer.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Mike Pow, FWIW 1) I have seen nothing in your posts which contains either a statement or an insinuation that you invented skiing without poles 2) similarly I have seen nothing in your posts which is insulting to instructors (would that the same were true of all the responses) 3) it is perfectly obvious from your video footage that you do teach arm positioning if not pole planting, so I see no reason to assume that your pupils will just hold their arms by their sides if they're not pole planting and 4) I'm not going to quit using my ski poles!
After all it is free
After all it is free
I think pole planting is way more useful than face planting but before anyone starts - I don't teach face planting and didn't invent it either.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
That last one is fabulous
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Pedantica wrote:
Mike Pow, FWIW 1) I have seen nothing in your posts which contains either a statement or an insinuation that you invented skiing without poles 2) similarly I have seen nothing in your posts which is insulting to instructors (would that the same were true of all the responses) 3) it is perfectly obvious from your video footage that you do teach arm positioning if not pole planting, so I see no reason to assume that your pupils will just hold their arms by their sides if they're not pole planting and 4) I'm not going to quit using my ski poles!
+1
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Pole planting is useful when going down a steep chravas or down a tight black run on the mountain. Generally when traveling along down reds and blues pole planting is not required. I still do more a flick on the wrist to alert a skier/snowboarder who is comming behind me which way an i turning on the mountain. If you look close-ly at hirchel's run above he is doing the same thing. From what I been told in the past it help with your balance both mentally & physically.
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